Markatus

What Markatus does

Markatus is a privately held German full-service advertising agency operating under the legal entity MARKATUS GmbH, headquartered in Rödental (Coburger Str. 7) in Upper Franconia. Founded in 2003 and led by four named Geschäftsführer (Björn Hieber, Marcel Finzel, Dominik Novotny, Oliver Pietz), the agency delivers an integrated portfolio under its "#auseinerhand" ("from a single source") positioning across three core pillars: Marketing (brand strategy, branding, print, online marketing), Film (image, brand, recruiting and explainer films, drone, 3D animation, in-house post-production), and Social Media (strategy, content, paid social, social recruiting). Adjacent services include websites and e-commerce, event management, in-house Werbetechnik and PIXLIP LED trade-fair walls, and a partner-delivered WhatsApp Marketing module via its official Superchat partnership. The agency serves two principal segments — owner-led Mittelstand SMBs across Coburg/Upper Franconia and Germany-wide, and national/international enterprise clients — and frequently operates as the "external marketing department" for clients lacking internal marketing staff, with several engagements running 10–15+ years.

The technology stack is dominated by in-house production infrastructure (RED Cinema 6K rigs, drone cinematography, 3D animation, on-premise Matomo analytics, full print and signage capabilities) augmented by selectively deployed generative AI: AI-based image-to-video for animating historical archive material (Brose Coburg Standortfilm) and multilingual AI-generated voice-over narrators controlled via prompting (Verpa and Bruchmann films). Markatus also programs bespoke client integrations, including WhatsApp newsletter signup flows with automated coupon/barcode generation (Superchat) and vehicle inventory search for BMW/MINI dealer groups. No public API, SDK, or developer platform is exposed.

Revenue is generated through fixed-price project engagements and long-term retainers, with no public pricing. The GTM is sales-led and consultative, anchored on a free 30-minute "Erstgespräch" analysis call, supported by self-serve booking for predefined social media packages and direct enterprise pitches for flagship accounts. The company is owner-led, profitable enough to offer profit-sharing ("Beteiligung am Unternehmensgewinn"), and has no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, parent company, or M&A activity.

Name

Markatus

Legal name

MARKATUS GmbH

Website

https://markatus.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Markatus is a privately held, owner-led German full-service advertising agency headquartered in Rödental, delivering integrated marketing, film, and social media services to regional Mittelstand SMBs and national corporates including Brose, HUK-COBURG, and Mondi, with selective AI-assisted production capabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rödental

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Project-based agency engagements: Revenue from fixed-price project work covering Marketing, Film, and Social Media deliverables — from single flyers and one-off films through to full multi-year agency retainers acting as external marketing department. Pricing is fixed-price per project, transparent and pre-agreed, with no hidden costs or post-negotiation.
2. Retainer / long-term marketing partnership: Long-term recurring engagements where Markatus operates as the external marketing department for the client (e.g., Sperber, Einrichtungshaus Schulze, EDEKA Wagner, Schopf & Teig) — multi-year relationships covering strategy, ongoing content, campaigns and performance optimisation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Markatus is an owner-led, full-service advertising agency (MARKATUS GmbH) based in Rödental/Coburg, Germany, that delivers marketing, film production, and social media services from a single source ("#auseinerhand"). The agency operates as an external in-house marketing department for clients, covering strategy, branding, campaigns, corporate films, paid social, websites, event management, print, and advertising technology (Werbetechnik) including LED trade-fair systems.

