DKdL

What DKdL does

DKdL (legal entity Die Krieger des Lichts GmbH) is a German creative and design agency founded in 1999, headquartered in Hamburg with a secondary office in Nürnberg. The firm operates as a specialized creative unit within the fischerAppelt Gruppe, one of Germany's leading owner-managed marketing, advertising, and public relations agency groups, which collectively employs approximately 720 people across 9 specialized agencies and 10 office locations. DKdL's core service offerings are organized into three pillars: Brand Experience (brand strategy, corporate identity, naming, employer branding), Digital Experience (UX/UI design, websites, apps, performance marketing), and Kommunikation & Beratung (campaigns, storytelling, social media, video content). It also operates two delivery methodologies — Co-Kreativ (iterative, target-group-integrated co-creation) and Design as a Service (linear, autonomous project execution). Dedicated practice areas include Motion Design, Corporate Design, Employer Branding, and Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation (sustainability communication).

The agency generates revenue through project-based professional services fees for brand development, corporate design, digital experience, and communication campaign work. Its go-to-market is sales-led, with direct client engagement supplemented by fischerAppelt group cross-referral infrastructure. The customer base is concentrated in large German enterprises and institutional clients, including Deutsche Telekom, adidas, BMW Mini, Rödl & Partner, Consorsbank, MiPart, Rupp + Hubrach, bayern design (a publicly funded design promotion institution), and the City of Nürnberg (N2025 Capital of Culture bid). The firm's value proposition centers on agile, co-creative brand development that fuses brand strategy with execution, distinguishing it from pure consulting or pure production agencies. At the parent level, fischerAppelt reports that approximately half of all DAX companies are clients and that 90% of its largest clients maintain relationships of five years or more.

In 2025, DKdL merged with sister agencies fork and Ligalux to form fork unstable media under the fischerAppelt Gruppe umbrella, consolidating brand identity, brand design, brand technology, and stated AI-driven transformation competencies into a single entity. The combined firm is positioned as Germany's largest and most agile creative agency group in the communications market. DKdL has no public technology platform, no API, and no proprietary software products; its underlying technology is design tooling, project management processes, and creative production workflows. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the firm is privately held as a GmbH within the fischerAppelt ownership structure.

Name

DKdL

Legal name

Die Krieger des Lichts GmbH

Website

https://dkdl.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DKdL (Die Krieger des Lichts) is a German creative and design agency founded in 1999, operating within the fischerAppelt Gruppe, serving enterprise and institutional clients with brand strategy, corporate design, digital experience, and integrated communication services across the DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nuremberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Project-based professional services for brand strategy, corporate design, digital experience, and communication campaigns. Revenue generated through agency fees for consulting, design, and implementation projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DKdL (Die Krieger des Lichts) is a creative agency that provides agile brand development, corporate design, and communication services. The agency delivers strategic brand experience work (positioning, identity systems, naming, employer branding), digital experience design (UX/UI, websites, apps, performance marketing), and communication consulting (campaigns, storytelling, social media, video content) for enterprise and institutional clients.

Product overview

DKdL (Die Krieger des Lichts) is a creative/design agency specializing in agile and digital brand development, design, and communication. The company operates as a creative unit within the fischerAppelt group. Their core offerings are structured into three main service areas: Brand Experience (covering brand strategy, corporate identity, naming, and employer branding), Digital Experience (covering UX/UI design, websites, apps, and performance marketing), and Kommunikation & Beratung (covering campaigns, storytelling, social media, and video content). The agency delivers projects through two methodologies: Co-Kreativ (iterative collaborative approach) and Design as a Service (linear autonomous execution). Notable client projects include Telekom (product film and motion design), bayern design (corporate design, motion, and website), Rödl & Partner (corporate design and image world), N2025 Nuremberg Culture Capital bid (corporate design and campaigns), and maxgemeinsam (crowdfunding campaign for Max-Morlock stadium renaming).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Experience Strategic brand development service covering benchmark analysis, brand positioning, brand architecture, corporate identity, naming and claims, corporate design systems, and employer branding for enterprise and institutional clients.
• Digital Experience
• Kommunikation & Beratung (Communication and Consulting)
• Corporate Design
• Motion Design
• Employer Branding
• Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation (Sustainability Communication)

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of largest clients maintain relationships of 5+ years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• fischerAppelt GruppecoreOthersDKdL (Die Krieger des Lichts) belongs to fischerAppelt Gruppe, Germany's leading owner-managed agency for marketing, advertising, and public relations. This membership enables resource scaling and expert integration from sister agencies for any project phase. fischerAppelt consists of 9 specialized agencies including advisors, health, live marketing, performance, play, relations, SQUAD, Fork Unstable Media, Ligalux, and Philipp und Keuntje.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Strichpunkt: Germany-based design agency specializing in corporate design, brand identity, and digital experience for enterprise clients. Most direct peer on the brand/UX design side of DKdL's offerings.
• Serviceplan Group: Germany's largest independent agency group, offering integrated brand, digital, and communication services. Direct competitor to DKdL for enterprise brand and digital experience mandates in the DACH market.
• Jung von Matt: Leading German creative agency group with strong brand and campaign work for enterprise clients. Closely comparable to DKdL in brand strategy, corporate design, and integrated communications delivery.
• KMS Team: Munich-based brand consultancy providing brand strategy, corporate design, and digital experience. Comparable in focus, scale, and German enterprise client profile.
• MetaDesign: Brand design consultancy with strong portfolio in corporate identity and brand systems across DACH enterprise clients. Comparable scope of brand experience and visual identity work.
• Peter Schmidt Group: German brand and packaging design agency serving large corporates. Comparable to DKdL in brand strategy, corporate design, and enterprise client roster.
• Scholz & Friends: German creative agency with deep experience in corporate branding and integrated campaigns for major European brands. Comparable in client tier, service mix, and DACH regional focus.

Emerging players

• Ligalux: German design and branding agency that merged with DKdL and fork in 2025 to form fork unstable media. Comparable historical offering in corporate and brand design for DAX-level clients.
• Fork (fork unstable media): Digital branding and technology agency that merged with DKdL and Ligalux in 2025. Comparable digital experience, brand technology, and creative production capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Accenture Song (formerly Fjord): Global experience design and brand consultancy operating at the intersection of brand, digital experience, and technology. Comparable in enterprise digital experience and brand strategy offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wearedkdl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dkdl
• Instagraminstagram.com/wearedkdl
• Xx.com/wearedkdl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 DKdL