It’s that time of year again. Where thousands of (m)adtech professionals travel to Cologne for the two-day conference and exhibition show, DMEXCO. For me, this year is really special, as it will be my first DMEXCO visit since 2019, and I am VERY excited to see so many familiar, and new, faces!

The overall theme for DMEXCO 2022 is #WeProgressTogether. And I personally love this sentiment.

It has been a rollercoaster ride the past few years. Through the lens of (m)adtech, we’ve witnessed global government regulations such as GDPR enforcing tighter rules around data protection; we’ve been forced into the spotlight by consumer backlash and demands for privacy; and we’ve recently been holding on to Google’s final decision to discontinue the third-party cookie. Alongside all of that, our personal lives have witnessed unforeseen change; from an increasingly political world, a global pandemic that brought us to a standstill, the ever looming climate change situation and the growing energy crisis. It’s been challenging to say the least.

Sometimes, we just have to hit the pause button, reset and say “we can only progress together from here”. For me, this couldn’t be more true, as I return to work after maternity leave (and welcoming my beautiful daughter into the world). I will be leaning on my colleagues, learning from my peers and supporting our clients as we all step into our next chapter, together.

Whilst we look forward to DMEXCO to discover how we move forward from this point on, I have selected a few highlights from the show that I am excited to see – why don’t you come join me at a few of them:

(Wednesday, 11.15am, MC 7B Masterclass)

How can Publishers & Advertisers leverage an IoT based first party data platform to secure quality traffic and revenues?

What’s it all about: The advertising industry has the potential to rapidly evolve based on the exponential increase of the Internet. First-party data, personalisation, and ensuring user experience value exchange across all connected devices will play a pivotal role. In this session, discussions will explore how Publishers and Advertisers alike can start delivering an immersive Ad Experience within HUAWEI Ads mobile & IoT advertising platforms, and how to start reaching new audiences.

(Thursday, 12.00pm, MC 7B Masterclass)

Moving from Personalisation to Humanisation – Utilising AI to stay relevant for your customers

What’s it all about: Brands are judged primarily on the overall customer experience they deliver, and increasingly need to demonstrate a level of empathy, to create healthy long term customer relationships. Providing consistent, relevant and personalised experiences that treat customers as unique individuals without overreaching is the only way to succeed. Join this masterclass to explore the incredible advancements in technology to drive personalisation.

(Wednesday, 1.30pm, MC 7A Masterclass)

Data for agility in marketing

What’s it all about: Data can be overwhelming, particularly when there are so many potential sources for it. The North Face eCommerce merchandising team discusses how it is avoiding analysis paralysis by targeting one source of customer behaviour data to steer its experimentation, site development and helping to align its campaign rollout in a moveable and unpredictable market.

(Wednesday, 2.30pm, Red Stage Fire-side chat)

What we can do for clients in challenging times

Sir Martin Sorrell himself will, of course, be taking centre stage to discuss what we should be offering our clients during these challenging times. In recent years, Sorrel has discussed the importance of the s4Capital Holy Grail approach to Marketing: Data, Content and Technology. Will he be singing from the same song book? I’m excited to find out.

(Thursday, 11.20 am, Red Stage Panel)

Open Web: We need a new conception of data!

The digital advertising world has changed. Third-party cookies continue to lose relevance. The self-conception of a free web is constantly being discussed again by society. Now it is up to the relevant stakeholders to continue shaping this open web and simultaneously meet the high-quality demands of personalised advertising. First-party data and new data value creations are already opening up unimagined potential. It is up to us to scoop them up.

If you are heading to Cologne for the two-day event, I would love to meet you. Whether you join me at any of the sessions above, or we go for coffee, wine, or food. Get in touch with me today by dropping us an email with your name and availability, and our marketing team will schedule. Or, simply ping me a message via my LinkedIn. See you there!

Schedule some time: marketing@52.56.218.224