What PIXELS does

PIXELS AG is a Swiss boutique digital agency headquartered in Lucerne, formed through the 2018 merger of Pascal Arnold's digital boutique Pixels Kingdom (founded 2015) with the 40-year-old traditional advertising agency originally established in 1978. The firm operates with a small team of approximately 11 named senior practitioners across strategy, design, code, content, and campaigns, deliberately capping active client engagements at 10-15 to preserve personal, end-to-end execution without account-manager handoffs.

The agency organizes its services around three pillars: Digital Positioning (market analysis, marketing strategy, web design/development on WordPress and headless Strapi, UX/UI design, UX research, branding, content/SEO, and CMO-as-a-Service), Performance Campaigning (Google Ads, paid social on Meta/LinkedIn/TikTok, programmatic display/video, organic social management, content creation, and print/trade shows), and Measure & Improve (continuous optimization, usability testing, performance reporting, and GA4/Looker Studio analytics). Technology stack centers on Google Analytics 4, Google Tag Manager, Meta and TikTok pixels, Microsoft Clarity, FluentForm, Brevo email, and Swiss-hosted infrastructure via cyon GmbH.

Revenue is generated through project-based fees, ongoing retainers, and CMO-as-a-Service engagements (Pascal Arnold embedded 1-2 days per week). The agency serves primarily mid-sized companies in German-speaking Switzerland across six verticals: Energy & Infrastructure (IWB 9+ years, CKW, Alpiq), Pharma & Healthcare (Galderma, Spirig/STADA, Menarini, Pulmex), Real Estate Marketing (Futura, Villa Beaulieu, Metropark, Swiss Life), Venture & Web3 (Inacta Ventures, WEB3FEST, Dfinity), Events & Live Communication (ICAP 2030, European Colorectal Congress), and Professional Services & SMEs (BOWI 5+ years, Creditreform, Bucher, Freitag). Acquisition is referral-only with no outbound or paid marketing, and PIXELS has taken co-ownership/equity positions in several client brands (Kidis, prixo, bio-based lifestyle products, PayGreen AG), tying agency economics to venture outcomes. The firm reports an 80% website-client retention rate and a 5x ROAS programmatic outcome for an energy provider.

Name

PIXELS

Legal name

PIXELS AG

Website

https://pixels.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PIXELS is a Swiss boutique digital agency in Lucerne offering strategy, web development, performance marketing, and CMO-as-a-Service to 10-15 mid-sized enterprise clients across energy, pharma, real estate, Web3, events, and professional services in German-speaking Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising Agencies (54181), Media Buying Agencies (54183), Media Buying Agencies (541830)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Activation/Experiential Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAO), Brand Activations & Experiential Campaign Design (MPAAAGAA)

Keywords

• Digital marketing services
• Web design development
• Performance marketing
• Brand strategy consulting
• SEO content marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Lucerne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Agency Services: Full-service digital agency offering strategy, web design/development, performance marketing, content, SEO, social media management, and analytics. Revenue is generated through project-based fees, retainer engagements, and ongoing marketing retainer relationships. The majority of website clients continue with ongoing marketing work (80%), indicating recurring revenue from existing accounts. CMO-as-a-Service is offered as a monthly retainer (typically 1-2 days per week).

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

PIXELS is a Swiss digital agency offering integrated marketing services across three pillars: Digital Positioning (market analysis, web design and development, UX/UI, branding, content/SEO, and CMO-as-a-Service), Performance Campaigning (Google Ads, social media, programmatic, content creation, print), and Measure & Improve (analytics, usability testing, optimization, reporting). The agency provides end-to-end services from strategic positioning through execution to ongoing optimization for mid-sized companies, corporates, and institutions.

