We're betting on sport and games

We are expanding our integrated service portfolio: Effective immediately, we have acquired a majority stake in sports marketing agency Apollo18 and its associated gaming and eSports agency Apollo GG. The existing management team will continue to run and own the agencies in the long term.

"This summer, more than ever, we've all seen the power of sport and how it can move people and brands. From this, we can see the great potential in the sports sector. Apollo18 and Apollo GG bring a wealth of sports marketing expertise that will significantly enhance the group's offering. We are very much looking forward to working together on ground-breaking projects." Eugenia Lagemann, Managing Director at fischerAppelt.

As a sports marketing agency, Apollo18 develops content, communications and digital campaigns and creates experiences to facilitate connections between people and brands through sport. Founded under the name Schillinger & Pankratz in 2010, the agency has since expanded its services to include social media storytelling, strategy consulting, PR and sponsorship activation. Since its inception in 2010, the agency has provided sports-related services to a number of international brands in sectors including automotive, financial services and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), as well as sports federations and clubs. In 2022, the agency expanded its portfolio with Apollo GG to include the further specialist disciplines of gaming and e-sports. Apollo GG works with a wide range of clients, including brands, publishers, rights holders and the e-sports departments at sports clubs. The agencies are based in Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Berlin and currently employ around 40 people.

"We believe that sport can do more than just generate awareness and brand image. Everyone at Apollo has a personal passion for sports and games. With a keen sense of fandom and cultural codes, we bring the power of sports and gaming to brands. And we bring brands authentically into their communities. "We're really looking forward to rethinking marketing and communications with our many new and inspiring colleagues." Michael Schillinger, Founder and CEO of Apollo18 and Apollo GG.

We are taking a majority stake in both agencies, which will continue to operate under the Apollo18 and Apollo brands. Michael Schillinger, Malte Hedderich, Marvin Ronsdorf and Dennis Thaut will remain at the helm of the agencies and will continue to shape their long-term development as a management team and shareholders.

fischerAppelt already can already demonstrate extensive expertise in the sports sector. FischerAppelt, live marketing, for example, was the lead agency on the EURO 2024 Fan Zone  Berlin project where they worked closely with their client, Kulturprojekte Berlin GmbH (KPB), on everything from the planning and organisation to implementation, operation and execution.