SIXT Unveils the World’s Largest Meerkat at Düsseldorf Airport

Premium mobility provider SIXT has unveiled an 8-metre-tall meerkat sculpture at Düsseldorf Airport (DUS). The custom-made figure stands directly in front of the newly modernised SIXT station and is now on display for all travellers to see. The message of the new airport marketing campaign: “Feel free to look around. You’ll end up at SIXT anyway.” The meerkat holds a BMW key in its hand, a nod to SIXT’s premium car hire offering. With approximately 21 million passengers in 2025, Düsseldorf Airport is one of the busiest airports in Germany.

What makes the installation concept particularly striking is that the sculpture spans both floor levels of the terminal, giving SIXT a simultaneous presence in two areas of the airport. In the arrivals hall, the figure stands on a distinctive orange SIXT plinth – the first point of contact for all passengers leaving the baggage reclaim area. One floor above, in the departures hall, the meerkat’s head protrudes through an opening in the ceiling and peers over the glass balustrade at passengers’ shoulder height – ideal for a quick selfie.

To mark the launch of the installation, SIXT customers can also benefit directly: from mid-June, customers can collect an orange pair of sunglasses from the SIXT counter. Anyone who takes a selfie with the meerkat whilst wearing them, posts it on Instagram, tags SIXT and follows the channel, will receive a surprise bonus on their rental.

Jörn Hombert, Director Airport Marketing at SIXT: “With the world’s largest meerkat, we’re creating a genuine wow moment – one that delights adults and children alike, whilst simultaneously drawing attention to our premium car hire offering. We also want to use installations like this to create spaces that bring people together and stay with them long after they’ve left. This pop-cultural dimension is exactly what sets SIXT advertising apart. At Düsseldorf Airport, the meerkat has every potential to become a established meeting point for travellers. A heartfelt thank you to Düsseldorf Airport and our partners for the fantastic collaboration.”

Anja Dauser, Head of Commercial at Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH: “Charming and impressive – these are exactly the kinds of ideas we love! The XXL meerkat is a real eye-catcher and a striking point of reference for guests and visitors alike. It brings a sense of lightness to the terminal and creates a moment of surprise that people love to photograph and share. Our long-standing partner SIXT has demonstrated once again, with this installation, just how impactful brand activations at Düsseldorf Airport can be.”

The meerkat continues a tradition of spectacular SIXT installations at Düsseldorf Airport. Back in 2004, the mobility provider caused quite a stir here when the giraffe “Sixtilia” was installed as a sculpture in the terminal – accompanied by the headline “Feeling a bit stiff about expensive car hire?” The exhibit quickly became one of the airport’s most popular photo opportunities.

Source: SIXT

  Campaign, Düsseldorf Airport, Germany, Marketing, OOH, SIXT