Welcome to our Hang-out Zone

To be full service or not to be? To mis-quote Shakespeare, in PR, that is the question. For us, the answer is clear. We can do a lot, but we can’t do everything. And we want to keep it that way. Working like this means we don’t lose focus. And it means you get the best provider for every job. Take photographers, for example. There are specialists in food photography, people pictures, industrial shoots and more in our network: We select the right one for your needs. Similarly, we don’t have in-house web programmers and we don’t produce feature films. But we are happy to take the lead. We’ll make sure that everything runs smoothly and end results are the best they possibly can be. We’ll see to it that your video brings your company to life and your brochure reflects the quality of your products and services. So that in the end, you can safely say: Yes, that’s us.

Well, this is a sensitive subject. Let’s put it this way: We know that some agencies try to wow you with a showcase of wonderful possibilities in a glamorous presentation. But that’s not our thing. We prefer to talk to you, honestly and in a relaxed atmosphere. Usually several times. We want to understand your goals. ~~Then we clarify what is possible and what is sensible. If you like what you hear, we develop a concept that ties in with available budgets and resources. Working like this means we get to know each other far better than any glossy pitch would allow. And it creates a ~~firm foundation for successful decision-making. We know this approach works better. So, for this reason, we don’t take part in competitive presentations.

Since the beginning of 2020, we have been going through a process of self-transformation. Our goal is this: For every member of the akp team to be more involved in decision making and more responsibility. We have achieved more flexible working hours, and more transparency. What we do every day is a better match for each person’s individual interests and talents. There are more discussions and more openness. Change happens, again and again: We try things out, we succeed. Occasionally, we back-pedal and make new decisions. There is more exchange and more learning, more daring to try new things. Sometimes there’s frustration. Questioning. Talking. Addressing critical issues openly. And realising that the ability and willingness to change constantly is indispensable.

We know there are many preconceived ideas about PR agencies. And we strive to refute them. But there’s one subject that comes up time and again in discussions about service providers: Honesty. At first, everyone says: Of course – that goes without saying! But if you take a closer look, it’s not that simple. What does frankness and honesty actually look like? For us, primarily, honesty means that the advice we give you is always in your best interests – even if that means we lose money. If you have an idea we think does nothing to help you achieve your goal, we say so. We won’t just tell you what you want to hear. And frankness? That means we are always be ready, full of interest and curiosity, to suggest and develop alternative solutions. This also means: If we have no experience in an area or if we are not sure whether an idea would work, it’s cards on the table!

Do you sometimes think: We should talk to each other more? At akp, we have noticed that we spend a lot – a lot – of time with each other and with our clients, but really, we know far too little about far too many people. This bugged us. That’s why we now start our meetings with a check-in question. When we first started doing this, we chose quite mundane topics. But our questions have become more and more exciting, and we have learned an incredible amount about each other. We have marveled and laughed. We have been inspired and given food for thought. Then we decided to share our experiences. So, we packed our Team Talk card set into a beautiful aluminium box and sent it as a gift to our clients and partners. Would you like try one? We still have a few in stock, so please let us know via our contact form.