What Hej does

Hej AG is a Z\u00fcrich-based creative agency founded in 2014, operating as a privately held Swiss Aktiengesellschaft under co-founders Janine Widler (Managing Director) and Helm Pfohl (Creative Director). The firm specializes in two integrated service areas: brand identity development (branding \u2014 corporate design, visual identity, web/UX, packaging, signage, illustration, editorial) and corporate reporting (annual reports, sustainability reports, and online reporting formats). Hej positions itself as one of Switzerland's most innovative and volume-leading corporate reporting agencies, with a portfolio exceeding 130 annual reports across its history. The client base spans large Swiss enterprises (Migros, Swiss Life, Z\u00fcrcher Kantonalbank, Siegfried, SWICA, ZVV, Swiss Football League), cooperatives and foundations (Julius Baer Foundation, Schweizer Milchproduzenten, Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund), cultural and government institutions (ETH-Rat, Schweiz Tourismus, Museum Appenzell, VMS/ICOM Switzerland), and a long tail of SMBs and startups (ACKR, Heimat, Montmartre et Franzos).

The agency's service delivery spans the full concept-to-production pipeline for print and digital communications \u2014 storytelling, content strategy, copywriting, illustration, photography, film/animation, microsite development, and screen-optimized PDFs. Hej is a certified partner agency of the ns.publish publishing system by mms solutions since 2018, one of only two agencies with this credential in German-speaking Switzerland, providing specialized expertise in digital and print publishing for institutional clients. Technical infrastructure is conventional: standard creative-agency production tooling, a MailChimp newsletter stack, Google Analytics for web analytics, LinkedIn and Instagram for distribution, and standard Google services (Maps, reCAPTCHA, YouTube). No proprietary software, AI/ML systems, or partner APIs are referenced.

The business model is B2B project-based professional services with no public pricing; engagements are quoted individually and span discrete projects (annual reports, brand refreshes) and multi-year client partnerships. Client acquisition is relationship-, reputation-, and referral-driven, supported by an industry-recognized portfolio, award performance (Swiss Business Report Rating top rankings, Swiss Award Corporate Communications), and academic engagement by the founders (Helm Pfohl teaches at SfGBB and ZHdK; Janine Widler sits on the Swiss Annual Report Rating design jury). The firm is independently owned by its founding partners with no external investors, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no public listing. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Workforce data shows an inconsistency between firmographics (47 employees) and the more granular team source (core team of approximately 7 full-time staff plus freelancers), suggesting the 47 figure represents the broader extended contributor network (photography, film, animation, coding, brand law, printing) rather than permanent staff.

Name

Hej

Legal name

Hej AG

Website

https://hej.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zürich-based creative agency Hej AG specializes in brand identity and corporate reporting (over 130 annual reports delivered) for Swiss enterprises, cooperatives, foundations, and cultural institutions, holding certified ns.publish partner status since 2018.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Design Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143), Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Graphic Design & Visual Content Production (BPAFAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Packaging & Brand Identity Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAN)

Keywords

• Corporate reporting design
• Brand identity design
• Annual report agency
• Creative design services
• Editorial design

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Hej generates revenue through professional services fees charged to enterprise and institutional clients for brand identity design, annual/corporate reporting, editorial design, web design, packaging, and communications strategy. Services are delivered project-by-project or through long-term client partnerships. No public pricing is disclosed.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hej AG is a Zürich-based creative agency delivering two core service lines: Branding (brand strategy, visual identity, corporate design, graphic design, packaging, signage, web design, UX design, and editorial design for customer magazines) and Reporting (concept, design, and production of annual reports, sustainability reports, and online reports). Services are sold project-by-project to Swiss enterprises, foundations, cooperatives, associations, and cultural institutions, with a certified partner-agency status on the ns.publish publishing system enabling both print and digital reporting output.