Product overview

PIXELS is a digital agency offering integrated marketing services organized across three pillars: Digital Positioning (market analysis, web design, UX, branding, content/SEO, and CMO-as-a-Service), Performance Campaigning (Google Ads, social media, programmatic, content creation, print), and Measure & Improve (analytics, usability testing, optimization, reporting). The agency provides end-to-end services from strategic positioning through execution to ongoing optimization, working primarily with mid-sized companies in energy, real estate, pharma, events, and professional services sectors. Founded in 1978 with a 2018 merger combining traditional advertising with digital expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Market Analysis & Positioning Research and strategic services including competitor audits, target audience analysis, positioning frameworks, and channel recommendations to establish market differentiation for businesses.
• Marketing Strategy & Conception Annual and quarterly marketing roadmaps connecting business goals with concrete actions across channels, messaging, timing, and budget allocation for corporate clients.
• Web Design & Development Website creation on WordPress and headless CMS (Strapi) platforms, including responsive design, e-commerce capabilities, and multi-language setups built on strategic positioning foundations for businesses.
• UX/UI Design Interface design translating complex business logic into intuitive experiences for product finders, customer portals, booking systems, and dashboards used by enterprise clients.
• UX Research & Conception User research through interviews, testing, and analytics to understand actual user needs before building features, reducing development waste for clients.
• Branding & Campaign Concept Brand identity and campaign development from positioning to visual identity, messaging hierarchy, and campaign execution across all channels for businesses.
• Content Marketing & SEO Organic visibility strategy combining keyword research, content production, technical SEO, link building, and content distribution with GEO optimization for AI systems.
• CMO as a Service Senior marketing leadership on retainer (typically 1-2 days per week) handling strategy, team management, agency oversight, and board reporting without full-time hire cost for enterprise clients.
• Google Ads & Paid Search (SEA) Search advertising capturing high-intent demand through keyword research, landing page optimization, campaign management, and conversion tracking for clients.
• Social Media Advertising Paid social campaigns on Meta (Facebook/Instagram), LinkedIn, and TikTok covering full-funnel strategy from awareness to conversion and retargeting for business clients.
• Social Media Management Channel strategy and execution including editorial planning, content creation, community management, and monthly performance reporting for clients.
• Programmatic Advertising Display, video, and native campaigns across thousands of websites and apps via demand-side platforms for awareness and retargeting for enterprise clients.
• Content Creation Visual content production including photos, videos, animations, and graphic assets for web, social media, campaigns, trade shows, and print for business clients.
• Print, Direct Mail & Trade Shows Offline creative and production including brochures, direct mailings, trade show booths, and signage with cross-channel measurement integration for clients.
• Web Analytics & Tracking Analytics setup including GA4 configuration, Google Tag Manager implementation, conversion tracking, and custom Looker Studio dashboards for business clients.
• Usability Testing User testing services including moderated sessions, unmoderated remote tests, heuristic evaluations, and A/B tests with actionable improvement recommendations for clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of apartments rented before construction start (Futura real estate project)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers41 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Confused CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperational partnership for event and live communication projects. Confused Communications handles event operations while PIXELS handles communication strategy, design, content, and digital channels. The partnership enables clients to receive one integrated team covering both communication and event execution. Notable joint projects include ICAP 2030 and Tavolata St. Moritz.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Dept Agency: Global digital creative and engineering agency with strong European presence (Amsterdam HQ). Comparable as a multi-disciplinary digital agency serving enterprise clients across strategy, design, performance marketing, and content — but operating at vastly larger scale with hundreds of specialists across multiple geographies.
• Razorfish: Global digital experience agency within the Publicis group, focused on strategy, creative, and technology for enterprise clients. Comparable on the digital strategy/experience offering for regulated industries, though at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Wirz Group: One of Switzerland's largest independent communication groups, with strategy, creation, media, and digital capabilities. Comparable offering across digital marketing, content, and campaigns for Swiss enterprise clients, but at materially larger scale than PIXELS.
• Jung von Matt: Major German-Swiss creative agency group with offices across DACH. Comparable in offering full-service creative, digital, and campaign work for premium enterprise clients; differs in being much larger and brand-led rather than digital-boutique in structure.
• Accenture Song: Global experience and marketing arm of Accenture, competing for enterprise digital transformation mandates. Comparable on integrated strategy, content, and digital execution for regulated enterprise clients (pharma, energy, financial services), but operating at consultancy scale.
• Scholz & Friends: German creative agency group within the Serviceplan family. Comparable as a creative-and-digital agency serving enterprise clients with campaigns, content, and digital transformation — though larger and more brand-led than PIXELS.

Direct peers

• Koller Creative: Swiss boutique creative and digital agency based in Zurich. Closely comparable as a senior, multi-disciplinary Swiss agency serving mid-sized and enterprise clients with integrated strategy, branding, and digital execution — a direct size and positioning peer.
• Webrepublic: Swiss digital performance agency specializing in Google Ads, SEO, social, and analytics for mid-market and enterprise clients. Closely comparable in the performance-marketing pillar of PIXELS' service stack, though less integrated on creative/positioning.
• Notch Interactive: Zurich-based digital agency focused on strategy, UX, and digital product execution for Swiss enterprise and SME clients. Comparable as a mid-sized Swiss boutique with overlapping service pillars (positioning, UX, web development) and similar client size tier.
• Hutter & Gantenbein: Swiss creative and digital agency based in Bern. Comparable as a boutique agency combining strategy, branding, and digital execution for Swiss enterprise clients across regulated and consumer-facing industries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/pixels_ch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pixels-ch
• Facebookfacebook.com/pixels.schweiz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 PIXELS