Because we came up not with a classic advert, but with an emotional 12-minute short film that ran in cinemas across Bavaria and on the web. A story, entertaining, non-promotional and peppered with hidden arguments for traveling sustainably by train and combined with a large portion of travel inspiration. So heartwarming that it reaches people where normal advertising doesn’t get: right in their hearts.

Bavaria is a beautiful state in Germany. Forests, lakes, mountains, inspiring cities. It’s packed with gorgeous destinations and popular amongst tourists and locals alike. But many people still use their cars to explore the countryside because they believe it to be cheaper, faster, and more flexible than using the far more sustainable trains from DB Regio Bayern. We wanted to change that. We wanted to make people aware of how important it is to switch to climate-friendly means of transport in times like these.

Saving the environment and sustainability are central topics of our time. They also take center stage in the communication of most global brands. And many people are already getting the message. When shopping, when saving energy, when traveling. But when it comes to sustainability, you can never do enough.

Together with DB Regio Bayern, we asked ourselves: how can we reach people who have so far not picked up on the message about treating our planet responsibly and who continue to rely on cars as the main means of transportation. The answer: Not with a classic advert, but with an emotional short film shown in cinemas and on the web. Cinema entertains and moves people. Emotional stories touch people and make them think.

It quickly became clear: If people are to switch to DB Regio, we have to rethink - usual advertising measures will not get us anywhere. That's why we gave our message a new, much more dramatic perspective: Folks, this isn't about rail travel, it's about the destruction of our civilization! And this message needs a format that goes beyond the usual dimensions and generates true emotions. So we came up with a 12 minute short film that ran in cinemas across Bavaria and on the web. A story, entertaining, non-promotional and peppered with hidden arguments for traveling sustainably by train and combined with a large portion of travel inspiration.

We created a 12-minute short film, to be seen on YouTube and in cinemas across Bavaria.. The story: 2 aliens had the mission to destroy the earth before humans pollute the universe with their CO2-Emissions. But then the Martians fall in love with Bavaria and its people and everything is fine in the end. A heartwarming story that reaches people where normal advertising doesn’t get: right in their hearts.

Through the innovative use of a 12-minute timer, an exciting story was created that conveys the deep message and call for sustainable commuting and travel behavior at its core. With the help of the community management set up explicitly for this purpose, questions about the film could be answered and more space was given to the topic of climate-friendly transport. The community got involved and picked up. DB Regio Bayern places itself as a brand that is close to users and celebrates the beauty of the state of Bavaria regionally.

Cost per View: 0,05 €

Reach YouTube - 1,2 Mio. Views

YouTube Impressions 5.021.820

YouTube VTR 38,5 %