Faces and Markets of PRGN is a series of blog posts in 2024 that puts PRGN member agencies and their markets in the spotlight.
Each week, expect to read about a market from an economic, business and communications point of view, brought to you by the very people living and working on the ground in that country, state or region.
The blog pieces illustrate the vast amount of in-depth knowledge of business, media, communications and marketing PRGN brings together having presence in more than 40 countries and 70 cities on six continents through its member agencies globally.
In this week’s blog post, Jonathan Klimke, Managing Partner of Industrie-Contact, describes the business and communications environment in Hamburg and Germany and offers advice to businesses navigating his home market.
Business environment in Germany
With the highest gross domestic product, Germany is the largest economy in Europe and one of the largest in the world. The economy is diverse, with the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, chemicals and services being the strongest sectors. The country is valued for its high-quality and innovative products and its strong export orientation.
As a member of the European Union, Germany is heavily involved in international affairs. The government is a stable democracy with a strong rule of law. Germany’s policies support entrepreneurial activities and investments, but are geared towards environmental standards and the protection of workers’ rights.
Hamburg, Germany | Wolfgang Weiser from Pixabay
Germany has a strong social market economy, which ensures a high level of social security. The working population is well educated, which is based on a high-quality education system. Employees enjoy good working conditions and co-determination rights thanks to work councils and trade unions.
Germany is a leading force in the field of innovation and technology. The country invests in research and development and has a well-developed scientific and technological infrastructure.
The German legal system is stable, transparent and efficient and has established a clear framework for companies and investors, which ensures a high degree of legal certainty. Employee rights are protected by labor law provisions and environmental and consumer protection laws ensure strict standards.
Communications, media and PR market in Germany
Germany’s media landscape is diverse and dynamic. It boasts various print media, television stations, radio stations and digital platforms, with both public and private broadcasters offering their content on a wide variety of platforms. Legislation ensures not only the independence of media, but also the protection of consumers and readers.
The PR industry is well established in the German market and includes a large number of agencies offering a wide range of services.
Looking at the German media landscape, Hamburg, the city where Industrie-Contact is based, in particular stands out as the “media capital” – the city is a major agency hub where most creative agencies are based.
Style-defining political magazines such as Der Spiegel have become just as big as tabloid newspapers (BILD), magazines such as Der Stern and the most important German television news shows: Tagesschau and Tagesthemen.
Furthermore, many of the major German publishing houses are based here: Axel Springer, Funke, Bauer, Gruner + Jahr / RTL, Klambt, Jahreszeiten.
Leading Internet giants Google, Facebook, Adobe, Hootsuite and Yelp have chosen Hamburg for their headquarters in Germany.
Top 3 advice for foreign companies to navigate the communications environment in Germany
Germany has the most trade media in the world (print and online). There is a specialized media for almost every field that you should use for your communication.
Unlike France or the UK, Germany does not have a central media capital for historical reasons. You need to be aware of this if you are planning a press event in Germany. Sometimes it may be advisable to consider several metropolitan areas (e.g. Hamburg, Berlin, Munich).
To be successful in PR in Germany, it is essential to follow the editorial ways of working. It is important to avoid content that is overly promotional or written in the superlative. Editors prefer fact-based and objective content, which does not mean it has to be boring.
Most influential media for consumer communications in Germany
BILD (print & online)
Focus (print & online)
Stern (print & online
RTL (TV & online)
Most influential media for corporate communications in Germany
Der Spiegel (print & online)
Tagesschau (TV & online)
Die Welt (print, online & TV )
FAZ (print & online)
Most popular social media channels in Germany
YouTube: 70.9 million users
Facebook: 32 million users
Instagram: 30.4 million users
TikTok: 20.9 million users
X: 16.2 million users
LinkedIn: 14 million users
Most important international events in Germany in 2024
EURO 2024: This year’s European soccer championships were held in Germany – including the stadium in Hamburg among the venues.
Elections: The European Elections took place on June 9. During the Fall the state parliaments in the eastern German states of Saxony, Brandenburg and Thuringia are being elected.
Oktoberfest Munich: The most famous folk festival in the world with international significance. Every year it attracts millions of tourists and is therefore also of great economic importance for the region. The Oktoberfest receives worldwide media attention and coverage.
Germany by the Numbers
Population
84.7 million
Languages spoken
German
Religions (% of population)
Christian (50%) – of that Catholic (44.6%), Protestant (34.7%), Orthodox (3.7%), non-denominational (36%), other (14%)
GDP per capita
$50,795 (2021)
(Real) GDP growth rate
1.8% (2022)
Inflation rate
5.9% (2023)
Unemployment rate
6.1% (Feb. 2024)
Key sectors and industries (% of GDP)
Agriculture (0.7%), industry (30.7%), services (68.6%) – (2022)
Jonathan Klimke is Managing Partner of Industrie-Contact since 2020. After his traineeship, Jonathan studied economics and Public Relations.
He started working as a PR Consultant at Industrie-Contact in 2009. His core competences are Public Relations, Online PR, Content Marketing and Social Media for national and international clients and projects.
