DMexco 2023 has come and gone, and here’s a quick recap of the event. To be candid, we entered with somewhat modest expectations, especially considering the low turnout in 2022. However, we engaged in some fantastic discussions with industry peers and unearthed promising opportunities for innovative adtech companies, whether they’re eyeing expansion into the UK or aiming to gain a broader perspective of the adtech landscape.
For those unfamiliar with DMexco, it’s an international Direct Marketing Exhibition Conference hosted in Cologne, Germany. Here are some thoughts from our trip:
- Slightly Increased Attendance: In contrast to the previous year, DMexco saw a bump in attendees. While it was once a colossal event, a combination of the pandemic, shifting perceptions around AdTech/DM, and global economic uncertainties seemed to have impacted its scale.
- Notable Absences and reduced prominence: While most of the typical booths were present (Affiliates, AdTech, etc.), some big names like Facebook, Adobe, Salesforce (although they were there in a more understated capacity), and Oracle were notably absent or less prominent.
- Google: Google’s booth maintained its size from last year, with a strong emphasis on promoting the Privacy Sandbox and Bard.ai.
- Privacy vs. Cookies: Privacy discussions were sparse, but cookie-related presentations seemed never-ending, leaving us in an infinite déjà vu until Chrome decides our fate.
- Lack of Debate: The presentations, while informative, remained high-level and general. The absence of a diverse panel of advertisers, brands, publishers, and broadcasters hindered robust debate. Many of the significant issues in Adtech are more commercial than technical, and a balanced seminar panel could have enriched the discussions.
- Retail Media’s Evolution: Retail media continued to be a hot topic, showcasing the shift from sponsored ads to a more fluid connection between brands and retailers for on-site and off-site data and media delivery. Criteo was notably active in this space, benefitting from their Hook Logic acquisition.
- Changing Audience: DMexco has seen a shift towards a more European audience, with fewer Americans in attendance, possibly due to the increasing presence of adtech and martech in Cannes. The introduction of Possible in Miami may further reduce the headcount in Cologne. Notably, very few marketers, brands, or publishers were present.
- AI as a broad-brush: With fewer discussions around Web3 and the Metaverse this year, AI emerged as the go-to solution for many challenges. While we believe in the immense potential of AI, it’s increasingly becoming a generalist and overused term that requires clearer definitions and foundational understanding from the speaker. AI encompasses a wide range of techniques, from machine-learned custom bidders to generative image creation and content classification. Some of these techniques are not new. It’s also crucial to understand that AI relies on trained data, which may not always be as reliable as it seems. More on this in a future post.
In summary, we enjoyed our time at DMexco, it is likely to continue to provide value for many companies. However, for brands, agencies, and publishers focusing on digital marketing and advertising in the UK or the rest of Europe, events like Cannes Lions and MADfest will likely continue to draw significant attention from these stakeholders away from DMexco.