Recap of DMEXCO 2022: Two days of fast-forwarding into the digital future
There’s no stopping the digital and tech industry. Two days full of highlights at DMEXCO 2022 proved exactly that. Google, MediaMarktSaturn Retail Media, Twitter, and other industry giants were at the leading edge with exciting insights.
40,000 visitors ventured to Cologne
For the first time since 2019, DMEXCO was on-site and in-person again – and it was eagerly awaited. Around 40,000 visitors flocked to sessions that featured more than 770 speakers. And the 560 partners had no intention of missing out on this experience either.
Google painted a picture of the future of online ads
Matt Brittin, Google’s European President, made a landmark announcement at DMEXCO about the future of third-party cookies and online ads, while also emphasizing the role of innovative tools: “The next two years will be critical — the web that we know is under threat. We have to rethink the whole system to deliver effective ads. People will voluntarily share their data if they have more control. Managing tools therefore have to be meaningful, memorable, and easily accessible.”
Rethinking data handling
Google was not the only one at DMEXCO 2022 advocating for a revolutionary new approach to handling data. Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of S4 Capital, also called for a new understanding of data-based action and underscored the opportunity this development offers for creative work: “Data does not destroy creativity, data improves creativity! Data-driven creativity will become even more powerful in the future.”
Target groups, creation, and acceptance: The DMEXCO sessions on the trends in the coming years
The numerous panels and summits brought together leading minds from the digital industry to discuss the future of marketing, with a particular focus on data acquisition and usage. At the end of the day, however, the focus is still consistently on the customer. But how will we successfully reach target groups if we cannot see them clearly? “I believe the main points here are that advertising is too intrusive, there is too much of it, and there is too much repetition. People are being addressed when they don’t actually want to be addressed. It’s a question of joining the conversation at the wrong time. And that is a nuisance factor. And that means that people often don’t respond well to [advertising]”, said Shanine Chaudhry in the panel “The Fog: Marken im digitalen Nebel” (“Brands in the Digital Fog”).
Retail media: A trend with a meteoric growth curve
Retail media is drawing in more and more companies, MediaMarktSaturn is positioning itself at the forefront of this development, but its CEO, Dr. Karsten Wildberger, also focused on his company’s responsibility to implement sustainable business practices: “60 to 70% of the electricity used by a household is consumed by devices we sell. As retailers we have a huge responsibility in terms of which devices we sell.”
Sustainability as part of corporate identity
The climate crisis is increasingly having an impact on companies committed to fighting for environmental protection and sustainability. For example, Nina Haller, Managing Director of the Media.Monks agency, emphasized the importance of emission-free marketing: “Our planet is dying in front of our eyes and we have to act fast. And we as a marketing industry, we contribute to all these areas of greenhouse emissions. We all have a responsibility in the marketing chain.”
Experience the future live: Web3 at DMEXCO
The revolutionary topics of Web3 were in their element at DMEXCO with w3.vision and wowed visitors. Elena Corchero, Director of Emerging Tech & Innovation at Dow Jones, affirmed: “We are definitely ready for the cross reality now.” And Diego Borgo, expert on non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and metaverse ambassador, was on the same page: “NFTs can create communities and bring people closer to the brand.”
In their panel, Tim Walther and Diego Borgo discussed how brands can discover the metaverse for themselves, and how this is also discarding tried-and-tested principles.
Saving the best for last – and for free: DMEXCO x Digiday Online on September 27, 2022
On September 27, DMEXCO is teaming up with U.S. trade magazine Digiday to host a digital-only event showcasing highlight sessions from DMEXCO 2022 with a primary focus on the U.S. market. Tickets for the free event are available here.
Keep the momentum going and put DMEXCO 2023 in your calendar
The date for the next DMEXCO in Cologne has already been set. On September 20 and 21, 2023, Koelnmesse will once again open its doors to visitors from around the entire world of the marketing and tech industry.
