D – The exhibition centre in Hamburg was entirely dedicated to marketing and the digital economy, when the OMR opened its doors for the 16th time on May 5 and 6, 2026. According to the organisers, Ramp106, around 70,000 visitors travelled to the Hanseatic city to network and learn about digital trends and online marketing from over 1,000 exhibitors, more than 800 speakers and numerous keynotes, masterclasses and side events.
Following its successful premiere last year, “The Hapticologist – The Centre of Seven Senses” made a repeat appearance at the event – in the epicentre of online advertising – to generate added attention and visibility for haptic advertising. The initiative aimed to send out the clear signal that, even in today’s digital era, merchandise has lost none of its impact or allure; on the contrary, it is more relevant and modern than ever before.
This year, 14 leading companies from the industry joined the initiative. In addition to nine suppliers and manufacturers – Fare, Halfar, Kalfany Süße Werbung, mbw, Polyclean, prodir, Richartz, Sigg and uma – the stand in Hamburg also featured three promotional product agencies (cyber-Wear, Kolibri and Rheinwalt), the PSI and –as the media partner – HAPTICA, published by WA Media.
A bar with high recognition value
As was the case last year, The Hapticologist presented itself as a green oasis in the midst of the digital jungle, once again creating a buzz and establishing a strong sense of recognition. Several visitors stated that, after last year’s visit, they had engaged more deeply with haptic advertising – or had even placed orders. “Once again this year, many visitors told us that we had the coolest booth at the trade fair,” said a delighted Luisa Richartz, Project and Process Manager at Richartz. Considering the fierce competition – the OMR is a unique pageant, where brands like Porsche and McDonald’s occupy vast spaces featuring correspondingly elaborate booth designs – this is high praise indeed. Yet, bathed entirely in green light, the booth lured in numerous OMR attendees with its engaging video installations, hot beats and loud music from DJs and the promise of delicious cocktail and coffee creations. The bar was constantly exceptionally well-attended from early in the morning through to the late hours of the evening – during the booth party – in total, the Hapticologist team notched up an impressive 5,000 leads.
This year, the focus was placed more strongly on merchandise than in 2025. Key products of the suppliers were showcased in brightly illuminated display cases, all featuring the Hapticologist logo and design. Among the exhibits, umbrellas, water bottles, and spectacle cleaners with a jungle print were on display; premium water bottles, keychains, multi-tools and writing instruments sporting a special OMR look; energy-boosting jelly babies and numerous other products, which reflected the sheer diversity of haptic advertising. Furthermore, curated collections created by Lufthansa and Kärcher specifically for the trade fair appearance demonstrated the full scope of what is possible in the realm of haptic advertising.
Henrike Stegemann from mbw was particularly pleased by the ongoing popularity of the OMR rubber duck: “We had the privilege of producing the OMR duck as a give-away last year as well. It made a return appearance for the second edition – in a different colour this year though. In the meantime, the duck appears everywhere in connection with OMR – and we are absolutely delighted to have been able to create such a charming little mascot for the event.” Richartz also came to a positive conclusion regarding the booth: “The trade fair is quite different from what we are used to, it is filled with an incredible amount of energy, fun and wonderful encounters. The special atmosphere at the booth – the fantastic team, the DJ, the cocktails and the many great conversations – demonstrates just how much joy our industry generates.”
And that was precisely the main goal: Not to place the emphasis on own products, but rather to convey the potential areas of application and impact of haptic advertising. Of course, the visitors were able to help themselves to give-aways at the bars and high tables throughout the booth and thus experience the effect and desirability of merchandise first-hand.
In comparison to last year’s premiere, the booth concept had been revised slightly. “The addition of an extra entrance and exit made a noticeable difference. The booth had a more open feel, the visitors were able to discover a wider range of products and many even recognised us from last year,” summarised Stegemann.
The new features included a specially minted coin that could be exchanged for a cocktail. The promotion proved so successful that by late morning on the very first day of the fair, all the coins had already been distributed, so after that the visitors had to obtain their drinks by scanning QR codes. Anyone, who wanted to keep the coin as a souvenir, could also scan a printed QR code and thus experience live how haptic advertising and digital media can complement each other perfectly.
Masterclass & guided tour
As in the previous year, the programme of “The Hapticologist” included both a masterclass and a guided tour – events that were quickly sold-out well in advance.
The masterclass entitled “Why Advertising Fails – and Brand Experience Wins,” was hosted by Steven Baumgaertner, one of the driving forces behind The Hapticologist. First, Olaf Hartmann of the Multisense Institute presented the latest research findings on the subject of brand experience, citing relevant real-world examples that demonstrated to the audience how haptic promotional products can serve as “beacon experiences” – memorable highlights that foster brand loyalty. Following Hartmann’s presentation, along with Alexander Timm (Head of Merchandising at FC St. Pauli) and Martin Drust (Head of Brand Strategy at FC St. Pauli), Jennifer Treiber-Ruckenbrod (Head of Brand Management and Marketing at Mini), discussed their practical experiences with brand building and merchandising. It was a highly engaging event that received widespread praise from many participants.
The guided tour, which was also led by the CEO of cyber-Wear, Baumgaertner, and held under the motto “Merch that Works: Experience the Best Merch Ideas from Leading Brands Live”, encompassed visits to various exhibition booths, including those of Porsche and the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The tour came to a close at The Hapticologist booth with a networking session and the chance to win some fantastic give-aways.
After two exciting days at the trade fair, the entire team drew a positive conclusion. “The way the team represented the entire industry on-site and was perceived as a cohesive unit is phenomenal and truly exceptional,” summarised Baumgaertner. Jan Breuer of mbw was also impressed: “The Hapticologist is an alliance of leading suppliers and innovative promotional product distributors, united by the shared mission of demonstrating the power that authentic, haptic brand communication holds today. Our eye-catching presence was the talk of the town, because we showed how merchandising and promotional products should be showcased in the modern era: creatively, emotionally, in a way that commands attention, and with a genuine experiential character.”
The huge interest shown by OMR attendees demonstrates that the promotional products industry is taken seriously and embraced even by professionals in the digital and online marketing sectors; it attracts significant interest, provided it presents itself in a manner as modern, professional and experience-oriented as it did in May.
The next opportunity to do so will be in 2027, when the OMR is going to be held for three days for the first time, namely from May 3 to 5, once again at the Hamburg Exhibition Centre. // Sophia Arnold
Photos: Sophia Arnold, Dr. Mischa Delbrouck, Michael Scherer, Sarah Vieten; © WA Media
