Obscura

What Obscura does

OBSCURA GmbH is a Vienna-headquartered, privately held full-service advertising agency founded in 2016, with a secondary office in Berlin (Kreuzberg) serving the German market. The firm delivers brand strategy and 360° campaigns across television, out-of-home, digital and social channels, and operates a wholly-owned in-house film production subsidiary called The First Cut Is The Deepest (TFCITD) that produces TV commercials, image films, music videos and digital content for brands, musicians and artists. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees for advertising and film production, supplemented since 2024 by direct-to-consumer merchandise sales through the Club Merchic Life sub-brand. The customer base is concentrated in mid-market and enterprise accounts across Austria and Germany — including Mercedes-Benz, Coca-Cola Austria, Julius Meinl, Wiener Linien, Ottakringer, fritz-kola, SimpliTV and Volksbank — alongside government and non-profit work for entities such as Wiener Linien and Greenpeace. The agency employs 11–50 people under Managing Director Mag. Christian Gstöttner, has operated a 4-day work week since 2020, and positions itself as an "Agentur der Herzen" (Agency of Hearts), explicitly favoring cultural intelligence over artificial intelligence. Note: one source block references an "Obscura VPN" product priced in USD with Mullvad exit nodes — this evidence pertains to a separate, US-based privacy company that shares the Obscura name and is not part of OBSCURA GmbH's Austrian advertising operations.

Name

Obscura

Legal name

OBSCURA GmbH

Website

https://obscura.cool

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Obscura (OBSCURA GmbH) is a Vienna- and Berlin-based full-service advertising agency providing brand strategy, 360° campaigns and in-house film production through its TFCITD unit, serving enterprise clients across Austria and Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Advertising Agency Services: Full-service advertising agency providing creative services including film production, campaigns, brand strategy, and digital content. Revenue generated through project-based fees, hourly rates, and potentially retainer arrangements with clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Obscura is a full-service advertising agency headquartered in Vienna with a Berlin office, offering brand strategy, creative campaign development, and in-house film production through its proprietary unit "The First Cut Is The Deepest" (TFCITD). The agency plans and executes 360-degree advertising campaigns across TV, out-of-home, digital, and social channels for enterprise clients. Additional offerings include branded merchandise under the Club Merchic Life sub-brand and a sustainability documentary series called "BUT WHAT ABOUT...".

Product overview

Obscura operates as a full-service advertising and creative agency with two distinct business units: (1) OBSCURA GmbH - an advertising agency in Vienna and Berlin offering campaign development, brand strategy, and film production through its in-house unit THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST, along with a merchandise line called Club Merchic Life; and (2) Obscura VPN - a privacy-focused VPN service. The agency's campaign portfolio spans TV, OOH, digital, and social channels for clients including Mercedes-Benz, Julius Meinl, Wiener Linien, fritz-kola, Ottakringer, Coca-Cola, and others. The VPN product uses Mullvad infrastructure for exit nodes and has undergone independent security audits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Club Merchic Life: Merchandise e-commerce shop selling branded apparel and accessories including t-shirts, hoodies, socks, and tote bags
• The First Cut Is The Deepest (TFCITD)

Products and services

• Campaign & Advertising Services Full-service advertising agency providing brand strategy, creative campaign development, and multi-channel brand communications including TV, OOH, digital, and social media for enterprise brand clients.
• Film & Video Production (TFCITD) In-house film unit THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST (TFCITD) producing TV commercials, image films, music videos, and digital content for brands, musicians, and artists.
• Brand Relaunch & Identity Services Complete brand redesign services including corporate identity, logo redesign, and brand strategy development for corporate clients.
• 360° Campaign Services Comprehensive campaign services including concept development, TV commercials, out-of-home advertising, online content, and social media activation delivered as integrated 360-degree campaigns.
• Club Merchic Life Merchandise Branded merchandise e-commerce line including limited edition t-shirts, hoodies, bags, socks, and accessories featuring Öko-Tex certified fabrics and PeTA-approved vegan materials.
• BUT WHAT ABOUT... Documentary Series Documentary series format examining sustainability topics from unconventional angles; Season 1 covered sex, drugs, and sustainability; Season 2 expanded to winter sports, tattoos, and interior design.

Named customers13 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Haus2000minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic production company located in Kreuzberg, Berlin. Haus2000 partners with Obscura's Berlin office operations, providing collaborative workspace and potential creative partnerships. Obscura operates their Berlin presence from Haus2000's premises.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jung von Matt: German-headquartered independent creative agency network with offices across DACH and beyond, renowned for bold, culturally resonant campaigns and owned by the Von Matt family. Directly comparable to Obscura on independent ownership structure, full-service creative positioning, DACH market presence, and reputation for distinctive work over safe advertising.
• Heimat: Berlin-based independent creative agency recognized for bold campaigns for brands such as Hornbach and Tesla. Comparable to Obscura given cultural-first positioning, independent ownership, similar scale, and shared focus on courage-driven creative rather than network-style safe work.
• Serviceplan Group: Munich-headquartered, the largest German independent agency group with integrated creative, digital, media and production capabilities. Comparable to Obscura on full-service 360-degree approach, German market presence, and independent ownership, though substantially larger in scale.
• Demner, Merlicek & Bergmann (DMB.): Vienna-based independent creative agency with deep Austrian roots and a long-standing roster of national enterprise clients. Comparable to Obscura on Austrian market focus, similar scale, independent ownership, and broad multi-vertical client portfolio.
• Scholz & Friends: Hamburg-headquartered independent creative agency group with Berlin presence, owned by the Scholz family. Comparable to Obscura on independent creative positioning, DACH market coverage, and emphasis on distinctive work over network-style campaigns.
• Thjnk: Hamburg-based creative agency with campaigns for brands like Opel and the German armed forces. Comparable to Obscura on independent creative positioning and DACH enterprise client base, now operating within an Omnicom network structure.
• Kolle Rebbe: Hamburg-based independent creative agency known for cultural and design-led work. Comparable to Obscura on independent ownership, similar boutique scale, and creative-first positioning rather than full-network service breadth.
• Grabarz & Partner: Hamburg-based independent creative agency with campaigns for brands such as Volkswagen and IKEA. Comparable to Obscura on independent ownership, cultural creative positioning, and DACH enterprise client roster.

Broad incumbents

• PKP BBDO: Vienna-based affiliate of the BBDO worldwide network (Omnicom), offering integrated creative and media services. Comparable to Obscura on Austrian market focus and enterprise client roster (e.g., Wiener Linien, OBI), but a BROAD_INCUMBENT given its global network affiliation and broader service portfolio.
• DDB Germany: Berlin-based German arm of the DDB worldwide network (Omnicom), providing full-service advertising across creative, digital and media. Comparable to Obscura on German market presence and creative services to enterprise clients, but a BROAD_INCUMBENT given network affiliation and broader portfolio of capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCELs4SLYNaQA-Z1qRlntm5A
• Facebookfacebook.com/obscura.at
• Instagraminstagram.com/obscura.cool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/obscura-cool

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Obscura