In 2008, Germany's so far largest referendum movement pushed for a stop of plans to close the Berlin Tempelhof airport, which remains economically viable and is a historically important landmark. The campaign was covered in many national and local media and generated a till then unrivalled movement of democratic interests. More than 60 per cent of the votes cast supported the referendum - in absolute numbers, more votes than any political party secured in the last Berlin state elections.

Using PR measures including TV, radio and internet spots, a dynamic image of Tempelhof Airport was presented. With a reconciliatory and fair tone, the campaign reached out to and touched the hearts of the citizens of Berlin, whether young or old, poor or rich. The TV spots were shown in TV-Berlin, free of charge. Billboards were placed on popular places in Berlin: Potsdamer Platz, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Alexanderplatz, in front of Berlin’s city hall and by main roads.The PR activities became the ‘talk-of-the-town’ for weeks. Local media as well as national and international media covered the story many times, e.g. in national weekly news magazines like Focus, Vanity Fair and in dailies, e.g. Die Welt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Tagesspiegel and Europe’s most successful newspaper Bild.With daily campaign newsletters, a website (www.Rettet-Tempelhof.de), debates and information events at the Airport, supporters were supplied with information and arguments on a day to day basis and were also motivated to keep spirits up.

On the day of the referendum, the Tempelhof-supporters stood up to the opponents of Tempelhof airport, with over 60 percent of the votes cast favouring the continuation of the airport.Unfortunately, the legally required quota of 610.000 was slightly missed. The campaign mobilized 530.000 voters, who were in favour for the Initiative. 349.000 people voted against it. However, ICAT and its allies received more votes for their cause in the referendum than any political party did at the last regional elections in Berlin. ICAT thus achieved the strongest voter turnout in Berlin in recent years.