JvM MD Peter Ströh: “Germany Needs a Strong, Progressive Green Force”

Communal elections are coming up in the German region of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). Many political parties have already started campaigning for their causes, getting ready for the big day on September 14th, 2025. From today, The Greens will be joining the decoration of the Western state with campaign posters and a roll out of their social campaign.

Together with Jung von Matt, the party created ‘Power for Tomorrow,’ highlighting the different aspects of the Green manifesto and the party's values with simple and clear designs.

The Agency Struggle – The Risk of Speaking Up

Getting politically involved as a creative agency is not an easy fit. It comes with a lot of risk. And the fact that Jung von Matt was even able to do so was due to its independent nature. Managing director Peter Ströh says: “It is no state secret that The Greens have both fans and critics, including clients and people in the industry.”

Surprisingly, the agency has not had much pushback so far. “The fair political competition for the best solutions is welcomed by our clients. Within the agency and in the job market, our work for The Greens and the associated stance supporting an eco-social transformation in Germany is strongly endorsed.”

Before getting involved in The Greens general election campaign 2024 for the elections in 2025, Peter Ströh checked in with his team to see if everyone was on board. “The response was an overwhelming 'yes.’ We all know and feel: in the coming years, a lot is about a lot, if not everything, for the ecological and economic future of Germany. Only if both are successfully balanced can this country remain successful, competitive, and liveable. Topics that are more important in the industrial region of NRW than anywhere else.”

The Significance of North Rhine-Westphalia

Germany has 16 federal states that each have their local elections. Contributing 20% of Germany’s GDP, North Rhine-Westphalia holds significant political importance as it is the most populated state. The region's strongest sectors are industrial and mining.

The communal election fight in NRW happens against the backdrop of a divided Germany. While the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is now the second strongest party in parliament, the Green party lost 33 seats in the last general elections.

Melis Adigüzel-Tripp was the executive creative director on this project. NRW has been her home since she grew up there. But, even for Melis, it was hard to find an “NRW-feeling.” The region is diverse. With big cities like Cologne, but also rural places with a big history of mining, it is hard to find a collective identity. Melis says: “For us as creatives, this was a fascinating playing field. We quickly decided on a clean, modern look, combined with clear, compelling headlines.”

Jung von Matt’s main aim with this campaign is to attract attention and to communicate the party’s political messages clearly. “This is not so easy in election campaigns when a flood of posters is vying for attention outside,” says Melis.

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MD Peter Takes a Stance

Creating a political campaign for The Greens is more than just a “job” for Jung von Matt. MD Peter thinks that creative work for a political party, whether at the federal or state level, carries a special kind of importance, responsibility, and impact. “In the end, the campaign at least partly determines democratic majority conditions in our parliaments and governments.”

This year was the third hottest year ever recorded, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Germany is among the 20 countries that have been most affected by climate change in the past two decades, according to the Global Climate Risk Index of the NGO Germanwatch. Floods, storms, and heat waves have severely impacted the country over the years.

That is why Peter wants everyone to take action. “We all feel that Germany needs a strong, progressive green force that is willing to take responsibility. So that the far-right shift, societal divisions, and polarisations do not continue to advance in this country.”

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Current Issues Instead of Political Camps

For the MD, the most important thing is to be adaptable and do “what is important” in that moment. He explains: “In 2017, we managed Angela Merkel’s last federal election campaign. Because it was important. In 2023, we co-managed the initiative ‘The Most Inclusive Christmas Address’ for the democracy initiative Open to Diversity. During this project, the traditional Christmas message by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was synchronised into the 12 most spoken languages of Germany with the help of artificial intelligence, so that people with different mother tongues could hear his message in their language for the first time.

He expands on other projects: “In 2024, we supported the association ‘Loud Against Nazis’ by using Trojan horse trademark law to combat right-wing extremist slogans. Because it was important.

“In 2025, the Greens in the federal government, in North Rhine-Westphalia, and in other federal states. Because it is important.” Then he concludes: “We decide based on relevance and creative intuition what and whom we support politically and socially. Yesterday, today, and in the future.”

This is not the first and will not be the last campaign for The Green Party by Jung von Matt. Further collaborations with the party are on the way. Peter says: “It is important to us to support brands strategically and creatively over the long term. Whether it concerns a political, societal, or commercial brand. Our standard at Jung von Matt is always the same: we create momentum for brands with courage.”

Political Messaging Needs “Backbone”

Being this politically active is “somewhat new” to the independent agency. “We refer to these clients as ‘public brands’,” explains Peter. Projects that would fall into that category include city marketing for the city of Cologne or Hamburg Marketing, locations such as North Rhine-Westphalia, cultural institutions like the Elbphilharmonie, the Köln Theatre, or the Berliner Ensemble.

Peter says: “These public brands operate in a world that is becoming louder, more complex, and fragmented, characterised by crises, information overload, and divided debates. We live in a world of non-linear events. Therefore, we believe that mere information on public issues is no longer sufficient.”

He concludes: “Public brands need direction, backbone, and relevance: clear identities, strong momentum narratives, and messages that resonate and move. Only in this way can they cut through the noise and stay in people's minds.”