Dmexco has long been a crucial part of the digital media and marketing industry. The two-day trade sjow in Cologne was a frenetic blast, a counterpoint to Cannes Lions, often acting as two sides to the same coin for many tech companies.
Attending often felt like a week’s worth of activity crammed into just two days and you were guaranteed to catch up with the entire industry, or what felt like it, fuelled by enless German beer and sausage.
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.
First up is Mathieu Roche, Co-founder & CEO at ID5.io.
Are you going to Dmexco and why are you going?
Yes, ID5 is sending our team to attend Dmexco, but have decided not to have a booth this year. Dmexco and other trade shows don’t have the same ROI for exhibitors or appeal to international audiences as they once did.
While we see the value in connecting with our partners at Dmexco, as a startup focused on profitability it’s harder to justify the cost of a booth there. We prefer to invest the funds elsewhere in the business and believe our team can still have an impact by simply attending.
How important is Dmexco in the industry event calendar?
Without a doubt, it is still important to be in the room, especially in 2023 as industry professionals prepare for the end of third-party cookies.
It’s a crucial time for us to come together to talk about identity challenges – including new ones such as CTV and in-gaming – and how we can help them prepare for the major transition that is coming in 2024.
Is it still as international a show as the likes of Cannes Lions?
Dmexco lost its international appeal post-pandemic and has become more of an EMEA-focused event.
The traditional trade show model is outdated. It is no longer enough to simply have a large trade show in a convention centre since we’re able to have many of these conversations virtually now.
Event producers need to invest in innovative experiences for sponsors and attendees in order to draw in international audiences.
