Edeka: The Most German Supermarket
Edeka wanted to take a stand against rising xenophobia in Germany before the 2017 federal election. Jung von Matt Hamburg was tasked with reinforcing the brand's commitment to diversity. The challenge was to move beyond empty corporate statements and create a visceral experience that would resonate with the general public and spark a global conversation about the value of inclusion.
Creative Idea
Removing all foreign products to show how empty a supermarket - and country - is without diversity.
Edeka removed all foreign-made products from a supermarket for one day, leaving shelves strikingly empty. This visceral experiment proved that German daily life depends on global diversity, turning a political debate into a tangible, undeniable retail experience.
The Day German Shelves Ran Dry
A calculated political gamble
The stunt was strategically executed in Hamburg-Hafencity just weeks before the 2017 German Federal Election. At a time of intense national debate regarding the rise of the AfD party, Edeka moved beyond its "Wir lieben Lebensmittel" slogan to embrace Brand Activism. Creative Director Anna Lichnog and the team at Jung von Matt anticipated a "shit storm" from right-wing critics but proceeded to prove that "German culture" is inherently international. Despite the online backlash, the brand’s sentiment scores among its core target audience actually improved following the campaign.
Hidden cameras and empty aisles
To capture authentic reactions, the production team at Markenfilm Crossing installed hidden cameras throughout the store. Customers entering that Saturday morning were met with total confusion rather than an explanation. The visual impact was decimated by the removal of over 20,000 products, revealing how staples like tomatoes, olives, coffee, and even certain breads are entirely dependent on global trade. Simple, provocative signage replaced the inventory, featuring lines like "This shelf is quite boring without variety" and "So empty is a supermarket without foreigners."
Half a billion in earned media
The campaign’s success relied almost entirely on earned media rather than a traditional ad spend. Images of the decimated aisles went viral instantly, making it the #1 trending topic on Twitter in Germany. The reach eventually exceeded 500 million people globally, with major coverage from the BBC, The New York Times, and The Independent. This single-day physical intervention proved to the industry that a documented stunt could generate more global impact than a multi-million dollar television flight.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
A massive inventory of international products and a reputation for loving food and variety.
Category
Supermarkets usually focus on abundance and price without addressing the global origins of daily staples.
Customer
Consumers felt overwhelmed by rising xenophobic rhetoric but lacked a clear way to visualize its impact.
Culture
A period of intense national debate regarding immigration and the rise of right-wing political parties.
Company
A massive inventory of international products and a reputation for loving food and variety.
Category
Supermarkets usually focus on abundance and price without addressing the global origins of daily staples.
Strategy:
Dramatize the loss of essential variety to prove that isolationism leads to cultural and physical poverty.
Customer
Consumers felt overwhelmed by rising xenophobic rhetoric but lacked a clear way to visualize its impact.
Culture
A period of intense national debate regarding immigration and the rise of right-wing political parties.
Strategy:
Dramatize the loss of essential variety to prove that isolationism leads to cultural and physical poverty.
Results
The campaign achieved significant global impact, including 10k articles worldwide from major outlets like BBC, The Washington Post, and HuffPost. It garnered 9M views on social media and 328k engagements. Most notably, the campaign reached 105M contacts within just 10 days, demonstrating its viral reach and cultural resonance.
105M
contacts within 10 days
10k
articles worldwide
9M
social media views
Strategy Technique
Turn Brand Values Into Action
Edeka moved beyond traditional advertising by sacrificing sales for a day to prove their commitment to diversity. This high-stakes stunt demonstrated that their values were more than just a slogan.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Conduct an Experiment
By physically removing products and observing customer reactions, the brand transformed a supermarket into a live social laboratory. This tangible demonstration made the abstract concept of diversity visible and undeniable through real-world consequences.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
The campaign's power lies in its bold experiential design and the simplicity of its copywriting, turning a mundane grocery trip into a profound political statement.
The physical act of stripping a supermarket of its variety is a masterclass in using space to communicate a complex social message.
The signs used in the store are concise, punchy, and perfectly frame the visual void for the customers.
The synergy between the physical absence of products and the direct, simple copy on the signs creates an immediate 'aha' moment for both customers and viewers.
