Munich charges license fees from influencers for Oktoberfest posts

Anyone who makes money with pictures of Oktoberfest on social media needed a permit this year. The city of Munich distributed a total of 450 licenses - and collected them handsomely.

The city of Munich has earned more than 100,000 euros from Oktoberfest licenses for influencers. The income was in the low six-figure range, as a spokeswoman for the Munich economic department announced. The funds will now be earmarked for the protection of the Oktoberfest brand.

By the day after the end of the Oktoberfest, around 450 influencer and advertising or company licenses had been granted - although there could be more.

According to the department, subsequent licenses for those whose Oktoberfest posts are discovered by the city cost more: "Content that was not previously licensed must be licensed later and becomes more expensive due to the higher effort." The evaluation and summary of the entire project will take some time. “For example, screening is still ongoing,” said the spokeswoman.

The cost range for the individual licenses is unknown because the state capital does not specify specific amounts for contracts with third parties. There is also a trivial limit in the event that an Oktoberfest post does not generate much financial gain, it was said.

"The license costs are always based on the income generated by the posting. The exact calculation then depends on various parameters, such as the reach or the type of monetization on a platform."

“Anyone who earns money from our festival has to participate”

The new regulation caused excitement among influencers. Anyone who directly or indirectly pursues commercial purposes with social media content - for example through sponsorship, collaborations or product placement - will need a permit for the Oktoberfest as of this year. After all, the city said there is now a separate industry behind publications on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.

"Of course, influencers are allowed to post from Oktoberfest. We are also happy when impressions of our beautiful festival are shared with the outside world," said the spokeswoman for the economic department. "But anyone who earns money with our festival must also take part in it. This of course applies to our hosts and showmen as well as to influencers - especially if they earn money directly from a posting."

This year this also affected ex-player's wife Cathy Hummels. The influencer paid license fees for her “meadow stroll” and thereby bought a “free ticket” for her guests.