What Åkestam Holst does

Åkestam Holst is a private Swedish creative advertising agency founded in 1998, headquartered in Stockholm (Tulegatan 13) with a second office in Malmö (Altonagatan 5). The agency operates under the dba "NoA | Åkestam Holst" as a member of The North Alliance (NoA) — one of Scandinavia's largest networks in design, tech and advertising — alongside sibling agencies Anorak, App shack, Axenon, NoA Elevate and Bob the Robot Oy. Its stated mission since founding has been to combine a sustainable, pleasant work culture with world-class creative output, an ethos that has earned it multiple workplace awards over its 25+ year history.

The firm delivers full-service creative campaigns — concept development, copywriting, art direction, production management, and content/distribution — to enterprise brands primarily in Sweden. It is organized into four functional teams: Strategy & Planning (7-10 people, led by Head of Strategy Jerker Winther), Creative Services / Kreatör (20 people working in creative pairs), Production Management (14 people), and Content & Distribution (12 people handling social, PR and influencer marketing). Total headcount sits in the 51-100 range. The agency's customer base is anchored by IKEA Sweden (multiple campaigns including FRAKTA, Sunny Billboard and IKEA Energy) and spans retail, transport (SAS, Arlanda Express), insurance (If), betting (ATG), beauty (Lyko), convenience retail (Pressbyrån), legal tech (Legora) and non-profits (Reporters Without Borders, Talita).

The revenue model is professional services / project-based creative work sold through direct client relationships, with new business routed via [email protected]. The go-to-market is sales-led, relying on enterprise relationships, pitch-driven wins and the agency's award-winning public portfolio (akestamholst.se/works) plus Instagram and LinkedIn presence. No proprietary technology platform, software product, mobile app, API, or AI/ML capability is disclosed; the only documented digital integrations are operational (Teamtailor for recruitment) rather than client-facing. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, consistent with B2B creative services.

Name

Åkestam Holst

Legal name

Åkestam Holst

Website

https://akestamholst.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Åkestam Holst is a Stockholm-based private creative advertising agency, founded 1998 and part of The North Alliance (NoA) network, delivering full-service campaigns to enterprise brands in Sweden across retail, transport, insurance and other verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Advertising Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer Brand Strategy & Talent Branding (BPAFAEAH)

Keywords

• Creative advertising agency
• Brand campaign development
• Marketing communications services
• Advertising campaign production
• Brand strategy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Project-based creative advertising services for brands including campaign development, brand concepts, and marketing communications work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Åkestam Holst is a creative advertising agency that develops and executes brand campaigns, marketing communications, and creative concepts for enterprise clients. The agency delivers full-service advertising work — from strategic planning and creative concepting (copywriting and art direction) through production management to content creation, social media, PR, and influencer distribution. Engagements are project-based and centered on building long-term brand fame through "the long idea" creative platform.

Product overview

Åkestam Holst (NoA | Åkestam Holst) is a creative advertising agency offering a comprehensive suite of services including creative campaign development, content creation and distribution, strategy and planning, creative services (copywriting and art direction), and production management. The agency is organized into specialized teams including Content & Distribution (12 people), Strategy & Planning (7-10 people), Creative Services (20 people), and Production Management (14 people). The agency has been recognized for its sustainable, equal, and diverse workplace practices. Founded in 1998, the agency operates from Stockholm and Malmö offices and is a member of The North Alliance (NoA) network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Campaign Services Full-service creative advertising campaigns for enterprise brand clients, covering concept development, design, copywriting, art direction, and multi-channel campaign execution (digital, social, out-of-home, PR, influencer).
• Content & Distribution Social media content creation, PR, and influencer marketing services delivered by a dedicated team of 12 creatives and strategists.
• Strategy & Planning Strategic research, data analysis, and creative brief development led by Head of Strategy Jerker Winther with a team of 7–10 strategists.
• Creative Services (Kreatör) Copywriting and art direction services delivered by a team of 20 dedicated creatives working in creative pairs.
• Production Management End-to-end production management from initial client meetings through full-scale campaign production, led by a team of 14 production managers.

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The North Alliance (NoA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerÅkestam Holst is a proud member of The North Alliance (NoA) - one of Scandinavia's largest networks within design, tech and advertising. Part of the NoA Family of agencies including Anorak, App shack, Axenon, NoA Elevate, and Bob the Robot Oy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Forsman & Bodenfors: Sweden's most awarded independent creative agency, headquartered in Stockholm and Gothenburg. Directly comparable to Åkestam Holst as a top-tier Nordic creative shop serving major enterprise brands with campaign, brand and content work.
• TBWA\Stockholm: Stockholm-based creative agency within the TBWA global network. Comparable to Åkestam Holst in serving Swedish enterprise clients with creative campaigns, brand strategy and integrated communications.
• DDB Stockholm: Omnicom-owned creative agency in Stockholm serving Nordic enterprise brands. Closely comparable to Åkestam Holst in creative campaign development and brand strategy, with similar target clients.
• BBDO Stockholm: Omnicom-owned creative network operating in Stockholm. Directly comparable to Åkestam Holst in creative campaign services, brand development and integrated communications for major Swedish brands.

Broad incumbents

• Ogilvy Sweden: WPP-owned creative and communications network operating in Sweden. Overlaps with Åkestam Holst on creative campaign work but offers a much broader portfolio (PR, consulting, media) and global scale.
• McCann Stockholm: IPG-owned creative agency in Sweden offering advertising, brand strategy and communications. Competes with Åkestam Holst for enterprise brand briefs but with a broader holding-company portfolio.
• Saatchi & Saatchi Sweden: Publicis-owned creative network in Sweden. Overlaps with Åkestam Holst on creative campaign work for enterprise clients while offering broader holding-company capabilities.

Regional players

• Anorak: Norwegian creative agency and sister member of The North Alliance (NoA) network. Comparable to Åkestam Holst in creative services, network affiliation, and people-led culture, but operates in the Norwegian market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/akestam-holst
• Instagraminstagram.com/akestamholst
• Xx.com/Akestam_Holst

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Åkestam Holst