The key communication goal was to increase awareness for the environmentally friendly technologies within the GE ecomagination concept. One of the most important technologies for the German market is the desalination and purification of water. In order to reach the goal a multichannel communication strategy was developed focusing on the installation of a huge 15 meter tall straw in the river Elbe. The straw was the main attraction for participants of a GE event presenting GE expertise to a B-2-B target audience as well as for the Hamburg public.

The integrated campaign used all relevant touchpoints to reach the target. The straw installation was supported by a radio and print cooperation in Hamburg over a period of 5 days. The online raffle built the basis for the traffic generated by print and radio. Targeted invitations addressed the event and its program to selected lists, GE houselist and cold lists. The branding of the event location, a boat going for the cruise down the river Elbe, was visible to event participants and spectators from the public. A water sampling at Hamburg airport penetrated the message of GE ecomagination.