Digital Marketing Masterclasses: Deep Dives at DMEXCO 2026
From agentic advertising to AI commerce to GEO, the digital marketing masterclasses at DMEXCO 2026 will explore topics shaping the digital economy in depth, offering takeaways from real practice that you can apply to your own work right away.
Fewer buzzwords, more practical insights: Digital marketing masterclasses at DMEXCO
How is AI actually changing retail media? What are the keys to effective marketing measurement today? And what strategies can be used to improve visibility in ChatGPT and similar AI tools? DMEXCO’s big stages host discussions on the developments shaping the digital economy. The masterclasses tackle the next question: How do we put the ideas into practice?
For many years, the practice-oriented workshops and deep dives have been among DMEXCO’s most popular formats. Experts and experienced marketers provide insights into real-life examples, share lessons they’ve learned from their projects, and explain what actually works in practice and which approaches you can apply to your own marketing strategy.
There’s a wide selection to choose from, with a particularly large number of digital marketing masterclasses at DMEXCO 2026 offered by the German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW) and Google. The conference agenda even has a section dedicated to commerce masterclasses. We’ve picked out a few highlights for you.
BVDW Masterclasses: 30 minutes, one topic, packed with knowledge
The BVDW Masterclasses bring together experts from various member companies on both days of DMEXCO 2026.
To kick things off on Wednesday, September 23, the focus will be on the major changes shaking up the digital advertising market. The masterclass titled “From Agentic to Impact: Trends and Growth Drivers in the Digital Advertising Market” will combine the latest market data from the second report by the German Circle of Online Marketers (OVK), with topics ranging from AI and agentic advertising to first-party data and ID solutions. If you want to know where display, video, and programmatic advertising are headed, this session is sure to offer a concise overview.
Later on Wednesday morning, attention will shift to the use of artificial intelligence in retail media: “More Than Just a Pipe Dream: Real AI Use Cases in Retail Media” will explore where AI is already making a difference today. Corinna Hohenleitner from Criteo and Jan Schmitz from Zalando Partner Marketing Services will discuss more efficient processes, improved targeting, and new advertising environments in conversational interfaces.
“The Future of Commerce: Who Will Decide What to Buy Tomorrow?” will examine the extent to which the purchasing decision itself is likely to be transformed by AI. The BVDW’s Social & Discovery Commerce Lab and AI Commerce Lab will share their perspectives on stage together for the first time. From purchase stimuli in social media feeds to autonomous AI agents that perform searches, provide advice, and carry out transactions, this masterclass will explore current shifts in the customer interface.
The sessions on Thursday, September 24, will keep the focus on practical applications. Topics will include AI and consumer agents in email marketing and the role of curation as a new means of boosting programmatic advertising campaigns.
Please note: No registration is required for the BVDW Masterclasses. However, places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Google Masterclasses: YouTube, data, and measurement put to the test
How can new technologies and data be used to create better campaigns? The Google Masterclasses offer answers based on case studies from well-known brands.
“Stream Big with YouTube: How to Command Undivided Attention in the Living Room” will illustrate how this can play out on screen. In collaboration with Bayer, Google will look at the living room as an advertising environment and highlight how brands are integrating YouTube viewed on TV screens into their streaming strategies.
“The Fuel for Performance: How Puma Powers Growth with Google AI and Data Strength” will switch the focus to the data underpinning AI-driven campaigns. Using a real-life example from Puma, Google and TRKKN will demonstrate how first-party data, Google tag gateway, and enhanced conversion tracking can be used in combination, and how a strong data foundation supports the performance of AI-powered campaigns.
On Thursday, September 24, “The Measurement Journey: A Path to Future-Proof Marketing” will tackle a question that many marketing teams are grappling with: How can companies measure impact as more and more signals become unavailable? A case study from the fashion retail sector will illustrate how marketing mix modeling can be incorporated into marketing decision-making and what organizational changes are necessary for this to succeed.
Commerce masterclasses: From GEO to tracking
What’s really working in digital commerce right now and what’s coming next are the main areas of focus for the commerce masterclasses. With generative engine optimization on the agenda, one topic stands out that few digital teams can afford to ignore: AI search visibility.
The masterclass titled “GEO Content Strategy: How to Own AI Search Visibility for Your Prompt Set. With Live Examples.” will explore the strategic steps brands can take to strengthen their presence in ChatGPT, Google AI, and other AI search environments. Rather than simply measuring visibility in AI search results, the focus here will be on content – specifically, what types of content actually improve visibility? Using concrete examples, the speakers will demonstrate how they leverage community-generated content in AI search.
“More Data, More ROAS: GDPR-Compliant Tracking as a Growth Driver” will address the need for better data management to support performance marketing campaigns. This masterclass will address certain problems that are familiar to many teams working in this space: missing consent, data gaps, and lost conversion signals. It will focus on what companies can do to build a robust data foundation for their campaigns, despite these challenges.
Managing 24 brands simultaneously, delivering consistent content across websites and apps, and doing it all efficiently is certainly a challenge. The masterclass titled “Brands Rarely Stand Alone – How Koelnmesse Orchestrates Digital Touchpoints” will take a look behind the scenes at Koelnmesse and show how a unified digital foundation can simplify processes and accelerate brand growth.
Digital marketing masterclasses at DMEXCO 2026: Your shortcut from strategy to implementation
These BVDW, Google, and commerce masterclasses are just a selection of the sessions on offer. Check out the DMEXCO 2026 program for a wealth of further masterclasses led by exhibitors on a wide variety of topics relating to the digital economy. As well as giving you a sense of the issues shaping the industry, they’re also a chance for you to see how other companies are translating current challenges into strategies, processes, and solutions.
So, here’s our tip: Don’t just plan to move from stage to stage at DMEXCO. Leave a few slots free for some deep dives, and check out the digital marketing masterclasses in the program before you arrive. Still don’t have a ticket? Then it’s high time you visited our Ticket Shop!
