Communication Matters

What Communication Matters does

Communication Matters GmbH is a Vienna-based, privately held public relations and public affairs consultancy founded in 1999. The firm operates with a core team of approximately 10-12 employees and serves organizations at the intersection of media, politics, and public opinion. Its service portfolio is organized into three core offerings — Public Relations (strategy and execution across earned, owned, shared, and paid media), Public Affairs (government relations, lobbying, stakeholder management, and crisis management), and Media Training (interview preparation, presentation skills, and crisis communication coaching) — and it extends the catalog with a proprietary Public-Affairs-Check (PA-Check) diagnostic tool that combines a structured questionnaire with personalized feedback sessions.

The firm generates revenue through project-based engagements and ongoing retainers with corporate, institutional, and public-sector clients; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, and the PA-Check tool is currently offered free during a pilot phase as a lead-generation mechanism. Its client base spans Austrian government agencies (City of Vienna entities, Parliament Austria, COFAG), large financial institutions (Oesterreichische Nationalbank, WSK Bank), insurance and energy incumbents (UNIQA, Wiener Netze), and international corporates with Austria exposure (Google, Samsung, ChargePoint). Distribution is direct-only via phone, email, and website inquiry — no reseller or partner sales model exists.

Communication Matters differentiates through long-tenured political relationships, sustained industry certifications (ICCO Consultancy Management Standard since 2004, PRVA PR Quality Seal since 2014, BGF workplace health seal since 2019), and international reach delivered via ECCO (30+ countries) and Dentons Global Advisors Network. The firm is independently owned, with Dagmar Hemmer (CEO since 2024, partner since 2012) and founder Christian Kollmann as principal shareholders; no external investors, parent company, or acquisition history is recorded.

Name

Communication Matters

Legal name

communication matters GmbH

Website

https://communicationmatters.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Communication Matters is a Vienna-based PR and public affairs agency founded in 1999, serving government, corporate, and institutional clients with strategic communications, government relations, crisis management, and media training services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations and Public Affairs Consulting

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Affairs & Government Relations (MPAAADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Affairs, Government Relations & Lobbying (BPAFADAB), Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF), Media Relations, Monitoring & Rapid Response (MPAAAOAK)

Keywords

• Public relations consulting
• Public affairs services
• Media training
• Crisis communication
• Government relations

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Consulting: Professional consulting services including Public Relations, Public Affairs, and Media Training. Revenue generated through project-based engagements and ongoing retainer contracts with corporate and institutional clients.
2. Media Training Services: Individual and group media training programs for executives and spokespersons, including video reflection and coaching sessions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Communication Matters is a Vienna-based full-service PR and public affairs agency that delivers strategic communications across three core pillars: Public Relations (media relations, content, social media, and paid campaigns), Public Affairs (government relations, lobbying, stakeholder management, and crisis management), and Media Training (executive coaching and interview preparation). The agency also offers a proprietary Public-Affairs-Check (PA-Check) evaluation tool that enables organizations to systematically assess and improve their public affairs management.

Product overview

Communication Matters is a full-service PR and public affairs agency based in Vienna, Austria, operating since 1999. The agency provides a unified portfolio of communications services organized around three core offerings: Public Relations (strategy, content, and channel management across earned, owned, shared, and paid media), Public Affairs (government relations, lobbying, stakeholder management, and crisis management), and Media Training. The agency also offers a proprietary Public-Affairs-Check tool for evaluating clients' public affairs management. Services are delivered through an interdisciplinary team approach, combining strategic consulting with practical implementation across all communication channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Relations Strategic communications service covering earned, owned, shared, and paid media across all relevant media categories. Includes storytelling, press releases, media events, blogger relations, newsletters, websites, corporate blogs, social media management, and paid advertising campaigns. Designed for companies, institutions, and organizations seeking integrated media presence.
• Public Affairs Political and regulatory communications service encompassing government relations, lobbying, stakeholder management, and crisis management. Includes policy analysis, political framing, stakeholder monitoring, and relationship management with decision-makers in politics and public administration. Designed for organizations navigating complex regulatory and political environments.
• Media Training Professional training service preparing executives and communications professionals for media interactions. Includes interview techniques, presentation skills, crisis communication coaching, and video reflection. Offered as individual or group sessions and as modules within specific programs such as the Karl Renner Institute's course for women politicians.
• Public-Affairs-Check (PA-Check) A proprietary public affairs evaluation tool developed by Communication Matters' public affairs team. Enables companies and organizations to conduct a precise analysis of their public affairs management through a structured questionnaire (approximately 10 minutes), followed by a personal or virtual feedback session providing assessment and recommendations.

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ECCO International Communications NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational communications network with partner agencies in over 30 countries. Provides communication matters with global reach and ability to serve multinational clients across borders.
• Dentons Global Advisors NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading international consultancy network for public affairs and government relations. Membership enhances communication matters' capabilities in government relations and public affairs.
• Public Relations Association Austria (PRVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational professional association for PR practitioners. Agency adheres to PRVA code of ethics and quality standards.
• Austrian Public Affairs Association (ÖPAV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for public affairs practitioners. Agency follows ÖPAV Code of Conduct for public affairs work.
• ÖPR (PR Quality Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian PR quality association focused on standards and certification for PR agencies.
• datenwerkminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInnovation agency partnered with for Wiener Töchtertag project. Developed new campaign design including website, video clips, and social media materials.
• Maria LechnerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerViennese graphic designer collaborated on Wiener Töchtertag redesign including logo and materials.
• JART ITminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLead agency partner for Parliament Austria website and intranet relaunch project.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ketchum: International public relations and communications agency with Austrian operations, providing PR, public affairs, and brand communications to enterprise clients across technology, healthcare, finance, and consumer sectors.
• Hill+Knowlton: International public affairs and communications consultancy offering government relations, crisis, and corporate communications to multinational clients — a comparable competitor for cross-border public affairs mandates.
• FleishmanHillard: Global PR and public affairs network with an established Austrian presence, offering integrated corporate communications, public affairs, and crisis services to multinational clients across sectors that overlap with Communication Matters' portfolio.
• Brunswick Group: Global critical-communications and public affairs advisory firm serving large corporates, financial institutions, and governments — a comparable peer for high-stakes public affairs, M&A, and crisis mandates in regulated industries.
• Grayling: International communications consultancy with public affairs and corporate communications practices across Europe, serving corporate and institutional clients — comparable for cross-border public affairs mandates.
• Edelman: World's largest PR firm with Austrian operations offering public affairs, corporate communications, and crisis management to multinational corporations and institutions competing for the same enterprise and public-sector mandates.
• Burson (formerly BCW): Global public affairs and communications agency with deep government-relations and lobbying expertise, serving enterprise and institutional clients across regulated industries — directly comparable to Communication Matters' public affairs work.

Direct peers

• CNC Communications & Network Consulting: German-headquartered public affairs and political communications consultancy active in DACH, offering lobbying, public affairs strategy, and stakeholder management — comparable to Communication Matters' public affairs offering for clients operating in German-speaking markets.
• Ecker & Partner: Austrian full-service PR and public affairs agency headquartered in Vienna, directly competing for the same government, corporate, and institutional clients; CEO Hemmer previously led the municipalities and institutions unit there, underscoring close overlap in positioning.

Regional players

• Farner Consulting: Leading Swiss-headquartered PR and communications consultancy with strong DACH presence, providing corporate communications, public affairs, and brand strategy — a comparable DACH-region agency targeting similar enterprise and institutional clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/communicationmatters.at
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/communication-matters

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Communication Matters