DMEXCO returned to the Koelnmesse last week, bringing together names from the ad tech industry for one of Europe’s best-known conferences. So what went down?

As expected, AI was the dominant theme, moving beyond hype to practical applications. Discussions focused on how AI can deliver business efficiencies, enhance customer experiences, and create innovative products. Retail media continued its rise to prominence, as for the first time, DMEXCO featured a dedicated area for retail media businesses, reflecting the sector's growth following changes in e-commerce and consumer habits. Discussions addressed topics like data creativity, current CPMs, and integrating retail media in physical stores.

While DMEXCO 2024 emphasised future technologies, there was also recognition of the need to balance this with current marketing realities. Experts highlighted the importance of leveraging existing tools effectively, such as content selection algorithms on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, to drive marketing success in the present. So what did the industry make of this year’s event?

What the industry thought…

Retailers have learnt the past mistakes of programmatic channels

I had so many meaningful conversations this year with customers and partners, particularly around the consolidation of the supply chain, where fewer but better partnerships lead to more control and transparency across both the supply and demand side. 

Three channels stood out at this year's event: commerce media, CTV, and digital out of home (DOOH). All three are rapidly expanding and there are real synergies between them. Sponsored listings and off-site audience extension utilising retailer data are certainly fuelling commerce media’s explosion, but what is truly driving its expansion is retailers learning the past mistakes of programmatic channels and avoiding these pitfalls to fuel growth.

CTV is in its period of maturation, leading to collaboration, consolidation and ultimately more confidence in programmatic trading, while DOOH is increasingly being folded into the omnichannel experience. It was impressive seeing the real outcomes that brands and media owners were attaining by synergising these three channels.

Emma Newman, Chief Revenue Officer, EMEA, PubMatic

AI: The buzz phrase of DMEXCO

AI has been the buzz phrase of DMEXCO, with the majority of talks on the Centre Stage including the phrase "AI" in the title. DMEXCO has been fantastic at highlighting the practical opportunities offered by AI, and how they can be integrated into business models. AI is getting more and more powerful and can be a really effective aid in many processes, including application of the smart curation of programmatic advertising to remove wastage, improve efficiency and drive better outcomes. Most exciting of all is that, even for those of us who've trained AI for a number of years, we're only just getting started with what we can achieve.

Salvo Nicotra, Chief Innovation Officer, Onetag

AI continues to spark discussion

At DMEXCO this week, several key topics dominated the conversation. The industry remains eager for the outcome of the Google antitrust trial, while AI continues to spark discussion - though its real impact on the advertising landscape is still being evaluated. Sustainability remained a central focus, especially with the conclusion of GARM, and audience curation emerged as a dominant theme across both supply and demand discussions, as stakeholders demand more from the programmatic ecosystem.

While curation isn’t a new concept, it’s beginning to make a substantial impact in the ad tech industry, and as a company at the forefront of this movement, we're excited about what’s ahead as we move into 2025. We're starting to see agencies and publishers recognise the potential of curated campaigns— offering more transparency, control, and better results due to reduced waste and inefficiencies that currently exist in the ecosystem.

Fern Potter, SVP Strategy & Partnerships, Multilocal

Retail media discussions on the rise

The standout topics at DMEXCO this year were retail media and AI in ad tech. Although this would come as no surprise to anyone, the coverage and number of discussions around retail media had increased from the previous year. Given all that has changed in retail media over the past 12 months, the discussions this year revolved around how retailers could grow their retail media business, rather than launch one.

When it comes to the AI in ad tech topic, it was evident that this topic had evolved. This year, the discussions and presentations were more focused on highlighting practical applications of AI in ad tech, rather than simply stating its potential.

Another key thing I noticed was that there were a lot more 1-to-1 meetings happening compared to previous years. People were more focused on networking and building relationships than simply hearing about the latest products, which created a nice community vibe.

Radek Kostecki, Business Development Director, Ad tech & Martech, Clearcode

The importance of influencer and referral marketing

DMEXCO 2024 highlighted the growing importance of influencer and referral marketing as essential tools for brands to connect with their audience in an increasingly digital world. Speakers emphasised the power of personal recommendations and influencer partnerships in building trust and driving consumer engagement.

