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20. November 2025
Herbert's World #20
We present issue no. 20 of the Mafo.de column ‘Herbert's World’!
Our CEO Herbert Höckel talks about a possible revival of the 2005 ‘You are Germany’ marketing campaign, which aspects of German culture should definitely be taken into account this time around, and how exactly Taiwan can serve as a role model for our country. Enjoy reading!
Herbert's World #20:
You are Germany – Reloaded!
We have already torn down a wall once before... Germany has enough hands to get the job done... There are 82 million of us. Let's get our hands dirty... You are 82 million... Treat your country like a good friend. Don't complain about it... You are Germany.
Do these sentences sound familiar to some of you? They come from the manifesto of the 2005 ‘Du bist Deutschland’ (‘You are Germany’) marketing campaign, yet they fit perfectly into the current situation in 2025. After all, for several months now, we have been bombarded with reports about how badly our country is doing and how much worse things seem to be looking for the future.
Yes, there is ample evidence that we as a country are currently facing a bleak future: this is the unanimous opinion of a wide range of consumer sentiment and business climate indices, as well as the well-known political polling institutes. A recent article in the Tagesspiegel (01.10.2025) describes how, according to a global survey by the market and social research institute Ipsos, 45 (!) per cent of people in Germany are explicitly pessimistic. According to numerous studies, companies remain (too) cautious about purchases and investments, the population perceives a growing sense of reform stagnation and is becoming increasingly polarised politically.
A new ‘You are Germany’ campaign?
So just launch a new campaign called ‘You are Germany 2025’? Is the campaign from 20 years ago really a good model to follow? Probably not, since even people at the time criticised the initiative for lacking substance, merely skimming the surface of the feel-good factor and shifting responsibility for the country's fate onto individuals.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Brunold from the University of Augsburg wrote in the magazine ‘polis’ (2/2006) that the campaign ‘did not attribute the gloomy mood in the country to rising unemployment or falling real incomes, but rather portrayed the misery [in Germany] as the result of individual bad moods that could be corrected at any time through introspection and positive thinking.‘ And that instead of ’solidarity based on shared values and goals,‘ it would be better for ’individuals to use their elbows and show initiative.’
(Sources: Wikipedia ‘You are Germany’; polis ‘You are Germany’ – A political production)
If you ask me, it's a rather strange philosophy for a €30 million media campaign coordinated at the time by the Bertelsmann Group.
Inspiration at ESOMAR 2025
Assuming I had the fictional task of transferring the Germany campaign from back then to the present day in 2025, I would draw inspiration from Dutch organisational theorist and consultant Fons Trompenaar! More specifically, from his closing keynote speech ‘Reconciling Dilemmas’, delivered at the recent ESOMAR Congress in Prague.
Among other things, Trompenaar discussed his well-known model of national cultural differences, providing valuable insights into how best to address and engage a country in a crisis (of sentiment). In our case, this means how German citizens can best be addressed in a ‘culturally appropriate’ manner so that a campaign to change the mood is effective. Here is a good overview of the basic model.
Trompenaar always emphasised typical German characteristics, so that based on his seven dimensions, I would describe the current situation in our country as follows:
Universalism vs. particularism:
The high standards of fairness and compliance with rules that have always existed in our country are increasingly being met with exceptions such as bureaucracy that is perceived as pointless, unregulated migration and incomprehensible energy prices. All too often, there is a gap between the apparent norm and reality for the average citizen.
Individualism vs. collectivism:
Although the average German consumer always sees themselves as having a duty to perform, they also expect a reliable, secure framework provided by standards, rules and laws. However, it is precisely these certainties that seem to be wavering more than ever at present. Current examples include the sudden withdrawal of subsidies for electric cars and the confusion surrounding the so-called Heating Act.
Neutral vs. affective:
In a more neutral culture such as Germany's (Italy, for example, is a typically emotional culture), today's crisis-focused everyday life in business and society is having an increasingly unsettling effect on people. This is especially true when only conflicts or risks – and hardly any solutions – are perceived by the public. Not least, the current somewhat exaggerated and fatalistic mood of doom and gloom in the automotive industry is a prime example of this.
Specific vs. diffuse:
The separation of powers in our democracy has always been a valuable asset. The separation of the ‘spheres’ of politics, business and the media can be argued in much the same way. However, in the midst of multiple crises, constructive interfaces between them would probably be advantageous, instead of causing friction and discord with sharp opposition and conflict, as is now heard on a daily basis.
Performance vs. attribution:
The weak growth rates of recent years are shaking the narrative of German performance, which has been learned over decades and spoiled by success. Long-held top positions in global rankings across a wide range of economic sectors are increasingly being lost, creating a helpless feeling of decline, coupled with fears of losing prosperity – especially for future generations.
Sequential vs. synchronous:
At least in general, Germans tend to prefer a sequential, i.e. chronological approach: one challenge at a time, please! However, more and more (urgent) transformations are taking place in parallel, e.g. climate change, defence, demographic problems and, of course, digitalisation and artificial intelligence. As a result, many feel a sense of resignation and overwhelm.
