Overview
- The State Chancellery put the rollout at about €526,000, with another €250,000 planned for website changes, and said roughly two thirds is already covered in the 2025 budget.
- Of that total, about €290,000 is for design work by Ogilvy, with the rest for consultants, license fees, launch events and a “Hessen collection,” including €127,000 for the label and show.
- Officials said they invited six agencies to bid under a €220,000 cap to stay below the EU tender bar, a five-member jury picked Ogilvy, and the state audit office raised no objections.
- Opposition parties from the Greens, FDP and AfD called the spending the wrong priority during tight finances, with Green lawmaker Miriam Dahlke labeling it a disastrous signal.
- Some reporting lists higher totals, with a FAZ newsletter putting the full bill at €776,000, a figure that does not match the Chancellery’s breakdown.