Joko and Klaas’s ‘treasure hunt’ is a waste of airtime

On Wednesday, Joko and Klaas announced the really big thing. “It could be life-changing,” Joko wrote in a teaser on Instagram. Fans of Joko and Klaas were hyped, because the presenters had already proven that they could make sensible use of the 15 minutes of airtime they had won from ProSieben.

With their latest campaign, which Joko and Klaas have now announced, they have certainly surprised everyone. But probably in a different way than many expected. Now you have to ask yourself if the moderators are really doing themselves – or their fans – a favor with their latest project.

Joko and Klaas announced on Wednesday where they wanted to use the 15 minutes of airtime they had earned and saved in the past – they now had a total of 30 minutes available. In collaboration with an insurance service provider, the two hid a suitcase full of money in Germany.

Whoever finds the suitcase and can open the combination lock on it wins a million euros. The information about the coordinates of the location where the suitcase is located and the numbers with which you can ultimately open the lock will be available every day from Wednesday in a program at 8:15 PM on ProSieben.

If you look at it sympathetically, you can say: Joko and Klaas really give everyone the chance to win a lot of money at a time when many people are still struggling with rising costs of living due to inflation. That is initially very positive. Yet there is much to criticize about “The Treasure Hunt”.

The first point probably has to do with the high expectations that people now have of Joko and Klaas if they compete against their broadcaster and actually win their fifteen minutes. Joko, Klaas and their team have often used the platform in the past for great campaigns such as #NotObvious, with which they drew attention to the nursing crisis. And right now there are plenty of important issues that need attention.

The dominant topic at the moment is of course the war in Israel and what consequences it has in Germany. It seems strange that Joko and Klaas decide to do some kind of Germany-wide game show at a time when there is still a war going on, not only in Gaza but also in Ukraine, which will ultimately benefit only one person as the winner. . Criticism that goes in this direction can already be found in Joko’s post on Instagram.

Another point of criticism concerns the way the campaign is presented. Of course you can say that everyone has an equal chance of winning. But as is often the case, it only seems that way at first glance. Here too, people who have the right resources to solve the puzzles ultimately have an advantage. Accessibility can play a role in this: many places are simply not accessible to everyone.

Furthermore, people who are already privileged (because they have the time to dedicate to this task) are relatively likely to win.

In short, the low-wage factory worker in the shift system probably does not have the time or energy to solve several puzzles over a period of more than a week. The better paid employee who can also work from home can probably spend more time on the puzzles and thus increase his chances.

Also being able to be present at a certain place at a certain time on a Tuesday evening and therefore in the middle of the week, which is part of the condition for winning, is not possible for everyone. With such a large monetary benefit, wouldn’t it be better if it went more specifically to people who have long suffered from inflation and the rising cost of living?

Another cause for concern: the safety aspect. By the end of the campaign at the latest, many people will probably gather in one place at the same time and try to crack the numerical code on the suitcase. A situation that can quickly get out of hand.

ProSieben is apparently also aware of this. «The organizer reserves the right to cancel or terminate the competition at any time without notice and without giving reasons. The organizer uses this option in particular if, for organizational reasons (e.g. too many participants, which endangers life and limb) (…) proper execution of the competition cannot be guaranteed,” the broadcaster writes in the terms and conditions. .and conditions for the competition.

There is still a risk that incidents may occur during the live broadcast if many people tamper with the suitcase at the same time. The broadcaster naturally tries to protect itself against this in advance.

Reason enough to criticize that Joko and Klaas are using their fifteen minutes this time to create a national live game show in which everyone can stand as a candidate. But the other possibility is of course also an option: that Joko and Klaas ultimately make someone who can really use it very happy with a mega profit. However, it remains to be seen whether Joko’s prediction that the whole thing will be “life-changing” will actually come true.