Additionally, despite the rise of virtual events, the value of in-person interactions was a key takeaway, with many attendees noting that face-to-face meetings create deeper connections and enhance collaboration. Overall, DMEXCO underscored the evolving landscape of digital marketing and the ongoing need for human touchpoints in building meaningful partnerships.

Alex Oberstadt, Corporate Account Executive, impact.com

Trialling and evolving cookieless solutions

Google may have decided to keep third-party cookies around, but this had no impact on the DMEXCO agenda. There were many discussions on trialling and evolving cookieless solutions across the ecosystem, particularly those that leverage first-party data and contextual signals. SSPs, DSPs, and SPO companies showed up in strong numbers, and they’re only increasing – showing there’s plenty of growth and complexity in the ad tech market.

As for what didn’t make the agenda, there was a surprising lack of social media and influencer presence, nor were there many large publishers in attendance. On the other hand, AI — or KI in German — was as ubiquitous as expected, with every part of the supply chain showcasing some variety of application that utilises this technology.

Jana Eisenstein, SVP EMEA, Seedtag

How companies can maximise the value of their own data

DMEXCO 2024, themed 'Prompting the Future,' emphasised the importance of leveraging first-party data in digital marketing strategies. Google highlighted how businesses can even use AI to activate first-party data, making campaigns more effective and profitable. This approach is essential in an evolving landscape where privacy concerns and the loss of third-party cookies limit third-party data access.

The event showcased how companies can maximise the value of their own data, particularly for targeting, personalisation, and performance measurement. This also means keeping one’s sovereignty and not depending on third party actors (and their often delayed agendas), which goes along with the promise our product is made of at First-id.

Cyril Genty, COO & Co-Founder, First-id

Retail media's explosion

This year’s event was buzzing with innovation across the marketing landscape. Three key trends took centre stage: the rise of retail media, the shift to cookieless solutions, and the expanding influence of AI. These trends aren’t just shaping the future—they’re rewriting the rules right now.

Retail media is exploding, with European sales set to hit €13.8bn (£11.5bn) this year. Brands showcased how this channel drives not only awareness but measurable outcomes, positioning it as a digital marketing powerhouse.

Meanwhile, Google’s cookie U-turn sparked debates on cookieless strategies. Brands are rapidly adopting first-party data, combining privacy and personalisation to redefine customer engagement.

AI is revolutionising content creation and customer experiences, while also optimising programmatic ads for performance and sustainability.

These trends highlight a shift toward more data-driven, customer-centric, and adaptable marketing. Brands embracing retail media, cookieless solutions, and AI won’t just stay competitive—they’ll thrive in this evolving landscape.

Alia Cherif, Senior Director, International Business Development, VideoHeroes

A focus on AI-driven transformation

At DMEXCO 2024, optimism was clear, with the motto 'Prompting the Future' capturing the event’s focus on AI-driven transformation and CTV. AI is no longer just a buzzword - it’s essential, by automating processes and delivering hyper-personalised media experiences. But without strict ethical standards and guidelines for AI, consumer trust is at serious risk. This year’s DMEXCO reinforced its position as the leading platform for German-speaking ad tech and martech professionals. 

Retail media is another space you can’t afford to overlook. Despite some setbacks, global expansion persists, with IAB experts forecasting the sector to reach €31bn (£25.9bn) by 2028. Major players are honing in on partnerships, diversifying revenue streams, and scaling operations. 

Opera Ads made an unexpected debut, while Disney’s branded DMEXCO merchandise and double-decker bus certainly caught attention. However, the real story was AI and data collaboration – the future is already here – and those who aren’t adapting quickly will fall behind.

Maarten Vrijens, VP Sales Automation, DanAds

AI has begun its operational scale-up phase

With the motto of ‘Promoting the Future’ and attracting a global audience of digital marketers, DMEXCO proved itself once again as a staple event in the ad tech calendar. A crucible for ideas and innovation pushing on the frontiers of programmatic advertising, there were several areas of special interest. This included AI, which has reached its ‘hype peak’ and is now into its operational scale-up phase, as well as those two industry lightning rods: Connected TV and Retail Media.

