Dmexco 2022 reflections

After the usual whirlwind few days that is Dmexco, and the first time since 2019 that the event took place in person, I look back and reflect on the comeback of madtech’s yearly pilgrimage to the banks of the Rhine.? As an exhibitor, I’m sure I missed plenty as a lot of time is spent manning the booth, so of course not everybody’s experience will match mine, though I really hope all the Yahoo ads made everyone else feel young again too.?

First impressions - does size matter??

On arrival at the enormous Koelnmesse early Wednesday morning to take up my spot at the Blue Billywig booth in the usually packed hall 8, my first thought was that things were looking a little bare; a lot of conference stages where there used to be exhibitor booths, wider walkways, and the addition of chill areas where visitors could take a time out.?

Was there a focus on quality over quantity? Is this the result of an uncertain and unstable market causing companies to pull out of exhibiting? A reflection on the event itself? Maybe all of the above?

Whatever the reasons, the halls soon filled with visitors, creating a different perspective, and after a busy, and ultimately very successful couple of days, the thousands that did attend got treated, and contributed to, a great return of THE big show in European digital marketing and advertising.?

In the world of Adtech, perception is reality

A quick walk through Hall 7, very much the adtech hall of the event, told me that there was no one in adland panicking about inflation rates or a looming recession just yet, with no expense spared on some of the highly impressive booths, endless coffee, booze and whatever else you’re having.?

After a turbulent year and with gloomy forecasts for 2023, what’s the catch? Is everybody? hoping the latest lawsuit will see the Google ad tech empire exit stage left? More likely, it’s a show of strength to customers, prospects and investors and a pressure to keep up appearances. You can’t go small in a hall filled with your fiercest rivals and some savvy up and comers.?

Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of these players downscaling the marketing spend over the next 12 months as a tough winter kicks in and mass belt tightening increases.

All aboard the Commerce Media train

It’s not just retargeting with a new hat right? Well, sort of, if you’re a bit cynical, but the massive growth in ecommerce and retail media ( Criteo explain the difference here), combined with the deprecation of the third party cookie (any day/month/year now), has resulted in a new market and a new term. If you weren’t familiar before Dmexco, you certainly are now.?

Essentially it all comes down to first party data, that of the brand, and that of the publisher or platform. Trading with all this user information, without the need for a third party cookie, provides a massive market opportunity. Sounds great, although the downside is a likely result whereby the rich get richer, as this is where the bulk of the first party data lies, so that is not so great for the little guy.?It's early days though, so let's allow some time for things to develop.

CTV and OTT - again

It's not the first Dmexco where booths were adorned with references to CTV and OTT (yes, including our own!), but it might be the first where things are actually starting to progress in this area. We all know the sitch at this point, Europe is a fragmented media market, there isn't the same opportunity to scale as there is in the states etc etc etc. And that's true, but there are many reasons for positivity, as well as huge demand for inventory, hence the continued push. A nice blog on that from our own Alanna Hill here to save me repeating.

Data Clean Rooms

The growing importance and relevance of the data clean room was very much evident at the event. It started for me when bumping into my old colleague and expert on the topic Daan Onland on the train from Amsterdam to Cologne, who gave me the lowdown on how fragmentation and the demise of the 3rd party cookie have increased the need for data clean rooms to better enable partnerships between the various players in the ecosystem. That was the start of what turned out to be plenty of chatter on this subject, with numerous booths offering solutions in this area.

Sustainability

Thankfully, a topic that the industry seems to genuinely be taking seriously, and Dmexco handled it with a touch of class and honesty as well in my opinion. The talks didn’t shy away from the harsh realities of carbon emissions in madtech and the challenges in measuring these emissions,?but also took the topic of greenwashing on with talks such as ‘How can brands be credible in their climate communication?’? Maybe being credible with your actions is the obvious starting point here, but communication is a challenge that companies who are genuinely trying on this front face. Ad tech entrepreneur and my longtime friend Ian Maxwell is leading by example on this front .

Nightlife?

Of course,? at least half of Dmexco does not happen within the large halls of the Koelnmesse, but in the restaurants and bars in the city, and later on to the various late night clubs that are associated with the event. It's interesting how some companies see more value in sponsoring a party than exhibiting at the event - I'd love to see some data that explains if that is a wise strategy or not.

Having spent the 2 evenings in the company of various industry people from different European markets, spirits were high, spirits were definitely drank, bonds were formed, and all the hot topics were discussed over plates of large pork knuckles.?I personally didn’t make the OM Club, so I couldn’t tell you what went on there, but I’d never doubt the industry’s famed reputation for burning it at both ends.…..

Day 2 at the Messe brought the usual droves of tired bodies, feigning interest in any old pitch as long as there's a free coffee in it - but here's the thing, we all still showed up, and as far as Dmexco goes, we’ll all?likely be showing up again in 2023.