pilot
Independent German media agency with programmatic and performance capabilities.
Available information varies by company and source.
Profile record updated:
Company facts
- Official name
- pilot Hamburg GmbH & Co. KG
- Entity type
- COMPANY
- Founded
- 1999
- Headquarters
- Germany
- Company size
- 501–1,000
- Market role
- Agency & Consultancy
- Official website
- pilot.de
What pilot does
pilot operates a service-led agency model. It wins advertiser budgets by providing strategy, planning, buying, execution, analytics and creative services across paid media and brand communications. Proprietary technology, especially its programmatic suite, supports delivery and differentiation, but the core value creation model remains managed services rather than standalone software licensing.
Category differentiation
This is the German agency brand pilot, not a software-only DSP vendor and not an aviation or vehicle pilot-related business. It competes with media agency groups rather than operating as a consumer platform.
Strategic context
AI-supported assessment from the existing company research; distinguish interpretation from sourced facts.
pilot is a German independent media and communications agency that provides managed services across media planning, programmatic buying, performance marketing, retail media, analytics, social media, creative and brand experience activation. Its offering combines advisory, planning and execution services with a proprietary programmatic control layer used to run and monitor campaigns across digital channels. The company generates revenue primarily from agency fees, retainers, project work and media-related commercial margins linked to planning and buying activity. Its customers are business clients rather than consumers, including brands, advertisers, retailers and in-house marketing teams seeking outsourced media strategy, campaign execution, measurement and creative support.
Company news briefing
Briefing updated:
Independent agency group Pilot maintains strong commercial momentum following the departure of Technology and Operations Managing Director Bosse Küllenberg. Building on major client acquisitions such as the €150 million EnBW media account, the agency recently secured the media account for clever fit Nürnberg and achieved an 80% client retention rate, securing second place in COMvergence's H1 2026 German New Business Barometer.
Business model & monetisation
Monetisation is primarily based on service retainers, project fees and campaign management contracts. Additional revenue comes from media buying margins or commissions, particularly in programmatic and retail media. Its proprietary programmatic tooling is embedded within agency engagements rather than monetised as a separate pure-play SaaS product, enabling pricing tied to campaign scope, media spend and complexity.
- Agency retainers and strategic planning fees
- Service Fee
- Project-based campaign execution and creative work
- Service Fee
- Programmatic and media buying margins or commissions
- Media Arbitrage
- Retail media operations
- Service Fee
- Analytics and research engagements
- Service Fee
Products & capabilities
No products with linked sources are available in this view.
Products & market categories
Media Channel
Service
Ad Format
Featured market maps
- Media Agencies Landscape (Germany)
A structural overview of Media Agencies operating in Germany, grouped by their global Holding Groups and independent status.
- Digital Out of Home Map Germany
This overview provides a concise snapshot of the German DOOH landscape and selected market participants. It is intended for orientation only and does not claim to be exhaustive. The selection is based on current market observations and publicly available information. As the German DOOH market continues to evolve rapidly, numerous additional players and specialized providers are active across the ecosystem. Further information on additional providers and market participants is available upon request or can be added upon verification.
Recent recorded signals
Dates refer to the source publication. Older entries are historical context, not evidence of a new event.
pilot bei der DMEXCO 2026
Recorded impact score: 2/5
pilot announces participation in DMEXCO 2026, a major digital marketing expo, indicating strategic industry engagement.
Omnicom Media Leads Germany New Business Ranking in H1 2026
Agency New Business · Recorded impact score: 3/5
COMvergence's New Business Barometer for Germany recorded 77 pitches with a net volume of USD 844 million in the first half of 2026. Omnicom Media led the agency group ranking with a net gain of USD 188 million, including USD 148 million from eleven new clients and retained accounts for Dyson and IBM. The Pilot Group, an independent agency, achieved the highest retention rate of 80% with a net volume of USD 126 million, securing second place. Mediaplus of the Serviceplan Group followed in third with nine client wins and a net volume of USD 37 million. The three largest pitches were for Jaguar Land Rover, Deutsche Postcode Lotterie, and Dyson, totaling USD 230 million. Following the acquisition of IPG Mediabrands, Omnicom consolidated its new business figures from Q1 2026.
- COMvergence recorded 77 pitches with a net volume of USD 844 million in Germany for H1 2026.
- Omnicom Media led the ranking with a net gain of USD 188 million.
clever fit vergibt Media-Etat an pilot Nürnberg
Recorded impact score: 3.5/5
pilot Nürnberg hat den Media-Etat von clever fit gewonnen.
Pilot and Managing Director Bosse Küllenberg Part Ways
Platform · Recorded impact score: 2/5
Bosse Küllenberg, Managing Director for Technology & Operations at the owner-led media agency pilot, has left the company. He had held the role since early 2024, overseeing the testing and introduction of new technologies, including automation and AI-based systems, as well as the IT and Workflow & Data Management teams. Küllenberg announced on LinkedIn that he is now Interim-CTO at Paidai, a Hamburg startup focused on integrating AI into working life. Paidai is developing a 'Working Life Operating System' and receives support from Germany's Federal Ministry of Education. Pilot declined to comment on the reason for the departure or how Küllenberg's responsibilities will be redistributed. The agency holds a stake in Stratum, a new media agency founded by former WPP media managers.
- Bosse Küllenberg left his role as Managing Director for Technology & Operations at pilot in July 2026.
- He has become Interim-CTO at Paidai, a Hamburg startup for integrating AI into working life.
pilot radar: Jenseits des Bildschirms
Recorded impact score: 1/5
Careers & open positions
Open positions indexed from verified career portals and applicant tracking systems.
| Position | Department | Location | Posted |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Senior) Mediaplaner*in Crossmedial(Senior) | Media Planning | Hamburg / Berlin / Stuttgart / Mainz / München / Nürnberg | |
| Werkstudent*in Mediaplanung(Intern) | Media Planning | Stuttgart | |
| Mediaplaner*in Digital(Mid-Level) | Media Planning | Hamburg / Berlin / Stuttgart / Mainz / München / Nürnberg | |
| Senior Mediaplaner*in Digital(Senior) | Media Planning | Hamburg / Berlin / Stuttgart / Mainz / München / Nürnberg | |
| Werkstudent*in Marketing & Media Insights(Intern) | Marketing & Media Insights | Hamburg |
Explore company relationships
Questions about pilot
What is pilot?
pilot is a German independent media and communications agency offering media planning, programmatic buying, performance marketing, retail media, analytics, social and creative services.
Who uses pilot?
pilot serves business customers such as brands, advertisers, retailers and in-house marketing teams that need outsourced media strategy, buying and campaign execution.
How does pilot make money?
pilot earns revenue mainly from retainers, project fees and managed-service contracts, with additional income from media buying margins and commissions.
Sources & coverage
This profile uses public, official and technically observable information. Missing information does not prove that a product or relationship does not exist. The list below does not imply that every profile statement has been verified.
12 publicly documented primary sources and citations linked across the market graph.
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