By Joe Campbell, Senior Account Manager, Bluestripe*
Pork knuckle, tiny beers and Central European weather may not sound as appealing as rosé, yachts and Mediterranean sun, but, at my first DMEXCO, Cologne definitely brought the heat.
And by many accounts, 2024’s event was a return to form.
After a Covid-induced lull, and a few years of focus on the German market, global ad tech execs were rubbing shoulders once again in the Koelnmesse. Listening out, international accents (albeit predominately European) resonated across the trade hall and Cologne’s pubscape.
Looking at what was discussed, it was hard to escape the spectre of Google’s decision not to deprecrate cookies. So many conversations centred on the future of data, including the central role that first-party data and collaboration have to play in fast-developing environments like retail media and connected television (CTV).
These two media darlings also took their fair share of the limelight. Many sessions looked at the opportunities but also challenges that retail media and CTV present. Across both, equal parts education and technology was the prescription for reaping these platforms’ full potential for brand outcomes and ROAS.
AI was also a strong contender for ‘topic of the event’. No shock here, but it’s interesting to see that the real life applications of AI emerge from the hype train the industry has been on since about 2022.
Speaking of trains, as soon as you’re off the Eurostar (or the “adtech express”), you’re thrust into networking, networking, networking. Shout out to the Bluestripe, The Media Trust and Permutive drinks here, as well as DoubleVerify’s Little Link soirée. After meeting a great roster of DMEXCO veterans here, it was up with the (stunning) Cologne sunrise for the event itself. Here trainers are really put to the test as you flit between meetings (a few jogs included).
Ending on some wisdom I’ve gained from this first dip in the DMEXCO pond, if Cannes is a marathon, Cologne is a sprint. That really applied from 4pm when the Happy Hours kick-off, (including those excellent ones hosted by Adform, Magnite and Outbrain).
*Bluestripe Communications is part of Bluestripe Group, publishers of New Digital Age.
