What Masterplan Media does

Masterplan Media is an independent, owner-managed media agency headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, founded in 2012 (registered as masterplan media GmbH & Co. KG). The firm delivers full-service marketing and media services spanning strategic consulting, cross-media campaign planning, programmatic execution, and reporting for a client base that mixes large enterprises, public-sector bodies, and nonprofit organizations. Documented client engagements include the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) tariff-reform campaign, Hamburg Marketing's US academic-talent outreach, the Hannover–Bozen direct-flight launch for Flughafen Hannover, and consumer-brand work for Pagen/Gifflar and OXFORD.

The agency's operational backbone combines in-house strategic consulting with a 100%-owned data-advertising subsidiary, DataZulu GmbH (founded 2019), which handles programmatic campaign execution, digital performance measurement, and brand safety, including a renewed partnership with NewsGuard to place ads against credibility-rated news inventory in the DACH region. The firm executes across CTV/BigScreen, social platforms (Meta, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn), digital OOH, radio, Spotify, display, and search, with documented metrics such as 96% video-through rates on CTV and brand-awareness lifts from 91.9% to 96.3% on a €50,000 Radio Hamburg budget.

Revenue is generated on a custom-quote, multi-year professional-services basis with no publicly disclosed pricing. The go-to-market is direct enterprise and institutional field-sales, supplemented by an Einkaufsgemeinschaft (purchasing consortium) that secures preferential media rates, a hosted Business Break events series for thought leadership, and a joint-bid model with creative partner Kochstrasse. No funding rounds, M&A activity, or institutional investors are disclosed; the company is privately held, managed by Geschäftsführer Carsten Riemann-Kafsack, and verified customer satisfaction stands at 9.0/10 versus the German media-agency benchmark of 7.8.

Name

Masterplan Media

Legal name

masterplan media GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://masterplan-media.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Masterplan Media is an independent, owner-managed Hamburg-based media agency delivering strategic consulting, cross-media campaign planning, and programmatic execution to public-sector bodies, enterprises, and nonprofits across the DACH region and selected US engagements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Media Consulting and Campaign Services: Strategic consulting and campaign implementation services for clients. Individual consulting approach focusing on maximum impact in the complex media landscape. Services include campaign planning, optimization, reporting, and programmatic campaign execution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Masterplan Media is an independent, owner-managed media agency that provides strategic media consulting and end-to-end cross-media campaign services for enterprise, government, and nonprofit clients. Core services include media planning, programmatic campaign execution, brand-safety integration, and performance reporting, with data advertising capabilities delivered through its wholly-owned subsidiary Data Zulu GmbH.

Product overview

Masterplan Media is an independent, owner-managed media agency founded in Hamburg in 2012. The company operates as a service agency providing three core offerings: (1) Beratungspower - strategic consulting services, (2) Datenpower - data advertising through subsidiary Data Zulu GmbH (100% subsidiary founded 2019), and (3) Teampower - a team of 20+ media experts. Services include media planning, campaign execution, programmatic advertising, brand safety (via NewsGuard partnership), and comprehensive campaign reporting. The agency works with diverse clients including airports, city marketing organizations, public transportation authorities, consumer brands, and international organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Media Consulting (Beratungspower)
• Data Advertising / Programmatic Campaigns (via Data Zulu GmbH)
• Media Planning & Campaign Execution
• Brand-Safe Advertising (NewsGuard Integration)
• Campaign Implementation, Optimization & Reporting

Quantifiable outcome

• Customer satisfaction score of 9.0/10, significantly above German media agency average of 7.8
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KochstrassecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Joint bid won for Stiftung Zukunft der Altenpflegeausbildung media campaign in Niedersachsen. The partnership combines Kochstrasse's creative expertise with masterplan media's media strategy for a statewide campaign worth €1,000,000 net for one year of collaboration. Campaign focuses on 'Pflege mit Perspektive' (care with perspective) to attract nursing professionals.
• NewsGuardcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Partnership renewed to provide brand-safe advertising environments. NewsGuard provides credibility ratings for news sites in the DACH region, helping to place advertising in trustworthy and brand-safe environments and distinguish them from sites publishing misinformation. First partnership of its kind in the German-speaking market.
• more MarketingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for radio advertising in the Hamburg metropolitan region. More Marketing specializes in radio advertising while masterplan media provides targeted media strategy and implementation, extending on-air programs into the online world.
• DataZulu GmbHcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019100% subsidiary founded in 2019, responsible for data advertising including strategic consulting, programmatic campaign implementation, digital success measurement, and brand safety. Also manages partnership with NewsGuard.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GroupM Germany: WPP's media investment arm in Germany, operating Mediacom, Mindshare, Wavemaker, and Essence. Most direct broad competitor because it provides the same full-service media planning, buying, and programmatic execution that Masterplan offers, but at vastly larger scale with multinational client rosters.
• Dentsu Germany: Dentsu's German operations (Dentsu X, Carat, iProspect) provide full-service media planning, programmatic, and analytics. Directly comparable offering, particularly relevant in enterprise and government digital transformation engagements.
• Publicis Media Germany: Publicis Groupe's media arm in Germany (including Zenith, Starcom, Spark Foundry). Competes on integrated cross-media strategy, programmatic, and analytics for the same enterprise brands and government contracts Masterplan pursues.
• Havas Media Germany: Havas's media network in Germany. Competes with Masterplan for mid- to large-brand media mandates, providing integrated planning and programmatic buying through a global network.
• PHD Germany: Omnicom's strategic media agency network operating in Germany. Competes for the same enterprise and government RFPs and is a direct substitute for Masterplan's brand-and-strategy-led media planning services.
• MediaCom Germany: GroupM agency operating in Germany, providing media strategy, planning, and buying across all channels. Same full-service model as Masterplan but with global holding-company scale and data partnerships.
• Ströer: Germany's leading out-of-home and digital media operator, offering DOOH, programmatic, and integrated media services. Overlaps with Masterplan on OOH/DOOH and programmatic buying for German enterprise and public-sector clients.
• OMD Germany: Omnicom Media Group's flagship brand in Germany, providing media strategy, planning and cross-channel execution across digital and offline. Comparable on full-service media offerings, but with global holding-company infrastructure and proprietary ad-tech.

Direct peers

• Pilot Group: Hamburg-headquartered independent agency (originally Pilot, now Pilot Group), offering brand strategy, creative, media, and digital. Closest geographic and structural peer because both are owner-managed northern German independents competing for similar mid-market and institutional clients.
• Jung von Matt: Major German independent agency group with strong integrated creative + media capabilities, including media strategy and digital execution. Comparable as another independent German agency competing for brand-led mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Masterplan Media