Self-reflection is a rare commodity. Self-criticism is even rarer. This is why an advertising campaign by the city of Reutlingen is currently receiving even more attention. What do the people of Reutlingen say about it?
By Paulina Albert and Eliana Berger
“The REU in Reutlingen stands for regret.” That is what it says in huge letters on the billboard in front of the Tübingen Gate. The setup around it is more reminiscent of the setting for a wedding party: there are snacks, lemonade and plenty of champagne – all regional. A black folding sign declares the gathering to be a “private party”. Reutlingen is showing its elegant side on this Monday afternoon. After all, the city wants to explain why it is not as horrible as the 150 large posters in the city center currently claim.
There are also people from Reutlingen who thought that the posters belong in the trash
The message of the posters: “You can’t like Reutlingen”
Since June 11, posters have been hanging at 20 locations explaining to their viewers what is wrong with the Swabian town of 118,000 inhabitants. “Nothing is as boring as an exciting day in Reutlingen,” is one of the slogans, or, right at the train station: “Living where nobody goes on holiday.” All of this is accompanied by the addition “You can’t like Reutlingen.” The poster campaign spread quickly on social media. It was Tiktok and Instagram shared the message, and later TV stations like Sat.1 picked up the topic. According to Reutlingen city marketing, the campaign has so far had 7.5 million online views. The posters, which were taken down on Monday, were of course marketing.
The message behind the message: You have to love Reutlingen
“We Reutlingers sometimes tend so much towards understatement that we start to believe other people’s prejudices about us,” said Mayor Thomas Keck (SPD) at a press conference at the Tübingen Gate. Around 40 people gathered, which is a lot for a press statement from such a city. “That was the basis of our campaign to wake us Reutlingers up to talk about the city and to rediscover the surprisingly lovable things about our city.”
Seldom has a city welcomed its guests more honestly…
But how do the residents react?
Before the press conference begins, two women from Reutlingen are sitting at the train station on their way to Tübingen. “To a beautiful city, a sweet one! We love Tübingen!” they say. And what do they think of the posters?
Gabi Schneider, 70: “If streams of people come here now, then it’s paid off!”
Her companion, Karin Tietz, 69: “I think it’s total crap. And, Gabi, if they made the parking garage free, then maybe there would be crowds, but like this?” A discussion breaks out in the deepest Swabian dialect.
Jana Lukac, 21, is standing at the train station directly opposite the poster “Living where nobody goes on holiday.” What is your opinion? “Yes, I can confirm that,” she says. “I’ve never met anyone who goes on holiday here.” Unlike Tietz, however, she thinks the campaign has been a success. “It appeals to my generation.”
Valentina Stampar, 54, sees the posters every day on her way to work. She works for Deutsche Bahn. “Reutlingen is a beautiful little town,” she says. “It’s nice to live here. And now the whole of Germany is making fun of it.”
For Yunus Özil, 16, all of this is “relatively unimportant actually.”
All clear: The Reutlingen city administration exposes the abusive action – as image advertising
The self-insult cost 25,000 euros
Love at second sight, that’s the idea behind the insulting posters. But what if the second half of the campaign, the loving side, doesn’t go viral? Mark Pelzer from the advertising agency that designed the campaign isn’t worried. He is sure that the second part of the campaign, the one about love, will also touch people emotionally. But above all, the campaign showed that you can be self-ironic, says Pelzer. It cost 25,000 euros – the equivalent of 20 cents per inhabitant.
Angelika Sauer, 72, a lady wearing a hat, cycles past and spontaneously stops at the press conference. Only to comment: “There is nothing more stupid!” And what does she think about the fact that you can now love Reutlingen even if you don’t like it? “It’s already too late,” she thinks.
Above all, the campaign has triggered self-reflection among the people of Reutlingen, says Hans Hamann. An internal debate that would also remind Reutlingen residents that they can also be a little proud of their city. “If we had done a normal advertising campaign, nobody would have been interested,” he says. Hamann is the chairman of the Reutlingen Citizens’ Foundation and part of the Reutlingen Branding Advisory Board. This meant that he was involved in the campaign. He thinks it was a complete success.
Mixed feelings, but that was the idea. Or, as Thomas Keck, the mayor of Reutlingen, sums it up: a love relationship is never easy.