DPRG

What DPRG does

DPRG (Deutsche Public Relations Gesellschaft e.V.) is Germany's largest professional association for public relations and communications professionals, operating as a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered at Lützowstraße 106, Berlin. Founded in 1958 (firmographics) / 1969 (company history detail) and active today, the association serves more than 2,200 individual and corporate members spanning in-house communications departments, PR agencies, academic institutions, other industry associations, and freelance consultants. Its stated mission is professional networking, continuing education, ethical standards-setting, and career development for the German-speaking communications industry, and it participates in the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management, which represents approximately 300,000 communicators across more than 120 countries.

DPRG's service portfolio centers on membership programming rather than proprietary technology. Core offerings include the tiered DPRG Mitgliedschaft (individual and corporate, with corporate plans starting at three employees), the DPRG Journal (print and digital publication), the annual Gehalts- und Honorarbarometer salary and fee survey (conducted since 1997; latest edition based on 1,047 respondents reporting an average gross income of nearly EUR 80,000 for communication professionals), the YoungPros mentoring and digital speed-mentoring program, the CommTech Academy Summer School on AI and digital skills, and the DPRG.mobil mobile member application. The association operates through a federal structure with regional chapters (Landesgruppen) in Norddeutschland, Baden-Württemberg, and Nordrhein-Westfalen, plus topic-specific expert circles covering Public Affairs, Internal Communication, Corporate Resilience, CSR, Health Communication, History Communication, Mittelstandskommunikation, and Communication Controlling. Awards programs include the Deutscher PR-Preis and Wissenschaftspreis.

The business model rests on tiered annual membership subscriptions (individual and corporate), supplemented by publication sales (notably the Gehalts- und Honorarbarometer report), event and seminar revenue (Stammtische, expert circle meetings, CommTech Academy Summer School at EUR 395 net for members), and award program fees. Distribution is domestic and primarily digital via dprg.de (self-service registration), supplemented by direct engagement through regional chapters and partner channels. Strategic member-benefit partnerships are in place with PMG Presse-Monitor (media monitoring) and Cision (media intelligence), and the association maintains a flagship cooperation with DRPR (Deutscher Rat für Public Relations), the German PR self-regulatory body.

Name

DPRG

Legal name

Deutsche Public Relations Gesellschaft e.V.

Website

https://dprg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DPRG is Germany's largest professional association for public relations and communications professionals, serving 2,200+ members across companies, agencies, academia, and freelance consultants through membership services, events, publications, and industry standards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Tiered annual membership fees; individual and corporate memberships available. Companies can benefit from flexible corporate memberships starting at three employees.
2. Publications and Reports: Sale of publications including the Gehalts- und Honorarbarometer (salary and fee barometer), DPRG Journal, and other research reports. Members receive free or discounted access.
3. Events and Seminars: Revenue from event tickets, seminars, workshops, and educational programs including the CommTech Academy Summer School and expert circle meetings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

DPRG is a non-profit professional association that provides paid membership services for PR and communications professionals in Germany, including networking events, regional chapters, expert working groups, publications (DPRG Journal, Gehalts- und Honorarbarometer salary survey), mentoring programs (YoungPros), and industry awards (Deutscher PR-Preis). The association represents more than 2,200 individual and corporate members from companies, agencies, academia, and freelance consultants, and operates with a federal structure including regional chapters across Germany.

