Bernet Relations AG

What Bernet Relations AG does

Bernet Relations AG is a privately held Swiss communications and public relations agency founded in 1991 and headquartered in Zürich, with a second office in Bern. The firm offers strategic communication consulting, media and influencer relations, social media services, change and crisis communication, and training workshops, with a particular recent emphasis on generative-AI literacy in communication. Its client roster spans large enterprises (Samsung Electronics Switzerland, Adnovum, TX Group, Liechtensteinische Landesbank, EKZ), government and public-sector bodies (Bundesamt für Gesundheit, BAFU, Kantonspolizei St. Gallen, Stadt Thun), educational institutions (ETH Zürich, ZHAW), and non-profits across the Swiss market.

The firm's go-to-market is relationship-driven B2B professional services: direct consulting engagements and tailored half-day workshops priced on a project basis, supplemented by a content marketing engine built on the Bernetblog (427+ pages, running since November 2005), the Konzeptrezept methodology booklet (16 CHF), free checklists, the Stop. Start. newsletter (six issues per year), and biennial Bernet ZHAW Social Media Switzerland studies. The agency is CMS IV certified by ICCO (since January 2017), is a member of Leading Swiss Agencies (LSA), and is the sole Swiss member of the ECCO International network spanning 32 agencies in 40+ countries — a relationship in which owner Dominik Allemann sits on the network's Board.

Operationally, Bernet Relations is an 8-person owner-managed boutique that pairs senior communications consultants with long-standing academic and network partnerships rather than proprietary technology. Its core operating assets are human expertise, published research, and brand credibility within the DACH-region communications community. Revenue, ownership structure, and detailed financial metrics are not publicly disclosed, and growth signals are limited to incremental service-line additions (notably the AI workshops) rather than headcount expansion, M&A, or external capital.

Name

Bernet Relations AG

Legal name

Bernet Relations AG

Website

https://bernet.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bernet Relations AG is a privately held Swiss communications and PR consultancy (8 staff, founded 1991) headquartered in Zürich with a second office in Bern, serving Swiss enterprises, government bodies, and educational institutions through strategic communication consulting, media relations, social media services, and AI-in-communication workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations and Communications Consulting

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (541820), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

akta.pro primary industry

PR, Corporate Communications & Crisis Management (BPAFAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate & Financial Communications (BPAFADAA), Reputation Management & Online PR (BPAFADAN), Public Affairs, Government Relations & Lobbying (BPAFADAB)

Keywords

• Strategic communication consulting
• Public relations services
• Media relations agency
• Corporate communications consulting
• Social media advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Zurich

HQ country

Switzerland

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. Strategic Communication Consulting: Project-based consulting engagements including communication strategy, crisis communication, media relations, and change communication. Services offered to enterprises and organizations across Switzerland.
2. Training and Workshops: Half-day AI workshops in communication, media training, concept training, and social media training for leaders. Individually tailored to client organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bernet Relations AG is a Swiss communications and public relations agency providing strategic communication consulting, media relations, social media services, change communication, and crisis communication to enterprises, SMEs, government bodies, and non-profits. The firm complements its consulting engagements with knowledge products including the Bernetblog, the Konzeptrezept concept handbook, checklists, and research studies conducted in partnership with ZHAW.

Product overview

Bernet Relations AG is a Swiss communication and public relations agency offering a portfolio of services centered on strategic communication consulting. The core offerings include communication strategy development, media relations, social media services, and AI workshops. The company complements its consulting services with knowledge products: the Bernetblog (a content platform with 427+ pages since 2005), the Konzeptrezept methodology guide, the Online-Check self-assessment tool, and various checklists covering topics from AI in communication to TikTok employer branding. Research-based offerings include the biennial Bernet ZHAW Social Media Switzerland study series and the Stop. Start. quarterly newsletter. The agency is CMS IV certified and part of the ECCO International network spanning 40+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kommunikationsstrategie (Communication Strategy Consulting) Strategic consulting services covering integrated communication for SMEs, internal communication, change communication, and strategic management. Delivered to organizations across Switzerland.
• Medienarbeit (Media and Influencer Relations) Media and influencer relations services, including media training and crisis communication consulting for organizational clients.
• Social Media Services Social media management including community management, content production, and social media training for leaders, delivered to client organizations.
• KI-Workshops (AI in Communication Workshops) Half-day workshop on the use of (generative) AI in communication, individually tailored to client companies. Targeted at communication leaders and organizational teams.
• Konzeptrezept (Concept Recipe Handbook)
• Bernet ZHAW Social Media Studie Schweiz
• Stop. Start. Newsletter

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ECCO International CommunicationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal PR network linking Bernet Relations to 32 agencies in more than 40 countries. Enables Bernet to offer global reach to internationally-oriented clients. Owner Dominik Allemann serves on the network's Board of Directors, indicating significant involvement.
• ZHAW (Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing academic partnership for research. Joint studies include annual Social Media Switzerland studies (since 2011), Journalist studies, and Intranet studies. Combines academic rigor with practical industry insights.
• IAM (Institut für Angewandte Medienwissenschaft) der ZHAWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for 'Journalisten im Web' (Journalists on the Web) studies conducted in 2002, 2005, 2009, and 2015. Qualitative research on how journalists use social media and web for their work.
• ESPAS FoundationminorOthersLong-standing relationship (20+ years) with foundation that provides phone answering services. ESPAS encourages economic and social integration of individuals not fully competitive due to health reasons.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WE Communications: Global PR and communications agency with deep technology and B2B practice. Relevant comparable because Bernet also serves tech clients (Adnovum, aspectra, Samsung Switzerland) and competes for B2B tech PR mandates.
• FleishmanHillard: Global public relations and integrated marketing agency. Comparable for Bernet's integrated communications, media relations, and corporate communications work for large Swiss and international clients.
• Edelman: Global public relations firm with established Swiss operations. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering integrated communications including corporate, crisis, and digital PR that competes for the same enterprise RFPs.
• Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW): Global communications agency with full-service PR, corporate communications, and crisis management capabilities. Overlaps with Bernet's integrated offering and competes for multinational clients' Swiss work.
• Brunswick Group: Global advisory firm focused on corporate, financial, and public affairs communications. Comparable for Bernet's work with financial clients (LLB, Bank Avera) and corporate communications engagements.

Regional players

• fischerAppelt: Leading German full-service communications agency with PR, corporate communications, and content offerings. Comparable in DACH regional positioning and integrated communications service mix.
• Hering Schuppener: German-based strategic communications and public relations consultancy with strong corporate and financial communications practice. Comparable DACH regional PR peer with similar enterprise client mix.
• Talke & Partner PR: German PR and communications agency focused on B2B technology and industrial clients. Comparable as a DACH mid-sized PR peer offering strategic communications and content services.

Direct peers

• Farner Consulting AG: One of Switzerland's largest communications and public relations agencies, also a member of Leading Swiss Agencies. Directly comparable in services (corporate communications, public affairs, content) and Swiss enterprise/government clientele.
• Hotz Brand Affairs AG: Swiss PR and communications consultancy with strong corporate and financial communications practice. Comparable mid-sized Swiss PR peer serving similar enterprise and financial-services clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/bernetblog/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/bernetrelations
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bernet-relations
• Instagraminstagram.com/bernetrelations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Bernet Relations AG