Product overview

Markatus is not a single SaaS product but an owner-led, full-service agency (Inhabergeführte Full-Service-Agentur) operating under the unified #auseinerhand ("everything from a single source") model. The portfolio combines three core service pillars – Marketing (strategy, branding, print, online marketing), Film (image, brand, recruiting, explainer and social video production, including drone, motion design and post-production) and Social Media (strategy, content creation, paid social, social recruiting) – with additional in-house capabilities such as Webseiten & Online-Shops, Eventmanagement & Drucksachen, and Werbetechnik & Messesysteme (including PIXLIP LED trade-fair walls). Adjacent offerings include a partner-delivered WhatsApp-Marketing module via the official Superchat partnership, employer-branding/social-recruiting campaigns, long-form formats (Magazine, TV-Kanal, Apps), and a newly introduced KI-gestützte Filmproduktion capability module that adds AI-based image-to-video generation and AI-generated multilingual narrators to the Film pillar. All services are coordinated by interdisciplinary Kreation, Online, Film and Social Media teams, allowing Markatus to act as an external in-house agency for clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marketing (Strategy, Branding, Campaigns, Print, Online Marketing) Full-spectrum marketing services including brand development and positioning, marketing strategy and concepts, campaigns, print media (flyers, magazines), online marketing, and Werbetechnik (advertising technology), delivered from a single source (#auseinerhand) for German Mittelstand and corporate clients.
• Film Production (Image, Brand, Recruiting and Explainer Films) End-to-end film production including film strategy and concept, image and brand films, recruiting and employer-branding films, product and explainer films, social and campaign clips, live productions, aftermovies, drone footage, plus full in-house post-production (cut, sound, animation) for clients across retail, automotive, hospitality, and industrial sectors.
• Social Media (Strategy, Content, Paid Social, Social Recruiting) Social-media services covering content creation, channel strategy and setup, editorial planning and community management, paid social/performance campaigns with A/B testing and retargeting, and social recruiting/employer branding. Markatus operates as an external in-house agency for clients without dedicated social-media teams.
• WhatsApp Marketing (Superchat Partnership) Data-protection-compliant (GDPR) WhatsApp marketing delivered through the official Superchat partnership: customer service communication, WhatsApp newsletter with voucher/barcode flows, automated sign-up journeys, and on-site/POS integration for retail clients such as hagebaumarkt KARST.
• Websites & Online Shops Design and build of modern websites and online shops, including CMS-driven sites, mobile-optimized layouts, and custom integrations such as vehicle inventory systems (APIs) for automotive dealer clients (e.g., Krauth-Gruppe, Sperber).
• Event Management & Print Production Full event management including concept, dramaturgy, direction and on-site execution (light, sound, stage, artist coordination), plus an extensive in-house print suite (invitations, programmes, table cards, signage, branded give-aways) and microsites with QR-based RSVP flows.
• Advertising Technology (Werbetechnik) & Trade Fair Systems In-house production of advertising technology (Werbetechnik): floor stickers, showcase lettering, large-format banners, branded shopping-cart housings, vehicle wrapping (e.g., Megatrailer-Beschriftung) and modular LED trade-fair walls (PIXLIP) for trade-fair and POS presence for clients such as PSB, M.A.i, and Gaudlitz.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10+ years continuous engagement with Einrichtungshaus Schulze
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability9 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Webspace-Verkauf.de ISP e.K.coreTechnology or IntegrationExternal hosting provider for markatus.de, with a signed Auftragsverarbeitung (AVV) contract under GDPR. Webspace-Verkauf.de is also a long-standing client of Markatus, creating a reciprocal commercial relationship.
• Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald – Landesverband Bayern e.V. (Stiftung 'Wir helfen dem Wald')coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive cooperation partner for Markatus' tree-planting sustainability initiative. For every Google review, Markatus plants a tree in Bavaria — co-branded programme with the foundation, including GPS tracking of planted trees.
• SuperchatcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial Superchat partner enabling datenschutzkonform (GDPR-compliant) WhatsApp marketing implementations, including custom newsletter signup with automated coupon/barcode generation (e.g., hagebaumarkt KARST).
• Amtsgericht Coburg (Handelsregister B 36 88)minorOthersCommercial registry where MARKATUS GmbH is registered (HRB B 36 88). Not a commercial partnership but a regulatory relationship.
• PIXLIP MessesystememinorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSupplier of LED-based modular PIXLIP trade fair wall systems that Markatus designs, brands and assembles for clients (e.g., PSB, M.A.i, Gaudlitz).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ramp106: Cologne-based digital and brand agency combining strategy, creative, film and social media. Similar integrated service stack and SMB-to-mid-market positioning as Markatus.
• LIGANOVA: Stuttgart-based brand experience and full-service agency combining brand strategy, film, events and digital. Closely matches Markatus's integrated Marketing/Film/Social offering and Mittelstand-to-enterprise client mix.
• Thjnk: Independent German creative agency with integrated brand strategy, campaigns, film and digital. Comparable integrated offering and enterprise/Mittelstand client profile to Markatus.
• Kolle Rebbe: Hamburg-based independent creative agency offering brand strategy, campaign work, film and digital — a similar integrated stack to Markatus, positioned for ambitious Mittelstand and corporate clients.
• Zum goldenen Hirschen: Independent German full-service agency combining brand, content, social media and film production. Closely comparable in scope and in targeting owner-led German Mittelstand and corporate brands.
• Saint Elmo's: Munich-based marketing and communications agency spanning brand, content, film and digital. Comparable full-service model and Mittelstand/enterprise client mix.

Broad incumbents

• Jung von Matt: Top-ranked German creative network with integrated brand, content and digital production. Competes for the same enterprise storytelling budgets (Brose, HUK-COBURG tier) that Markatus targets.
• Scholz & Friends: Hamburg-headquartered creative and full-service agency with integrated brand, film and digital capabilities. Directly comparable offering to Markatus across the Marketing/Film/Social stack, but serving larger national and international clients.
• fischerAppelt: German communications and content agency group with film, social and brand experience units. Overlaps with Markatus in corporate storytelling, employer branding and event-driven content for German enterprise clients.
• Serviceplan Group: Europe's largest independent owner-led agency group with Marketing, Film and Social Media houses. Competes for the same German Mittelstand and enterprise briefs as Markatus but at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MARKATUSAGENTUR/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/markatus
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/markatus
• Instagraminstagram.com/markatus_agentur
• TikToktiktok.com/@markatus_agentur

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Markatus