Post-pandemic and with the UK and International events scene booming, how vital is Dmexco today? NDA caught up with leaders across the industry to hear their thoughts. Next up is Fiona Salmon, Global VP of Partnerships and Sustainability Lead at Captify
If you’re going to Dmexco, why are you going/ if not, why not?
DMEXCO isn’t the priority on my calendar that it once was.
I noticed quite a decrease in the size of the event back in 2019, which incidentally is also the last year I attended. Big spacious halls with no exhibitors in them made for an eerie feel, and the networking element for which DMEXCO has gained such fame and notoriety across the industry just wasn’t as strong.
The format seems a little tired, especially post-Covid. As Cannes has re-opened, we have seen more focus on higher level, niche engagements and less on ‘big splashes’.
DMEXCO is still very exhibition-heavy and feels much more like a partner event these days rather than one set up for agencies and brands.
How important is Dmexco in the industry event calendar?
I think the launch of Possible in Miami might start to step on the toes of what DMEXCO used to achieve.
Also the fact that it’s the same founder adopting a completely different style surely demonstrates that the industry is asking for a different approach?
Is it still as international a show as the likes of Cannes Lions?
There is no doubt that DMEXCO has suffered as an international event since Covid, with a heavy decline in international and US attendance.
It has since pivoted more towards a European focus and definitely seems to have lost some of its former gravitas as a result. There is still a case to be made for businesses looking to break into Germany and EU markets, but it doesn’t seem to have so much of a global footprint anymore.