Internal vs. external control:
The Federal Republic's self-image was shaped not least by the reconstruction after 1945. The slogan ‘We are somebody again’ created a specific, powerful ideal of self-efficacy. An ideal that now seems increasingly helpless and toothless in the face of the myriad external shocks of the present: real wars, tariff wars, supply chain problems and other issues are reducing the perceived controllability of one's own country.
If we now combine the aforementioned areas of analysis with popular social media, the latter clearly play an amplifying role. Although leading German media outlets still enjoy a relatively high level of trust among the population compared to other countries, this trust has been eroding for some time now in Germany as well. And for reasons that have long been known: because the platforms and their algorithms simply have the upper hand in the free play of forces (after attention) and thus attract more attention. Conflicts and negativity continue to be rewarded, while constructive communication loses out. This is and remains a real ulcer in the public sphere.
Does that mean giving up and taking a fatalistic view of the future? No, certainly not. Based on the points mentioned above, we now know of a few relevant levers that could be used to turn the mood in the country around. Perhaps even with a new edition of the ‘You are Germany’ campaign. At least a few suggestions for this come to mind:
- Given Germany's rule-bound nature, it would be extremely important to re-establish fair and transparent standards 100%. This means clear ‘rules and benefits packages’ that are not only simple and easy for every citizen to understand, but also to verify. Why not implement freely accessible ‘dashboards’ in all areas of public life in order to regain lost trust through radical openness? The government measure currently under discussion, ‘If an authority does not respond within the specified time limit, the application is deemed to have been approved,’ is also moving in the same direction (keyword: amendment to the “fiction of approval”). After all, endless processing times also fuel the feeling of dysfunctionality and must come to an end.
- Community must become tangible (again) and even worthwhile. Why not introduce a citizen's dividend for measurable savings in a municipality so that commitment really pays off? This also includes giving people the freedom to make innovative, courageous decisions that, even if they fail, do not end in a dead end, but allow them to seek new paths.
- Fundamentally, it should be more about participation on an equal footing. This applies between citizens and, above all, between the state and its citizens: instilling trust, providing budgets, promoting participation and thus exemplifying optimism. Instead of ‘You [alone] ARE Germany’ (as in 2005), it would be better to say ‘We ALL are Germany – and we want to STAY that way!’
Humour over rumour, or the example of Taiwan
Incidentally, Taiwan has successfully demonstrated a contemporary campaign in the person of former hacker Audrey Tang. Tang was Minister for Digital Affairs from 2016 to 2024 and developed a number of groundbreaking tools for citizen participation during this time. While Taiwanese citizens' trust in their government institutions stood at a mere 9% in 2014, it rose to over 70% by 2020. She describes her approach as follows: in order to regain the trust of citizens, the government must first radically trust the people.
The structures of the participation platforms used were decisive: consensus-oriented, bridge-building and, above all, depolarising. People can (still) share their views and feelings there, but there is no reply or retweet button. This takes away the most important lever for trolls.
Those who contribute to the common denominator of ‘everyone’ are rewarded. Indignation, on the other hand, loses its appeal. The now globally active digital ambassador also emphasises the principle: humour over rumour. Tang used this succinctly at the time of the heated discussions about the coronavirus vaccine, when she had four controversial substances injected at the same time for maximum publicity and then said: Look, I'm still alive! (Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung, 17 October 2025 and Wikipedia).
Back to Germany and to civil society
Here too, civil society sometimes functions better than most people believe, but unfortunately this often goes unnoticed. Or are you aware of the sheer number of charitable projects and initiatives that exist throughout the country today and that actively promote democracy, the environment, disadvantaged people or other social issues on a daily basis? Thousands! Really, thousands! According to Statista, the number of volunteers alone is estimated at 16.9 (!) million for 2025. Isn't that a really strong sign that this country is by no means made up solely of complainers and pessimists?
Consequently, 16.9 million volunteers no longer need to be roused by a new ‘You are Germany’ campaign. On the contrary, they deserve to be given the recognition they deserve. And that includes making their work easier than it has been up to now. One idea, for example, would be to support those involved in smaller initiatives in particular with fundamentally unbureaucratic ‘micro-grants’ – e.g. with up to €5,000 per project. This would also be an effective contribution to strengthening their self-efficacy!
Conclusion
One thing is certain: Germany has enough substance to get back on its feet psychologically. All the screws are there, we just need to find the right way to turn them. There are also role models around the world for rebuilding a nation – take Taiwan, for example, where even social media has been given a constructive role. Of course, it is clear that this is not about glossing over our problems, because they undoubtedly exist and must all be solved. However, this requires smart politics and, just as importantly, a society that works together instead of simply spitting venom and bile.
Herbert Höckel ist geschäftsführender Gesellschafter hier bei bei der moweb research GmbH. Seit mehr als 25 Jahren ist er Marktforscher. 2004 gründete er die moweb GmbH, welche er bis heute als Inhaber führt. Die moweb aus Düsseldorf ist international tätig und eines der ersten deutschen, auf digitale Verfahren spezialisierte Marktforschungsinstitute.