Why Brands Are Using Experiential Installations for Climate Advocacy

Hamburg agency Grabarz & Partner and Deutsche Telekom transformed Miniatur Wunderland, the world's largest model railway, into a live climate warning installation called "Miniatur Warmland" in 2025. The campaign reached approximately 30,000 visitors in a single week and won the EPICA Grand Prix 2025.

A Beloved Landmark Repurposed as a Climate Warning

Miniatur Wunderland, founded in 2001 in Hamburg, features over 16,000 metres of track and draws visitors from around the world. For one week, four sections of the attraction were transformed to show catastrophic climate scenarios: castles consumed by flames, Monaco struck by hurricanes, and Venice submerging beneath rising water.

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Visitors used iPads to raise simulated temperatures degree by degree, watching familiar locations change in real time. The German Climate Research Institute provided scientific data underpinning the experience. Technical production was handled by Curious Company, with filming by Tony Petersen Film and director Jonathan Kneebone of The Glue Society.

The installation also extended beyond Hamburg through a dedicated website, allowing global audiences to interact with the same temperature scenarios online.

The Agency Pitch That Led With Purpose, Not Profit

Ralf Heuel, CCO and Partner at Grabarz & Partner, told Deutsche Telekom directly that the campaign would not generate new customers or revenue. "You will not benefit from this. You won't get any more customers. You won't earn any money from it. The only thing you get out of it is that you are doing something good," Heuel said.

Securing access to Miniatur Wunderland required a similar approach. Heuel told the attraction's co-founders the project existed "for the environment, for our kids, for the future." They agreed and became active partners, providing day and night access for technical testing and hosting a major Deutsche Telekom press conference inside the operating attraction.

Heuel described the campaign's core philosophy: "We wanted to turn familiar, fairly innocuous data into an immersive, resonant experience for people. If we can't manage to raise awareness through rational argument and data, then we'll use maximum emotion to achieve it."

Deutsche Telekom's Climate Credentials Gave the Campaign Credibility

Deutsche Telekom's participation was grounded in a multi-year sustainability record. The company became the first DAX 40 company to achieve group-wide climate neutrality across Scope one and two emissions by end-2025, reducing emissions by over 94% since 2017 and avoiding approximately 28 million tons of CO2. The company has powered its networks on 100% renewable energy since 2021.

CEO Tim Höttges stated publicly: "Many talk about climate protection, we have done it."

The "Miniatur Warmland" activation sat within Deutsche Telekom's broader "Green Magenta" sustainability platform, which also includes a "Green Pioneers" employee program with over 300 internal ambassadors. The company has set a 55% Scope one to three emissions reduction target by 2030 and a full value-chain net-zero target for 2040.

A Production Model Built on Institutional Partnership

The campaign illustrates how deep institutional partnership, not just venue access, determines success when using third-party cultural sites for brand campaigns. Miniatur Wunderland's founders provided full operational cooperation, including press support and unrestricted access during testing phases.

The physical installation ran for one week. The digital extension transformed it into a persistent global asset accessible beyond Hamburg. The EPICA Grand Prix 2025 recognition confirmed industry validation of the immersive, venue-based approach to climate messaging.

Deutsche Telekom operates a multi-agency communications model. In January 2026, the company separately launched a mainstream brand campaign titled "Besser im besten Netz" (Better on the Best Network), created by Ogilvy Germany, running across television, print, social media, and outdoor advertising.