After reflecting on the visual absence of OFFF Barcelona, one event kept coming to mind—one that actually did everything right: OMR (Online Marketing Rockstars) in Hamburg.
I first visited OMR in 2019, and the scale of its presence was hard to miss. By the time I returned in 2022 and 2023 to work behind the scenes, I fully understood just how carefully everything had been planned. OMR wasn’t just an event — it was a full takeover of the city. There was pretty much no one across the town (or maybe even the country — and some say over the marketing scene) that had not heard about the event and also online (mostly LinkedIn & Instagram) everyone was talking about it. Over the time it had even become meme material, which is in my opinion one of the best ways for user generated content (“There is no such thing as bad publicity”, or something in that way, you get the point).
OMR did exactly what I expected to see at OFFF:
- Marketing started early – long before the event itself, you could already spot teaser campaigns and announcements throughout the city.
- Visual identity everywhere – not just in digital channels, but across all physical spaces in Hamburg.
- Advertisements in public transport – Buses, S-Bahns, screens, stickers — OMR literally moved through the city.
- Billboards around town – from large-scale prints to local neighborhood placements, the branding was omnipresent.
- Flyers at “Spätis” – even at late-night kiosks and small shops, you’d find OMR materials.
- Newspaper ads – traditional media wasn’t forgotten, either. There were full-page ads and features in major newspapers and magazines.
- City-wide awareness – unlike OFFF, people in Hamburg knew what was going on. There was buzz, recognition, and visibility. Maybe not everyone liked it, but everyone knew it.
- Marketing campaigns within the city — Sponsors and partners of the OMR also took part in promoting the event and contributed to increased awareness
Once you entered the venue, the experience was just bright. The signage, staff clothing, branded items, stages, and screens all followed a consistent and bold visual system. Some might say it was a sensory overload, but everything aligned with the campaign that had been building up in the city for weeks or even months.
In short:
OMR executed exactly the kind of conceptual, immersive, and recognizable identity that I hoped to see at OFFF. It proves that a strong event brand doesn’t stop at a good logo or cool poster—it extends into the urban space, builds anticipation, and creates a complete, memorable experience.
That is why for me, OMR stands as a prime example of how to do it right—and an important reference point for future executions.
