The Lighthouse Hamburg: Germany’s largest immersive DOOH installation gets off to a flying start with PENNY and Hyundai

A new chapter in outdoor advertising is beginning at Hamburg’s Spielbudenplatz: Ströer and its subsidiary blowUP media are today launching “The Lighthouse” – Germany’s largest outdoor LED screen installation and, at the same time, the country’s first immersive DOOH screen. Two launch clients are kicking things off, with exclusive use of the new screen from the very start: PENNY and Hyundai. 

PENNY: Interactive seagull chases coupons – customers benefit directly in the Kiez with the PENNY app 

To mark the ‘First Light’ of ‘The Lighthouse’, PENNY is launching a bespoke campaign. The concept, developed by the creative agencies Saint Elmo’s and charles & charlotte, draws on Hamburg’s cityscape: a larger-than-life seagull isn’t snatching fish, but attractive PENNY coupons. Passers-by can activate these via a QR code in the PENNY app and redeem them at the KIEZ PENNY supermarket on Spielbudenplatz, just 250 metres away. PION3ERS is responsible for media planning. 

“The immersive Lighthouse installation attracts extraordinary attention – especially with our seagull, which snatches our coupons instead of food and invites people to get involved. The coupons can be activated directly in the PENNY app and redeemed just a few steps away at our Kiez. This turns attention into a genuine brand experience,” says Dr Jan Flemming, Managing Director of PENNY Marketing & REWE Group Media. 

PION3ERS Managing Director Norman Wagner adds: “The Lighthouse campaign once again underlines PENNY’s innovative strength, as well as its determination and willingness to continually explore new, creative avenues and thereby set new standards in retail advertising. We are delighted to keep creating and experiencing ‘wow’ moments together with PENNY.”  

Hyundai: “More than freedom” – IONIQ 3 launches on the German market with 3D OOH 

At the same time, Hyundai is launching its national campaign for the new all-electric Hyundai IONIQ 3 under the tagline ‘More than freedom’.  

At the heart of the installation is the so-called “Freedom Level”, which visibly charges up like the battery level of an electric vehicle – until, in the final scene, the IONIQ 3 breaks through the boundaries of the screen. In this way, the 3D installation translates the campaign idea “More than freedom” into a striking visual representation of new possibilities, greater flexibility and electric mobility. The IONIQ 3 embodies the possibilities that arise when innovative design, smart technology and electric mobility come together. 

“The launch of the IONIQ 3 is one of Hyundai’s most important milestones of the year. This calls for a format that grabs attention and surprises people. ‘The Lighthouse’ is exactly that: a flagship project that makes our ‘More than Freedom’ campaign impossible to miss and sends a clear message in public spaces. Here, credibility is built through a visible presence and shared experiences – a crucial factor at a time when trust in brands is becoming increasingly important,” says Jens Eberth, Marketing Director at Hyundai Motor Germany. 

Havas Media Germany and Weischer.OOH are responsible for the media planning for the launch of the IONIQ 3. 

“With a medium like The Lighthouse, it’s no longer just about reach at a prime location, but about a place where a brand story can be staged. For the launch of the IONIQ 3, this is the perfect stage – which gives the brand the attention it deserves,” says Steffen Ansorge, Head of Adcity at Havas Media Germany. 

“With The Lighthouse, out-of-home advertising in Germany gains a beacon of a medium in the truest sense of the word. A space of this scale and architecture transforms what can be conveyed in public spaces: towards a multi-level presentation that makes people stop and take notice. For brands, this means more opportunities to truly showcase themselves in real-life environments,” explains Jonas Kofahl-Kraatz, CDO, Weischer.OOH. 

From 30 September, the PENNY and Hyundai campaigns will run on an hourly rotation. This model preserves the medium’s exclusivity whilst ensuring maximum visibility for both brands. In doing so, the companies are underlining their position as innovators in their respective sectors. 

A beacon for Spielbudenplatz 

With more than 530 square metres of digital LED screen space and a spectacular 3D round corner for anamorphic effects, The Lighthouse is setting new standards in the German out-of-home market. Campaigns here no longer appear as flat clips, but are staged as immersive, full-motion storytelling. 

The location at Spielbudenplatz in the heart of Hamburg has been carefully chosen: hardly any other place in Germany combines culture, entertainment, music, nightlife and urban energy in such a way. Millions of visitors, as well as creative professionals and cultural figures, make it one of the country’s liveliest stages – and the ideal setting for brands that want to be not just seen, but experienced. 

At a time when digital communication is becoming increasingly fragmented and artificial, public spaces are gaining importance as environments that foster trust. The Lighthouse embodies this trend: here, brands are not merely noticed, but collectively experienced. This fosters shared knowledge, social validation and long-term trust. 

“With The Lighthouse Hamburg, we are launching a new category in the German DOOH market,” says Udo Müller, CEO of Ströer. “The Lighthouse is not only another outstanding 3D LED screen in our Iconic Screen Collection, but also a completely new kind of immersive LED screen architecture. Covering over 530 square metres, this is Germany’s largest LED screen installation – built for brands that want to make an impact in the urban landscape, be filmed, shared and remembered.” 

As launch partners for the first few weeks of the campaign, PENNY and Hyundai secured 100 per cent share of voice. This not only makes the launch a benchmark case for immersive DOOH campaigns, but also underlines the strategic importance of the screen for brands that embrace innovative advertising formats at an early stage.