Indeed, with so much opportunity to drive game-changing outcomes, DMEXCO-goers also highlighted challenges for these dynamic platforms. For example, marketers were keen to understand how identity can be scaled within and across CTV and Retail Media environments as part of an omnichannel strategy. The resounding consensus was that innovative technologies, including first-party identity solutions, hold the key.

Cecilia Francolí Belinchón, Senior Director, Global Marcom, Adform

AI dominated discussions

DMEXCO was overwhelmingly dominated by discussions on Artificial Intelligence. The rapid progression of AI was a central theme, with a noticeable shift from creative use cases to embedding AI in core processes as marketing departments are increasingly pressured by C-Level executives to deliver results through AI integration. A significant trend is the rise of 'Bring Your Own AI,' where a large portion of employees are using their own AI tools for work tasks, highlighting the need for organisations to implement the most beneficial tools for their teams. 

While it may not be as superficially striking, many presenters stressed the importance of a sophisticated data strategy as the foundation for any AI initiative. Well-governed marketing data standards and consistency emerged as crucial for accurate predictions. Despite the advancements in AI, many presenters emphasised that humans will remain crucial for making final decisions, with AI serving to empower rather than replace them.

Christoph Kruse, Marketing Director, MINT

A greater atmosphere of collaboration

This year’s DMEXCO was leaner than in previous years, with fewer publishers in attendance from outside of Germany. I think this led to a greater atmosphere of collaboration, and I had several constructive conversations. What stood out was that, while many publishers are utilising contextual targeting tools, some still aren’t and don’t fully understand their benefits. As an industry, there needs to be greater education on how these solutions not only bolster ad revenue but also increase brand safety and suitability. Video also dominated conversations at the event, and it's clear that we need to continue working together to ensure publishers can maximise its potential as the channel grows.

Jean-Paul Wevers , Publisher Sales Manager, Mantis

Women in the ad tech spotlight

With its increasingly international outlook, DMEXCO this year was super busy and we stepped up our presence to catch up with its high-level attendees. It was encouraging to see that women in ad tech are more regularly being placed in the spotlight and I was delighted to attend a number of sessions featuring some of the event's top female trailblazers.

As expected, Google’s recent announcement concerning the deprecation of the cookie was also a key topic. Some of the attendees I spoke to felt that Google’s shift meant that cookies were here to stay. This is ignoring the obvious – that third-party identifiers are increasingly ineffective and this latest move will only hasten their decline. If marketers are to truly future-proof their advertising efforts, privacy-centric solutions will have to become the standard.

Jan Heumüller, Managing Director, Central Europe at Ogury

A transition year

This felt like a transition year for DMEXCO. Attendance seemed lighter and there was a notable lack of big ad tech players – perhaps reflective of the wave of consolidation that has struck ad tech. As for the hot topics, AI integration was a big theme, with focus shifting from hype to practical application. Businesses now want to know how AI can be embedded into their every facet to enhance efficiencies, as well as how it can help create new products or elevate customer experiences.

We’re finally moving beyond the AI buzz and diving into tangible projects that drive meaningful innovation, and it’s encouraging to see this innovation directed towards forward-thinking priorities – such as sustainability, responsible technology use, and media quality.

Adrien Delambre, CRO and Co-Founder, Greenbids

An emphasis on transparency

One of the key takeaways of DMEXCO this year was the emphasis on transparency. We had open and constructive conversations with partners and competitors, and there was a clear industry-wide effort to enhance trust. We also openly addressed the challenges that lie ahead for the advertising industry, which made me leave DMEXCO feeling optimistic for the future. 

In terms of innovations on show, AI and audio stood out. AI was always going to be a focus, and it was great to see it come to life after months of hype that banked on potential alone. As for audio, I’ve been exploring it for the past year to understand its value and potential for monetisation. Its impressive showing at DMEXCO cemented it as an avenue for MGID to proactively build into our business.

Madi Bachar, VP Global Sales, MGID