Product overview

Hej is a Zurich-based creative agency specializing in two core service areas: Branding and Corporate Reporting. The Branding division develops distinctive visual identities, brand appearances, corporate publications, magazines, graphic design, web design, UX design, packaging, and signage systems for businesses, SMEs, foundations, cooperatives, associations, and cultural institutions. The Reporting division creates annual reports, sustainability reports, and online reporting formats for companies, foundations, and public institutions, encompassing concept development, print and digital production, storytelling, and media mix spanning print, web, animation, and infographics. Hej is one of the most innovative, experienced, and high-volume annual report agencies in Switzerland, with over 130 annual reports produced. The agency operates as a certified partner agency on ns.publish publishing systems. Hej has received multiple international and national design awards for its annual report work, including the Swiss Award Corporate Communications and repeated 1st-place rankings in the Swiss Geschäftsberichte-Rating.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Branding / Corporate Design Development of distinctive visual identities and brand appearances for Swiss businesses, SMEs, foundations, cooperatives, associations, and cultural institutions. Services include brand strategy, creative concepts, storytelling, illustration, packaging design, signage systems, and stationery.
• Corporate Reporting (Annual & Sustainability Reports) Conceptualization, design, and production of annual reports, sustainability reports, and online reports for companies, foundations, cooperatives, and associations. Outputs span print, web, animation, infographics, video, and podcasts, combining strategic creation with design excellence.
• Customer Magazine Design & Production Ongoing editorial design, content production, and visual realization of recurring customer and corporate magazines for institutional clients such as Swiss Life (Choices and Update Business) and SWICA.
• Web Design & UX Design Website design and user-experience concepts that work across multiple media channels, including animation and infographics, supporting client digital presence alongside print and brand systems.
• Graphic Design (Print & Visual Communication) Graphic design services spanning posters, flyers, packaging, signage systems, and other visual communication materials with a focus on typographic excellence and information design.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 130 annual reports produced across the company's history.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers30 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

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• mms solutions (ns.publish)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Hej is a certified partner agency of the ns.publish publishing system by mms solutions, and one of only two agencies in German-speaking Switzerland with this certification. This partnership positions Hej as a specialist in digital and print annual reporting using the ns.publish platform.
• FilmgerbereiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilmgerberei is a Zurich-based film production company with which Hej has a close 'neighborly' relationship. Hej has worked with Filmgerberei on multiple projects including UBS Polybahn and the Kaffa Wildkaffee image film.
• Made in ZürichminorOthersHej is a member of the Made in Zürich initiative, a platform for exchange, visibility, and knowledge transfer for businesses producing in the city of Zürich.
• Gisler ProtokollminorOthersHej is a member of the Gisler Protokoll association, a Swiss design/communication industry network.
• Swiss Made (Verein Swiss Made)minorOthersHej is a member of the Swiss Made association, supporting Swiss manufacturing and production.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wirz Communications AG: Large Swiss advertising and communications agency with deep corporate communications and reporting capabilities. Competes with Hej on enterprise reporting and branding engagements in Switzerland.
• Publicis Communications Schweiz: Global advertising network with Swiss operations providing integrated brand, advertising, and corporate communications services. Competes for the same enterprise and institutional accounts as Hej, though at a much larger scale and broader scope.
• Jung von Matt: Large international creative agency with a Zürich office; offers full-service advertising, branding, and corporate communications including annual reporting. Represents the larger-scale competitive alternative for enterprise reporting accounts.

Direct peers

• Hotz Brands & Communication AG: Swiss branding and corporate communications agency with deep experience in annual reporting and corporate publishing. Direct competitor for many of Hej's enterprise reporting clients in Switzerland.
• Strichpunkt (Strichpunkt Design GmbH): Stuttgart-based brand and corporate design agency specializing in brand identity and corporate publishing for major DACH enterprises. Comparable in service mix (branding + reporting) and award-winning positioning to Hej.
• Scholz & Volkmer (part of Kobza Media): German-speaking branding and design agency specializing in corporate communications and reporting for major enterprises; competes for the same DACH annual-reporting RFPs as Hej.
• Meiré und Meiré: Cologne-based branding and corporate design agency known for premium corporate publishing and annual reporting. Comparable in service specialization and client type to Hej, though operating in the German rather than Swiss market.
• Atelier Outride: Swiss design and branding agency focused on corporate identity and editorial design for institutional clients. Highly comparable to Hej in service mix, scale (~20-30 people), and Zürich/DACH market footprint.
• NeidhartSchön AG: Zürich-based creative agency explicitly named as the only other ns.publish-certified agency in German-speaking Switzerland. Operates in the same branding and corporate reporting niche as Hej with comparable enterprise clients.

Emerging players

• Rose Pistola Studio: Zürich-based design studio working on branding and editorial projects for cultural and corporate clients; a smaller-scale emerging Swiss design peer that overlaps with Hej's cultural and SME client base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hej
• Instagraminstagram.com/hejzurich

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Hej