Counterpart Group

What Counterpart Group does

Counterpart Group GmbH is a full-service communications agency headquartered in Cologne, Germany, founded in 1991. The agency serves mid-sized and large German companies across both B2B and B2C segments in verticals including insurance, food and beverage, automotive, real estate, healthcare, media, and non-profit. Its service portfolio spans five integrated practice areas: marketing strategy (brand development, purpose development, employer branding, customer journey), brand leadership (OOH, radio/TV/cinema, print, corporate and packaging design, POS), digital marketing (web development, webshops, SEO, e-mail and performance marketing), content and communications (social media, influencer marketing, PR, corporate and crisis communications, storytelling), and online reputation management.

The agency's underlying technology approach is an AI-augmented, human-in-the-loop model that combines third-party generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Midjourney, AI-based CRM systems) with proprietary AI reputation services: KI-Reputations-Check (analyzing how search and AI systems portray a company), KI-Readiness-Check (assessing website readiness for AI consumption), and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). It is not a software product company; rather, it packages AI capabilities as billable advisory and campaign services layered on 35 years of brand and communications methodology.

The business model is professional services, generating revenue through project-based fees and ongoing retainer agreements with clients, operating as integrated lead agency rather than through intermediary distribution. Customer acquisition is relationship-based, combining direct sales, industry events (DMEXCO, GWA), thought-leadership content marketing, and inbound interest. The company is privately held, founder/owner-operated under sole Managing Director Judith Dobner, with no external equity investors, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed M&A or funding activity.

Name

Counterpart Group

Legal name

Counterpart Group GmbH

Website

https://counterpart.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Counterpart Group is a Cologne-based, full-service German communications agency founded in 1991, serving mid-sized and large enterprises across B2B and B2C verticals with integrated strategy, brand, digital, content, and AI-powered reputation management services on a retainer and project basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marketing Communications Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAAAAAA

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Advertising, Marketing & PR Services/Advertising Agencies (Full-Service/Creative)

Keywords

• Marketing communications services
• Brand management agency
• Digital marketing services
• Content and PR services
• Online reputation management

Headquarters

HQ city

Cologne

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketing Communications Services: Full-service agency providing integrated communications including brand strategy, brand management, content & communication, and digital marketing services. Revenue is generated through project-based fees and ongoing retainer agreements with clients.
2. Campaign Development: Creation of marketing campaigns including image, product, go-to-market, social media, digital, and PR campaigns. Billed as individual projects or as part of comprehensive client retainers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Counterpart Group is a full-service communications agency that integrates marketing strategy, brand leadership, digital marketing, and content & communications under one roof for mid-sized and large German companies. The agency operates as a creative sparring partner, combining 35 years of brand experience with proprietary AI reputation and readiness diagnostic services (KI-Reputations-Check, KI-Readiness-Check) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Services are delivered through project engagements and long-term retainer relationships as lead agency.

Product overview

Counterpart Group is a full-service communications agency offering integrated marketing and brand services under a single roof. The portfolio includes Online Reputation Management (with AI-powered KI-Reputations-Check and KI-Readiness-Check services), Marketing Strategy (brand development, purpose development, employer branding), Brand Leadership (advertising across OOH, print, radio/TV, plus corporate and packaging design), Digital Marketing (web development, SEO, performance marketing), and Content & Communications (social media, influencer marketing, PR, crisis communications). Founded in 1991, the agency positions itself at the intersection of traditional communication and AI-driven reputation management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Counterpart Group Full-Service Communications Agency Full-service communications agency offering integrated marketing services including strategy, brand leadership, digital marketing, and content & communications. Delivered as project engagements and long-term retainer agreements as lead agency for mid-sized and large German companies.
• Online Reputation Management (with KI-Reputations-Check and KI-Readiness-Check) Reputation management services that analyze what search engines and AI systems currently portray about a company, identify dominant sources, risks, contradictions, and communication gaps, and assess whether a website is structured clearly enough for AI systems (GEO). Targeted at companies needing to manage how they appear in AI-generated responses.
• Marketing Strategy Services Strategic marketing consulting including brand development, purpose development, sales support, employer branding, B2C and B2B marketing, and customer journey optimization for German enterprises.
• Brand Leadership (Markenführung) Full-spectrum brand management covering out-of-home advertising, radio/cinema/TV advertising, print advertising, corporate design, packaging design, and point-of-sale activities, designed for consistent brand positioning across channels and consideration of online and AI reputation impact.
• Digital Marketing Digital marketing services including web development, webshop creation, webdesign, SEO, GEO, SEA, email marketing, and performance marketing for visibility, conversion, and AI-reputation impact.
• Content & Communications Content and communication services including social media marketing, influencer marketing, public relations, corporate communications, crisis communications, and storytelling, designed to drive engagement with measurable results for both humans and AI systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Increased brand awareness from 15% to 87% for JCB construction equipment manufacturer within two years
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• C_SR (Creative Social Responsibility)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Counterpart Group is a foster partner (Förderpartner) of the C_SR initiative, which connects NGOs and non-profit organizations with creative professionals. The agency actively participates in social volunteer work and supports the platform's mission to enable faster and more effective responses to acute disasters and ongoing crises.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• kempertrautmann: kempertrautmann is a Hamburg-based independent creative agency offering brand strategy, campaign, and digital services to German enterprise clients — a closely matched independent German full-service peer.
• thjnk: thjnk is a Hamburg-headquartered German independent agency group offering integrated strategy, brand, and digital services to German enterprise clients — closely comparable to Counterpart in scope and positioning.
• Grabarz & Partner: Grabarz & Partner is a Hamburg-based independent German creative agency known for integrated brand and digital campaigns, comparable to Counterpart in size, German-market focus, and full-service positioning.
• Jung von Matt: Jung von Matt is a leading Hamburg-headquartered German creative agency with full-service brand, digital, and content capabilities. It is a direct competitor to Counterpart for German mid-market and enterprise integrated communications mandates.
• Serviceplan Group: Serviceplan is Germany's largest independent, fully integrated agency group headquartered in Munich. Like Counterpart, it offers strategy, brand, digital, and content services under one roof, but at substantially larger scale across multiple DACH offices and global partner networks.
• Scholz & Friends: Scholz & Friends is a Hamburg-based German agency group offering integrated brand, digital, and content services, comparable in scope and DACH enterprise focus to Counterpart Group.
• Kolle Rebbe: Kolle Rebbe is a Hamburg-headquartered creative and brand agency serving German mid- and large-cap clients with integrated strategy and digital offerings, directly comparable in size, geography, and service mix to Counterpart.
• Antoni Berlin: Antoni is a Berlin-based German full-service creative agency offering integrated strategy, brand, and digital services — directly comparable in service breadth and German mid-to-large enterprise focus.

Broad incumbents

• DDB Germany: DDB Germany is part of the global DDB Worldwide network (Omnicom), offering integrated advertising and communications across Germany. Competes with Counterpart for enterprise integrated mandates but with broader network scale and international reach.
• Publicis Groupe Germany: Publicis operates multiple agency brands in Germany (Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett) as part of its global network. It overlaps with Counterpart in integrated brand and digital services but with significantly larger scale and media-buying capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/counterpart-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/counterpartgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/counterpart.group

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 Counterpart Group