Un-bee-lievable PR: Bringing the media buzz to Stadtbienen’s biodiversity mission
The brief
What do bees and dogs have in common? Not a lot, yet they ended up being a perfect match. In this case, our Space Dog, Marie, was the connection. Having originally worked at Stadtbienen, she introduced us to their mission. But it wasn’t just the personal connection that won us over; their commitment to biodiversity perfectly aligns with our belief in creating a sustainable future. Since we’re firm believers in using our skills for good, we decided to support them pro bono—helping them make some noise—or, more accurately, buzz—for their cause.
Stadtbienen is a non-profit organization based in Berlin that has been active since 2014. They pursue the mission of bringing people closer to the world of bees, promoting educational opportunities for all ages, and raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity. As a non-profit, Stadtbienen has always operated with lean resources, but the situation became critical in 2025 following significant funding cuts for their ‘Schulbienen’ program. At the same time, the market for corporate beekeeping has become increasingly crowded. While many new competitors offer conventional B2B services, Stadtbienen’s unique USP—ecological beekeeping—is a complex, nuanced topic that is often difficult to communicate. Operating without an in-house PR lead, the non-profit struggled to make the abstract concept of biodiversity tangible for the public.
We recognized that they didn’t just need a helping hand; they needed a strategic bridge to the media to ensure their story reached the right audiences. Our goal was to strengthen Stadtbienen’s brand awareness and mobilize people to support their important mission—whether through funding, active participation, or contributions of time, expertise, networks, and design resources.
The campaign
During our first three months together, we focused on supporting Stadtbienen with their fundraising efforts to ensure the ‘Schulbienen’ project could continue. ‘Schulbienen’ is Stadtbienen’s environmental education program designed to foster early awareness of biodiversity. By exploring the world of bees, children learn how ecosystems function and why protecting them matters. Leveraging our journalistic network, we secured a dedicated radio interview to amplify their call for support. Julia Eisenberg, project lead for ‘Schulbienen,’ was able to speak on air about the importance of the project for children and the necessity of securing external funding to ensure the viability of the program. Beyond the ‘Schulbienen’ project, we also focused on founder storytelling, positioning Johannes Weber in the media to mark Stadtbienen’s 10th anniversary and thought leadership on topics such as “Biodiversity is an economic factor”.
To mark World Bee Day in May, we invited the media to the BIKINI BERLIN rooftop to experience the honeybees firsthand. In the middle of the bustling city, the concept shopping mall is home to two honeybee colonies. We organized two press events to showcase the depth of Stadtbienen’s work. One session featured a long-standing Stadtbienen beekeeper who gave a deep dive into the challenges facing urban pollinators and the vital importance of ecological beekeeping. For this, we hosted two reporters from a local outlet—one for radio and one for TV—resulting in a feature that aired on World Bee Day (May 20th). In a second event, founder Johannes Weber provided journalists with a hands-on introductory course, making the complex topic of honeybees and their connection to biodiversity tangible. Both sessions were documented by our in-house photography service to capture the hands-on experience. This strategic double-event approach landed us a prime-time feature on rbb, reaching an estimated 450,000 viewers. Beyond the immediate broadcast, these efforts established connections between Stadtbienen and key local journalists from both rbb and Tagesspiegel, ensuring their mission remains on the media’s radar.
During summer, like the honeybees do, we prepped for fall and winter. We were determined to finish the year with a bang. We decided to co-host an exclusive holiday-themed get-together at the Laika office, where we had mead and honey flow just like the conversations about pollinators, biodiversity and sustainability. We hosted a night filled with mead, influential journalists, and buzzing conversation, fittingly called “Honey Holidays”. While large-scale coverage is vital, we believe these intimate settings are where true advocacy is born; they provide the rare space for deep conversations that turn media contacts into genuine long-term allies for the cause. It was the perfect atmosphere to ensure our guests left not just with a taste of honey, but with a profound understanding of Stadtbienen’s mission. We also started to pitch their new Head of Corporate Biodiversity Initiatives, Malte Glatthaar, and scored an interview for the podcast “Fairquatscht”.
The results
By the end of the year 2025, Stadtbienen was buzzing across the media landscape. By securing placements in TV, radio, online magazines, and podcasts, we didn’t just increase brand awareness—we successfully translated the complex topic of biodiversity into stories that resonate, providing a strong foundation for future growth.
Having turned the ‘noise’ into a strategic advantage, we are now looking ahead: For 2026, we have already begun supporting Stadtbienen by developing content for their website, including client case studies to further solidify their position as the leader in ecological beekeeping.
