Nationwide Campaign for Fiber-Optic Expansion
Through a nationwide information campaign, the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernization (BMDS) and Scholz & Friends aim to educate the public about fiber-optic technology and increase the use of fiber-optic connections in Germany. Under the slogan “Don’t settle for second best,” the campaign focuses on education, dialogue, and engagement—and addresses one of the central challenges of the federal government’s Gigabit Strategy.
While fiber-optic expansion has progressed rapidly in recent years, the number of active connections remains well below its potential. Many residents who are technically already eligible to connect to the fiber-optic network have not yet made the switch. Among the reasons are a lack of awareness of the benefits, satisfaction with existing internet connections, and concerns about upcoming construction work.
“Nearly one in two households has the option to connect to fiber optics. The key is that these connections are actually used. Fiber optics is the foundation for a high-performance digital infrastructure and thus for innovation, education, and economic strength. With this information campaign, we want to encourage people to recognize and take advantage of the available opportunities and take the step into the digital future—for a better quality of life in everyday life and new opportunities for our state,” says Jan-Hendrik Pieper, Division Director at the BMDS.At the heart of the campaign are three humorous videos titled “Date,” “Job Interview,” and “Apartment Viewing.” They highlight pivotal moments in everyday life when seemingly perfect opportunities suddenly fall apart—simply because there is no fiber-optic connection. Whether it’s the first kiss on the front porch, the decisive moment of a job interview, or a viewing of a dream apartment: the absence of fiber-optic internet becomes an unexpected showstopper and makes the central message unmistakably clear—those who settle for less when it comes to their internet connection miss out on opportunities.
Visually, the films rely on a clear, dialogue-driven staging that draws its humor from the contrast between everyday situations and surprising consequences. The films were directed by Elsa van Damke, a Grimme Prize winner and multiple nominee for the German Television Award, who imbues the scenes with a precise balance of comedic timing and realistic characterization. The spots were produced entirely in-house by Scholz & Friends Broadcast.
Lars Cords, Partner at Scholz & Friends: “With ‘Don’t settle for second best,’ we’ve turned the standard we hold ourselves to in our own work into the campaign slogan. We are delighted that Federal Minister Karsten Wildberger and his Head of Communications, Betty Kieß, have placed their trust in us to build on the preparatory work done for the BMDV and now implement the first campaign for the BMDS—in a field so crucial to our country’s future viability.”
The campaign will be rolled out across multiple media channels with a digital focus: The three films will be supported by social media initiatives, PR formats, DOOH displays, banners, and native ads. At the heart of the campaign is the landing page www.das-beste-internet.de, which serves as a central content hub and brings together all relevant information—from background articles and infographics to the “Fiber Optic Bot,” which answers questions in real time. The content is optimized for both traditional search engines and AI-based search queries, providing a one-stop shop for all questions related to fiber-optic connections.
Credits
Client: Bundesministerium für Digitales und Staatsmodernisierung
Agency: Scholz & Friends Berlin
Production: Scholz & Friends Broadcast
Director: Elsa van Damke