Value-added entertainment as an answer to family challenges

Long train journeys with children can be a challenge for families. Deutsche Bahn has been tackling this problem for years with a well-thought-out solution: free children's magazines LeseLok (from 7 years of age) and MiniLok (from 3 years of age), which are available in the on-board bistro on all ICE and IC trains. The strategic importance of these magazines goes far beyond mere entertainment — they create positive brand experiences and sustainably improve the travel experience for families.

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Editorial concept with a strategic approach

KB&B develops the editorial content of both magazines with a clear focus: high-quality, child-friendly preparation, which at the same time provides insights into the world of railways. The concept combines entertainment with knowledge transfer and makes modern rail technology, diverse job profiles and infrastructure projects tangible for children.

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The latest issues in detail:

Summer 2025 edition — The LeseLok presents unusual DB jobs (from drone pilots to tree inspectors) and shows the variety of modern railway work. Complemented by time travel adventures with the little ICE and creative DIY instructions. In a reading story, the MiniLok tells of Benni IC Bus and his first cake baking attempt — a loving story about patience, supplemented by puzzles and coloring pages.

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‍Spring 2025 edition — The LeseLok takes young readers to the new maintenance plant and looks back on 100 years of the DB Museum. The MiniLok stimulates the imagination through a cloud-letter story and offers a wide range of employment opportunities.

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Strategic added value for brand and customer experience

The magazines fulfill several important functions for DB Fernverkehr:

• Positive staffing of waiting times and improve travel satisfaction

• Early brand engagement by combining DB with positive qualities such as curiosity and enthusiasm for technology

• Relief for parents and increasing overall family satisfaction

• Child-friendly placement of innovations and infrastructure projects

conclusion

With LeseLok and MiniLok, we have succeeded in developing a content format that goes far beyond classic children's entertainment. The magazines are a strategic communication tool that increases customer satisfaction, conveys brand values and positions DB Fernverkehr as a family-friendly mobility provider. A successful example of content marketing that creates real added value for customers while achieving brand goals.

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