Germany turns kebab wrappers into military recruitment ads

Germany is using kebab wrappers to advertise jobs in its armed forces as the country tries to attract more people to the military.

The wrappers, used to promote positions in the Bundeswehr’s medical service, carry recruitment messages and QR codes that people can scan for more information.

The campaign is not aimed only at young people starting their careers. A Defense Ministry spokesperson told the Berliner Kurier that the government also wants to reach people who are changing careers and skilled workers who may be considering a new profession.

The kebab packaging is part of an advertising approach the ministry calls “ambient” advertising: putting recruitment messages in everyday places rather than relying only on traditional military advertising.

Participating kebab restaurants are not paid to take part. The ministry said the restaurants volunteer to distribute the packaging and receive the branded wrappers free of charge.

The campaign comes as Germany seeks to expand its military. The Bundeswehr had 186,705 active troops at the end of July, its highest number in 13 years.

Germany wants to increase that figure to more than 260,000 by 2035 to meet its commitments to NATO, the western military alliance.