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Specialised Design Activities in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Clara-Camille Schneider Clara-Camille Schneider Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: August 2024 WZ M74.10DE

Revenue

€5.3bn

2024

€5.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€XXX.Xm

Employees

49,153

Businesses

27,225

Wages

€X.Xbn

Specialised Design Activities in Germany industry analysis

In total, industry turnover has fallen by an average of 2.4% per year since 2019. The design industry is highly dependent on the economic development of its clients and therefore other sectors. In 2022, the significant price increases for energy and food clouded the business and consumer climate, even though demand in the form of increased consumer spending on home furnishings remained at a high level and boosted sales opportunities. However, the economic slowdown weighed on many corporate customers and unsettled private households in 2023. Accordingly, a gloomy business climate and declining consumer spending on home maintenance had a negative impact on industry sales.In the current year, industry turnover is expected to grow by 0.9% compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 5.3 billion euros. Rising demand from advertising agencies and higher online consumer spending are likely to stabilise turnover from industry services. An improved business climate, as forecast for 2024, will also increase the willingness of companies to increase their spending on advertising and marketing measures. Current economic challenges, on the other hand, include high cost pressure and a reduced budget for new developments, which is curbing the current willingness of industry players to invest.Topics that will continue to play a major role in the design process in the coming years include new sustainability requirements, digitalisation and the use of artificial intelligence as well as (customer) acquisition via social media. IBISWorld expects industry turnover to grow by an average of 2.3% per year to €5.9 billion between 2024 and 2029. This growth will be driven by the increasing level of digitalisation. With the current rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), the design industry and the job profile as well as the training and further education programmes for designers are likely to change. Against the backdrop of new growth potential in the wake of AI-based and other digital tools, the number of companies and employees is likely to increase in the coming years.

Trends and Insights

  • The increasing demand from companies for design services is due to the intensification of cut-throat competition in numerous industries. In order to remain competitive, many companies are investing in customer communication and increasing their advertising and marketing expenditure, which benefits graphic and communication designers.
  • Designers often specialise in certain industries and are therefore dependent on the development of these industries. Graphic and communication designs are particularly in demand by companies in times of economic prosperity, but in an economic downturn, such services are perceived as superfluous expenditure.
  • Many corporate clients are based in the central region and rely on design services. The central region is an attractive location for designers due to both the high average income and the metropolitan area of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.
  • The low barriers to market entry are the main factor contributing to the intensification of competition within the industry. For example, the professional title of designer is not a protected professional title and digitalisation is making it easier for amateur designers to provide industry services, as the variety of free design programs available online is increasing.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.4 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €5.3bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

The increasing demand from companies for design services is due to a variety of different factors

  • Technological innovations and numerous companies entering the market are intensifying cut-throat competition in many sectors. In order to remain competitive, many companies are investing in customer communication and increasing their advertising and marketing expenditure, which benefits graphic and communication designers.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Specialised Design Activities in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Sustainable designs can reduce resource consumption, but require an all-encompassing understanding of the system

  • The material production and manufacturing processes of industrial products have a high ecological impact, which industrial product designers can reduce through sustainable designs.

Biggest companies in the Specialised Design Activities in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
WPP Deutschland Holding GmbH & Co. KG
131.8
Nina Kastens
52.7
Lunalicht
47.5

To view the market share and analysis for all 7 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Specialised Design Activities in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Graphic and communication design, Interior architecture and interior design and Industrial, product and fashion design. Graphic and communication design is the largest segment of the Specialised Design Activities in Germany.

Trends and Insights

Graphic and communication designers are very dependent on the economic development of their clients

  • Graphic design aims to visually convey activities, language, thoughts and larger mental contexts. Fields of activity include, for example, typography, illustration, desktop publishing, advertising design, branding and corporate design.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The industry is dedicated to the design of products and the creation of messages, information content and spaces. The sector does not include the activities of photographers, advertising agencies, engineering and architecture firms or the programming of websites.

What's included in this industry?

Industrial, product and fashion designGraphic and communication designInterior design and interior design

Companies

WPP Deutschland Holding GmbH & Co. KGNina KastensLunalicht

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Related Terms

INTERIOR DESIGNCORPORATE DESIGNDESKTOP PUBLISHING PROGRAMMES (DTP PROGRAMMES)FREELANCERBRANDINGGRAPHIC SHEET3-D PRINTINGUSER EXPERIENCEVIRTUALISATION

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 74.10 - Specialised Design Activities in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The increasing demand from companies for design services is due to the intensification of cut-throat competition in numerous industries. In order to remain competitive, many ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Designers often specialise in certain industries and are therefore dependent on the development of these industries. Graphic and communication designs are particularly in dem...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Many corporate clients are based in the central region and rely on design services. The central region is an attractive location for designers due to both the high average in...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The low barriers to market entry are the main factor contributing to the intensification of competition within the industry. For example, the professional title of designer i...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

The highly fragmented nature of the design industry means that there is little market concentration and therefore no major players. Overall, the four largest design studios a...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of WPP Deutschland Holding GmbH & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Nina Kastens's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Lunalicht's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 4 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for WPP Deutschland Holding GmbH & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Nina Kastens, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Lunalicht, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 4 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The design industry is directly influenced by the development of the advertising industry. Designers are commissioned by advertising agencies to create graphics, for example,...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Despite the increasing digitalisation of the industry, the cost of materials in the sector is quite high compared to many other service industries. Materials such as high-qua...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Specialised Design Activities industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the Specialised Design Activities industry in Germany is €5.3bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Specialised Design Activities in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 27,225 businesses in the Specialised Design Activities industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Specialised Design Activities industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Specialised Design Activities industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 2.4 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Specialised Design Activities industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Specialised Design Activities industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Specialised Design Activities market in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Specialised Design Activities market in Germany are WPP Deutschland Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Nina Kastens and Lunalicht

What does the Specialised Design Activities in Germany include?

Industrial, product and fashion design and Graphic and communication design are part of the Specialised Design Activities industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Specialised Design Activities in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in Germany is WPP Deutschland Holding GmbH & Co. KG.

How competitive is the Specialised Design Activities industry in Germany?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Specialised Design Activities industry in Germany.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Consultant Engineering Services in Germany
  • Advertising Agencies in Germany

Complementors

  • Architectural Activities in Germany
  • Advertising Agencies in Germany
  • Photographic Activities in Germany

International industries

  • Global Graphic Designers
  • Interior Designers in the US
  • Graphic Designers in the US
  • Fashion Designers in the US
  • Interior Designers in Canada

View all industries in Germany

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.