MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES

Daring Louvre heist presents an unexpected marketing opportunity

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025

German family–run business suddenly finds itself in the midst of a global media frenzy and decides to seize the moment.

Sometimes marketing opportunities are the result of carefully crafted strategies devised by CMOs, their marketing teams and their communications agencies. On other occasions, unimagined opportunities simply rise up in front of you. 

 

Such is the case with Böcker, a well-established family-run business in Germany. Böcker manufactures the Agilo furniture elevator – an external ladder-lift used to move large, heavy items up or down a building, typically through windows or balconies.

 

It saves time and effort by bypassing narrow stairwells and hallways and is popular in Europe, where buildings are small and access is limited. They can be trailer-mounted or vehicle-mounted. 

 

Useful, but unremarkable. Until your ladder-lift becomes a focus of global attention because it was used in possibly the highest-profile jewel heist of the decade. 

Photo: Instagram

In case you haven’t guessed it, the Agilo furniture elevator was used by the daring thieves who last week stole jewellery worth around US$90-million from the famous Louvre museum in Paris. The elevator has since been seen thousands – possible millions – of times in media reports around the world, as it stands abandoned on the pavement with its hoist up against the first-floor balcony where the thieves gained access. 

 

Realising it had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Böcker management swiftly produced a social media advertising campaign featuring a photo of their lift outside the Louvre and surrounded by French police. 

 

When you need to be fast and quiet 

 

The headline (translated from German) reads ‘When you need to move fast’ and the body copy tells would-be buyers that it can carry ‘up to 400kg of treasures at 42m per minute – as quiet as a whisper’. 

 

“It became clear to us, oh my goodness, this is a reprehensible act and they’ve misused our device to do it,” marketing boss Julia Scharwatz is quoted as saying in the London-based The Guardian newspaper. 

 

“But after it was apparent that no one had been hurt, we started making a few jokes and putting our heads together on slogans we found funny.” 

 

According to Scharwatz, “countless people – our staff, business partners, clients – got in touch with us and we thought, wow, we have to do something with this”. 

 

The company’s managing director, Alexander Böcker, told news agency AFP that, when it became clear no one was injured in the heist, it had used “a touch of humour” to draw attention to the family-run business. 

 

“The crime is, of course, absolutely reprehensible, that’s completely clear to us,” Böcker said. “It was… an opportunity for us to use the most famous and most visited museum in the world to get a little attention for our company.” 

 

Reaction to the campaign has been varied. One social media user thought the marketing department “deserves a pay rise”, while another user called it “tasteless”. 

 

French police have since arrested two people in connection with the heist. 

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Jason Lottering
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    Dr Kin Kariisa

    Group CEO - Next Media

    Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
    With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
    Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

    Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

    Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

    • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
    • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
    • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
    • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.