Stagnation or progress? What construction cranes reveal about the economy

From boom to recession to stagnation. Diagnoses of the German economic situation can be as volatile as the Tesla stock price. In contrast to the changing headlines, however, the visual language used by the media is strikingly similar: tower cranes. No matter whether the economy is booming or on the decline, the symbolic photo accompanying the article shows cranes reaching for the sky, holding steady, even when the economy fluctuates. A construction site in the background? Something is happening there, work is being done! Cranes symbolize growth, progress, movement.

For us as an agency, cranes also mean consistency and growth. For almost 20 years, we have been supporting our customer Wolffkran – a company that, with over 170 years of history, is constantly growing and changing and continues to shape the construction industry to this day. Contrary to the media imagery, cranes are more than just symbols here – they represent real progress. Provided they are turning. Just as a wind turbine needs wind, a crane only moves when companies and people direct it.

Otherwise, they suffer the same fate as at Germany's most famous construction site, the Elbtower. For a year now, construction has been at a standstill. The cranes are still there – almost as if in defiance. Until the next upswing.