Faking a toilet shortage? Verena’s DMEXCO highlights
Verena Gründel has written her annual DMEXCO commentary before the event this time – as no-holds-barred as ever and promising real glimpses behind the scenes.
DMEXCO criticism? Don’t hold back!
As an event organizer, you can never get it right. If long lines form for the restrooms, it will cause a fiasco. And if the opposite is the case, people will say there weren’t enough attendees. So what do you do? Fake a toilet shortage? Or do you put your customer service hat on and open up staff restrooms for visitors to use when the going gets tough? We’ve chosen neither option – and will cope with the post-DMEXCO criticism.
After all, our team is well versed in dealing with criticism. For many of us, the most enjoyable part of an event is reading people’s complaints while nursing a hangover the next morning. Those who were there can reminisce about a couple of crazy days. Those who weren’t there get to find out why there was no need to have FOMO. I’m also guilty of having ironically slammed events on many an occasion – and getting countless likes in the process. It’s addictive. But now that I help organize DMEXCO, I’m weaning myself off. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything bizarre to report on.
No DMEXCO ticket for Elon
There’s Elon Musk, for example. First things first, he won’t be making an appearance, so you can breathe a sigh of relief. Brand safety is our top priority. Nonetheless, his name came up quite a lot among our team earlier this year. The comments started out along the lines of “Don’t we want to try and get him, it would be pretty cool.” They soon turned into “Are you sure?” And we’re now glad that nobody ended up doing anything about it.
Personally, I’m amazed by Elon and what he’s achieved. He’s shown just how quickly you can ruin a personal brand! And a car brand and media brand to boot. But that’s not exactly a best case for the DMEXCO stage. Because, ultimately, our event delivers only the best quality.
My tip: So you don’t go down the same route as Elon, make sure you don’t miss the Corporate Influencer Summit curated by Céline Flores Willers and The People Branding Company (will be held in German).
DMEXCO speakers know ChatGPT’s algorithms inside out
Our new CMO Summit has caused quite a stir. Mainly a positive one. But not entirely. I’m not joking when I say that a partner told my colleagues that “CMOs are scared of DMEXCO”. We’ve been asking ourselves why. Because they have to know ChatGPT’s algorithms inside out to be a DMEXCO speaker? Because they need to have an alternative plan for replacing cookies in order to be allowed in? Or because a junior marketing manager could crash into their bumper car? I really don’t know. But I’m so relieved that our conference team managed to find plenty of CMOs brave enough to speak at our event.
My tip: Mark the CMO Summit on your calendar and be inspired by our fearless CMOs.
DMEXCO green code: sustainability in the spotlight
If you read my DMEXCO rant in W&V trade magazine last year, you may remember that I didn’t think there was enough focus on sustainability. But the team has pulled out all the stops in recent months: our Koelnmesse colleagues have installed 4,800 solar panels on the roofs of the exhibition halls and have ordered a heat pump weighing 52 metric tons. And at DMEXCO, we’ve developed a green code for attendees and have even made sustainability and responsibility part of the program at the CMO Summit, where I’ll be hosting a panel on the key topic with NIVEA’s CMOs.
My tip: Travel to Cologne by train with the Deutsche Bahn’s discounted “event ticket”. Ideally on the day before because the DB’s timetables have just been guesstimates lately. If you want to find out what’s behind this guesswork, you can ask Ralf Gernhold, head of the successful DB Navigator project, in his German-language session on day 1.
Bonnie and Clyde at DMEXCO
Did you know that the DMEXCO brand belongs to the German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW)? The BVDW acts as the ideational and professional partner, while Koelnmesse is the organizer. If you’re struggling to get your head around that, this may help: the BVDW and DMEXCO go together just like posts and shares, influencers and product placement, and media and creation (should).
So it’s a no-brainer that the BVDW will be hosting its very own Creativity Summit dedicated to one of its key strengths: digital creative excellence. And it doesn’t stop there: it will also be building an Immersive Experience Area to reflect another of its core competencies: immersivity. And, as soon as DMEXCO opens its doors in the morning until the evening celebrations, the BVDW will be at its booth demonstrating its third core competency: networking. The best way to commit the partnership to memory is: the BVDW and DMEXCO go together like aperitifs and prosecco.
My tip: Check out the Immersive Experience Area on day 1, sip a prosecco at the BVDW’s booth party in the evening, and let yourself be inspired at the Creativity Summit on day 2.
The conventional-meets-woke approach
In 2022, I wrote that DMEXCO was conventional and that I would stand by that. Just to clarify: it wasn’t a criticism. After all, conventional is the new woke. This year, we’re professionalizing the conventional-meets-woke approach and showcasing the creative and agency scene in more formats than ever before: the Creativity Summit, the Next Agency Summit, the “What’s next, Agencies?” live podcast, Social Talk on Stage, the Next Gen Boat Party, and a VideoDays Festival offshoot. Not woke enough for you? Then I’ve got another ace up my sleeve:
My tip: Listen to real nerds, like the CFO of FC Bayern Dr. Michael Diederich talking about his payment strategy.
As you can see, our conference team has done an amazing job. They’ve organized 850 speakers, who together will fill a program of 220 hours across the DMEXCO stages. Guess how many colleagues have worked tirelessly over the past few months to make it all possible: was it (a) six, (b) nine, or (c) twelve team members?
Wrong. It was four! Yes, you heard me right. A team of four develops the entire program, plans the stages, briefs the technicians, and much more. I can only salute them. The same goes for all the other teams. From MarCom to Sales and Operations, every single staff member gives 150 percent for you.
My tip: DMEXCO technically only lasts 18 hours, making it impossible to attend every single inspiring talk live and in person. But the good news is: you can binge-watch all the sessions nonstop afterwards on our DMEXCO platform in the app and on your desktop. So, stock up on popcorn to make sure you’re ready for the next rainy Sunday!
And now to the DMEXCO weather
Speaking of weather: in early August, one of our partners asked us what the temperature would be in the exhibition halls and what the weather would be like outside between the halls. If we could forecast the weather that far ahead, we would have probably built a successful business model around it by now. A weather app, for example. But I obviously completely understand that you need to start thinking about the perfect outfit six weeks before the event. Because, as we all know, you need to strike the right balance between conventional and woke.
My tip: Social media expert Ann-Katrin Schmitz has shared some outfit tips for DMEXCO in absatzwirtschaft trade magazine (article in German).
I look forward to seeing you on September 18 and 19, whether you turn up in a pinstripe suit or a T-shirt, sneakers, or loafers. The bouncers have been briefed and will let you in regardless of whether you’re sporting a fancy pocket square or Birkenstocks – just as long as you’re in the mood to prompt the future with us.
