HowCom

What HowCom does

HowCom is an independent, Stockholm-based media agency founded in 2011 that delivers data-driven media planning, buying, and strategic communications services to enterprise and mid-market brands in Sweden and the broader Nordic region. The company operates across the full media landscape — TV/broadcast, radio/audio, out-of-home, print, programmatic digital, social media, and online video — and assembles a bespoke team of channel specialists (Broadcast, Digital, OOH & Print, Data, Business Management) for each client engagement, supplemented by an external talent network. It does not develop proprietary technology platforms; instead, it leverages industry-standard media planning tools, analytics, and tracking systems, with a January 2026 Data Analyst hire signaling investment in formal measurement capabilities.

HowCom is part of HowCom Group, an independent Scandinavian collective, and is privately held with no disclosed external funding. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting major Swedish and Nordic brands, with pricing structured as custom quote-based engagements on multi-year contracts. Revenue is generated through professional service fees, media buying commissions, and strategic consulting, with no public pricing tiers. The agency is recognized as "Sweden's Most Satisfied Customers" in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025, and has won "Media Agency of the Year" four times, positioning its reputation — rather than proprietary technology — as the primary commercial differentiator. Named clients span banking (Handelsbanken), online gaming (ComeOn), transportation (Arlanda Express, Viking Line), non-profit healthcare (Hjär-Lungfonden), and entertainment (Parks & Resorts), and strategic media-owner partnerships span TV4, Viaplay Group, Warner Bros. Discovery, Bauer Media, Spotify, and Acast.

Name

HowCom

Legal name

HowCom

Website

https://howcom.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HowCom is an independent Stockholm-based media agency, founded in 2011, providing data-driven media planning, buying, and strategic communications to enterprise and mid-market brands across Sweden and the Nordics. Services span TV, radio, digital, social, programmatic, OOH, and print, delivered via bespoke client teams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media Agency Services

NAICS

Media Buying Agencies (54183), Media Representatives (541840), Public Relations Agencies (541820)

akta.pro primary industry

Social & Digital Insights (Social Listening, Online Community Research) (MPAAALAK)

Keywords

• Media planning services
• Media buying agency
• Brand marketing strategy
• Multi-channel advertising
• Campaign management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Media Agency Services: HowCom generates revenue through providing media planning, strategy, and buying services to brands. Services include campaign planning across TV, radio, out-of-home (OOH), print, programmatic advertising, social media, and online video. Revenue is earned through service fees, media buying commissions, and consulting fees for strategic advice.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HowCom is an independent media agency providing data-driven media planning, strategy, and buying services for brands. It delivers campaigns across social media, programmatic, TV/broadcast, radio/audio, and out-of-home/print channels, assembling tailored teams per assignment and drawing on a network of external talent. Services include media strategy, campaign execution, optimization, and data-driven campaign measurement for enterprise and mid-market clients.

Product overview

HowCom is an independent media agency offering a unified suite of data-driven media and communication services. The core offering centers on strategic media planning combined with multi-channel campaign execution across social media, programmatic advertising, TV/broadcast, radio/audio, and out-of-home/print. Services are delivered through specialized teams including Broadcast Specialists, Digital Campaign Managers, Data Analysts, and OOH & Print Specialists. The agency operates as a single integrated offering rather than modular products, customizing team composition and channel strategies for each client assignment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Media Planning and Strategy Services Data-driven media planning and strategic consulting services that combine customer insights, channel strategy, and effective media buying across social, programmatic, TV, radio, OOH, and print channels to help brands reach their business goals. Sold as a single integrated offering with a tailored team assembled per client assignment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sweden's Most Satisfied Customers recognition for 4 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TV4coreTechnology or IntegrationTV4 is a key media partner for broadcast and TV advertising campaigns. HowCom works with TV4 for campaign planning, buying, and optimization of TV advertising.
• Viaplay GroupcoreTechnology or IntegrationViaplay Group is a streaming and broadcast partner providing access to sports, film, and TV content for campaign placements.
• Warner Bros. DiscoverycoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic media partner for broadcast and streaming advertising across Warner Bros. Discovery's television and digital channels.
• Bauer MediacoreTechnology or IntegrationRadio and audio partner providing access to radio stations and audio content for campaign planning and buying.
• SpotifycoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital audio advertising partner for podcast and music streaming campaign placements.
• AcastcoreTechnology or IntegrationPodcast advertising partner providing access to podcast audiences for targeted audio campaigns.
• Grow PeopleminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRecruitment partner for hiring processes. Grow People assists with recruitment consulting for open positions at HowCom.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mindshare: Global media agency network within WPP Group, providing media planning and buying across TV, digital, programmatic, and audio channels. Comparable to HowCom in core service offering but vastly larger scale and global reach, with Nordics presence.
• EssenceMediacom: Global media agency formed from the merger of Essence and Mediacom within WPP, delivering data-driven media planning and buying across all channels. Directly comparable service model to HowCom at a much larger global scale, with Nordic operations.
• PHD Media: Global media planning and buying network within Omnicom, with strong data-led approach and significant Nordic operations. Comparable to HowCom's data-driven, multi-channel media offering but operating at international scale.
• OMD Worldwide: Omnicom's flagship global media agency network with substantial Nordic and Swedish presence. Comparable to HowCom in providing cross-channel media planning and buying; competes head-to-head for major Swedish and Nordic brand mandates.
• Starcom: Publicis Groupe's global media agency brand with established Nordic operations. Comparable to HowCom through integrated media planning across digital, broadcast, and OOH, but with significantly larger scale and client roster.
• Carat: Dentsu's global media agency brand with strong Nordic and Swedish operations. Comparable service portfolio to HowCom — data-driven media planning and buying across all channels — competing for the same enterprise clients HowCom targets.
• Wavemaker: GroupM/WPP media agency focused on growth and media planning with Nordic footprint. Comparable to HowCom in offering cross-channel media strategy and buying for major brands.

Direct peers

• Bizkit Havas: Swedish media agency that is part of Havas's global network; directly named in HowCom's data because a former Bizkit Havas broadcast specialist (Elise Johnander Eriksson) joined HowCom. Head-to-head competitor for Swedish brand media planning mandates.
• Curamando: Independent Nordic digital marketing and media agency based in Stockholm, offering media planning, digital strategy, and analytics. Comparable to HowCom in being an independent Swedish/Nordic competitor targeting similar mid-market and enterprise brand clients.

Regional players

• Cloudberry (formerly known as digital agencies in the Nordics): Smaller Nordic-focused media and marketing consultancy. Comparable to HowCom's channel-agnostic, boutique service model within the Swedish/Nordic market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/howcomevolution
• Facebookfacebook.com/HowComSE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/howcom-ab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 HowCom