Rheindenken

What Rheindenken does

RHEINDENKEN GmbH is an owner-managed communication and design agency founded in 1993 in Cologne, Germany. The firm delivers brand development, corporate design, web design and development, film and video production, employer branding, and accessibility-compliant (Barrierefreiheit) communications to German public-sector institutions and private enterprises. Its service portfolio spans three primary verticals: public-sector communications (Öffentliche Hand), real estate marketing (Immobilienmarketing), and retail/point-of-sale marketing (Handelsmarketing), with named clients including Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Swiss Life Asset Managers, Sourcify, wupsi, Peters Bauträger, Corpus Sireo, BackWerk, and multiple NRW and Rhineland-Palatinate ministries.

The agency operates with a core team of 15 full-time employees in Cologne and a curated network of 40+ freelance specialists, delivering projects directly through fixed account managers from concept through execution. Its underlying technology is standard professional-services tooling, primarily WordPress with Advanced Custom Fields, TYPO3 CMS, and professional video/animation production capabilities, with no proprietary software product or platform offering. Disclosed film production pricing ranges from €3,650 to €14,500 per deliverable, while broader agency engagements are project-based or retainer-based and quoted on scope.

Revenue is generated exclusively through professional-services fees from project and retainer engagements; the firm reports no external investment, no parent company, and no public funding. A Berlin contact office supplements the Cologne headquarters. Management is held by Managing Directors Erik Hogrefe and Jens Schützler, and the firm maintains a multi-year recurring engagement with Bundesagentur für Arbeit dating to 2015.

Name

Rheindenken

Legal name

RHEINDENKEN GMBH

Website

https://rheindenken.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RHEINDENKEN is an owner-managed Cologne-based communication and design agency founded in 1993, serving German public-sector institutions and private enterprises with brand development, web design, film production, and accessibility-compliant communications across real estate, retail, and government verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Communication and Design Services: Full-service communication agency providing brand development, corporate design, film production, and marketing campaigns to public and private sector clients on a project and retainer basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rheindenken is a full-service communications and design agency that delivers brand development, corporate design, web design and development, film and video production, employer branding, and accessibility-compliant communications to German public institutions and private enterprises. Work is delivered as bespoke creative projects on a project or retainer basis, including print materials, websites, films, and POS/retail marketing collateral. The agency serves verticals including public sector (Öffentliche Hand), real estate marketing (Immobilienmarketing), and retail marketing (Handelsmarketing).

Product overview

Rheindenken is a full-service communications and design agency based in Cologne, Germany, founded in 1993. The company provides a broad portfolio of agency services organized around brand development, corporate design, web design and development, film production, employer branding, and accessibility (barrierefreiheit). Its work spans three primary industry verticals: real estate marketing (Immobilienmarketing), retail/point-of-sale marketing (Handelsmarketing), and public-sector communications (Öffentliche Hand). The agency also offers strategic marketing consulting, employer branding and recruiting campaigns, and cross-media communication strategies. Rheindenken does not appear to offer a distinct software product, platform, or SaaS offering; its output consists entirely of client project work delivered through creative and strategic services rather than a packaged or versioned product line.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Development and Corporate Design End-to-end brand development, corporate design, and visual identity work — including naming, logo design, and aesthetic design systems — delivered to public institutions and private enterprises to differentiate and position their brands.
• Film and Video Production Production of explainer films (Erklärfilme), whiteboard animations, motion graphics, image films, event documentation, advertising films, interviews, statements, and screencasts with published pricing tiers (e.g., screencast from EUR 4,500 for 90 sec; whiteboard animation from EUR 6,500 for 2 min; motion graphics from EUR 14,500 for 2 min; advertising/image film from EUR 6,500 per shoot day).
• Web Design and Website Development Website design, redesign, and development using WordPress with Advanced Custom Fields and TYPO3 CMS, including strategy, customer journey, UX optimization, multilingual content, and performance optimization for public and private clients.
• Accessible Communications (Barrierefreiheit) Accessibility-compliant communication services for public-sector and private clients, including PDF/UA-compliant documents, Easy Language (Leichte Sprache), sign language videos (Gebärdensprache), and PAC3-certified accessibility, helping clients meet regulatory accessibility requirements.
• Retail / Handelsmarketing Materials Point-of-sale marketing materials for retail clients, including posters, customer stoppers, packaging, rollups, advertisements, and promotional campaigns. Examples include BackWerk and Handelshof.
• Real Estate Marketing (Immobilienmarketing) Comprehensive marketing campaigns for new real estate developments, including naming, logo design, web design, exposé layout (Exposégestaltung), construction signs (Bauschilder), construction fence banners (Bauzaunbanner), and showrooms. Examples include Peters Bauträger (WEYDEN), Swiss Life (Viva Agrippina), Corpus Sireo (Victor & Friedrich), and nesseler projektidee (LevelUp).
• Employer Branding and Recruiting Campaigns Strategic employer branding and recruiting campaigns, including recruiting videos, social media campaigns, and cross-media communications to attract talent for public institutions and private companies. Examples include Hochschule der Polizei Rheinland-Pfalz and ÖGD Rheinland-Pfalz.
• Cross-Media Communication Strategies Integrated cross-media communication strategies spanning digital, print, social, and event channels — including content-driven event journeys for public-sector clients. Example: crossmediale Kommunikation für den FUKO2025 for the Ministry of Economy, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture Rhineland-Palatinate.

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• kempertrautmann: Hamburg-based independent creative agency with similar full-service brand development, campaign, and digital capabilities. Comparable in size and positioning as a strong German creative boutique.
• denkwerk: Cologne-based independent digital and communication agency. Comparable geographically and in offering digital products, brand work, and communication services for German clients.
• gkk DialogGroup: Frankfurt-based integrated communications agency. Comparable as a German mid-sized agency offering brand, corporate, and digital communication services to public and private clients.
• Kolle Rebbe: Independent German creative agency based in Hamburg. Comparable as a creative and brand agency of similar mid-sized scale offering integrated brand, campaign, and digital work for German brands.
• Zum goldenen Hirschen: Berlin-based independent communications agency. Comparable as a German independent integrated agency serving corporate and public sector clients with brand, content, and digital capabilities.
• Territory (Gudrun GmbH): Germany-based agency network specialized in brand, content, and digital communication. Comparable in serving German enterprises with integrated marketing and communication services.

Broad incumbents

• DDB Germany: German arm of the global DDB network. Comparable as a full-service creative agency serving German brands and institutions, with broader network backing and international reach.
• Serviceplan Group: Europe's largest independent agency group, headquartered in Munich. Comparable as a full-service communication and advertising agency serving German enterprises and public sector clients, but operating at vastly larger scale.
• Jung von Matt: One of Germany's largest independent creative agencies, headquartered in Hamburg. Comparable as a full-service communication agency serving major German and international brands and public institutions, but with significantly broader scale and capabilities.
• Scholz & Friends: Established German creative agency with strong public sector and corporate client base. Comparable in its integrated brand, communication, and digital offering, but with national reach and a larger team.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rheindenken
• Facebookfacebook.com/rheindenken.werbeagentur
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rheindenken-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Rheindenken