Product overview

DPRG (Deutsche Public Relations Gesellschaft e.V.) is Germany's leading professional association for public relations and communications professionals, not a commercial technology product company. Its service portfolio centers on membership programs offering networking, professional development, and industry resources. Key offerings include the DPRG membership (serving 2,200+ professionals), the DPRG Journal (print/digital publication), the annual Gehalts- und Honorarbarometer (salary survey), DPRG YoungPros (mentorship and career development), and DPRG.mobil (mobile app). The association also coordinates Expertenkreise/Arbeitskreise (specialist working groups) on topics including Public Affairs, Internal Communication, Corporate Resilience, CSR, History Communication, Mittelstandskommunikation, and Communication Controlling. Through the CommTech Academy, DPRG offers technology-focused education for communicators on AI and digital tools. DPRG organizes the Deutscher PR-Preis, an annual industry award. The association partners with PMG Presse-Monitor and Cision for member benefits, but does not offer a standalone commercial product or SaaS platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DPRG.mobil: Mobile application for DPRG members
• Youngpros
• DPRG Journal

Products and services

• DPRG Mitgliedschaft (Membership)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,200 members across Germany representing the communications industry
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• PMG Presse-MonitorcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPMG MediaHub provides media monitoring, press reviews, and media analysis services. As a partner, PMG offers smart solutions for communication controlling, complementing DPRG member services.
• CisioncoreTechnology or IntegrationCision provides global media intelligence and communications platform services. CisionOne offers comprehensive PR and communications partnership as a strategic tool for DPRG members.
• Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications ManagementflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational PR association representing around 300,000 communicators in more than 120 countries. DPRG is a member and active participant in setting global ethical standards through organizations like the Global Principles of Ethical Practice.
• DRPR (Deutscher Rat für Public Relations)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Council for Public Relations - self-regulatory body for PR ethics in Germany. DPRG maintains close and trusting cooperation with DRPR, which sets ethical standards via the Deutscher Kommunikationskodex.
• CommTech AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative with AG CommTech for CommTech Academy Summer School and CommTech Index surveys on AI and digital transformation in communications departments and PR agencies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
• DNWE (Deutsches Netzwerk Wirtschaftsethik)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation between DPRG CSR working group and German business ethics network since approximately 2011, functioning as a hybrid group for sustainability communication expertise.
• Deutscher Bundestag / GovernmentcoreOthersDPRG Expert Circle on Public Affairs contributed to the introduction of mandatory lobby register in Germany, working with government on transparency in political lobbying.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA): Global PR industry body based in the UK with strong European footprint. Comparable through membership model, training programs, industry awards, and policy advocacy — a direct international counterpart.
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA): The largest US-based professional association for PR and communications professionals. Highly comparable to DPRG in structure (membership fees, chapters, ethics body, awards, salary surveys) but serving the US market.
• Public Relations Verband Austria (PRVA): Austrian PR industry association, jointly referenced with DPRG in the Staatspreis PR award. Highly comparable as a DACH-region German-speaking professional association.
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR): The UK's professional body for PR practitioners, offering individual and corporate memberships, training, and credentials. Closely mirrors DPRG's mission, expert groups, and standards-setting role.
• International Association of Business Communicators (IABC): Global network for business communicators with regional chapters, professional development, and accreditation programs. Operates as DPRG's international counterpart across multiple geographies.
• Gesellschaft Public Relations Agenturen (GPRA): German association representing PR and communications agencies. Comparable as a German PR industry body with a more agency-focused member base, overlapping with DPRG's agency segment.
• Bundesverband deutscher Pressesprecher (BdP): German professional association for corporate press officers and communications heads. Comparable membership model and corporate-communications focus to DPRG's Corporate Communications segment.

Emerging players

• Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft (BVDW): German digital industry association whose member base overlaps DPRG's digital/CommTech expert circles. Thematically adjacent as digital transformation reshapes the communications profession.
• Deutscher Rat für Public Relations (DRPR): Germany's self-regulatory body for PR ethics and a close DPRG partner. Adjacent peer focused on ethics oversight and the Deutscher Kommunikationskodex rather than membership services.

Broad incumbents

• Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management: International confederation of PR associations of which DPRG is itself a member. Operates one tier above DPRG, setting global ethical standards and convening ~300,000 communicators across 120+ countries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deutsche-public-relations-gesellschaft-e-v-dprg
• Instagraminstagram.com/dprg_de
• Xx.com/dprgde
• Facebookfacebook.com/DPRGde

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 DPRG