In the ranking of owner-managed agencies, conducted by HORIZONT and W&V in cooperation with the German Association of Communications Agencies (GWA), the Hirschen Group has reclaimed 3rd place. With revenue growth of 6 percent, the agency group is achieving clear growth against the trend.
This is a result we are very happy about at the Hirschen Group. And, given the still challenging market environment, it is by no means a coincidence.
For Co-CEO Hans Langguth, this increase is the result of clear strategic decisions: “We are focusing strongly on our core growth areas – AI, social media, influencer marketing and content production. Our social-media-specialized unit Zum goldenen Hirschen Valley alone now employs more than 250 people. Our offering in the health sector has also developed very well. Here too, we benefit from the combination of subject-matter expertise, creative impact and artificial intelligence.”
“AI to the power of 2”
AI, he explains, is neither a buzzword nor just a tool, but both an operational standard and the group’s strategic operating system. There are no employees in the group who do not work with AI anymore. For us, “AI to the power of 2” means: creative impact x artificial intelligence equals creative excellence plus technological scalability. That is what makes the difference – our own tools, data-driven campaign management and AI-supported analysis ensure speed, efficiency and measurable impact.
Impact first
The strong performance is closely linked to our strategic approach. “Impact First” is not a slogan, but our daily working principle. This consistent focus on clients is deeply embedded in our DNA and may be our greatest success factor. That is why we are growing not only through newly won accounts, but also with existing clients, expanding and developing them further.
Our daily combination of creative impact and artificial intelligence into “AI to the power of 2” is the basis for speed and efficient solutions. Speed and delivery are becoming increasingly important – making things easier, safer and more effective for our clients. At the same time, we have no concentration risk: no single account accounts for more than five percent of our business. That provides stability and entrepreneurial freedom.
Across the group as a whole, we won more than 100 accounts last year. But we are not growing only through new business; we are also growing strongly through the expansion of existing clients. Our focus is very much on developing clients over the long term.
Where is the agency market headed?
The market environment remains challenging. The overall economic conditions are unlikely to improve fundamentally in the short term. At the same time, we still see significant potential – good communication is becoming more important, not less. This is especially true in social-driven and data-based solutions. We will continue to grow in these areas in 2026.
The key will be to continuously reinvent ourselves, integrate technological possibilities – especially AI – in a meaningful way, and stay close to clients’ needs. Agencies that remain creative, see innovation as an opportunity, and deliver real value have a strong outlook.
Read more in the following articles:
👉 W&V: https://www.wuv.de/Themen/Agentur/BIG-50-Wie-Agenturen-der-Krise-trotzen
