Diving Into DMEXCO: A First-Timer’s Take

By Nell Martin, PR Senior Account Manager

Walking into DMEXCO for the very first time last week was a whirlwind - I really didn’t know what to expect. The instructions from my team to wear comfy shoes indicated I was in for a marathon, and they weren’t wrong!

I wandered into bustling halls, endless booths, and business taking place everywhere you looked. Unlike previous events I had attended, the focus was on business, not activations, but that didn’t stop there from being real excitement in the air.

“Be Bold, Move Forward”

This motto really resonated on the ground this year. A huge variety of companies, from up-and-coming start-ups to massive incumbents, made the conference feel like a microcosm of where digital marketing really is in Europe right now.

It was clear from my conversations on the ground that the industry is facing a moment of change. This is the moment to take the risk to try the new tools on offer in order to ensure success in the long-run. The key message was that those who sit back and wait will lose out.

AI is no longer optional

This was everywhere - covering every element of marketing, from ideation to execution. AI is in creative, customer experience, and even search behavior, and we cannot forget agentic AI.

This technology is no longer a “nice to have”; it’s totally embedded into the DNA of modern marketing.

One key area of interest for the future is how advertising may be involved in chat-based interfaces, all while keeping the consumer on side. This will one to watch as we look towards 2026 and the conference next year.

Does the consumer know you?

We are reaching a stage where brands have a plethora of tools and data that allow them to truly understand their audiences, but a new message came out of the conference this year.

Brands need to ensure that customers know and trust them for an ad to be effective, and the indication was that many were falling short in this regard.

My favourite session

While there is much to be learned about the industry, the session that resonated the most had to be that of former client Nickolas Rekeda, CMO at MGID. On his first trip outside Ukraine since the start of the conflict with Russia, he shared how his nation is navigating immense challenges and the powerful lessons that can be taken from its path to recovery.

The message of resilience and optimism was truly inspiring, and it’s something I’ll be reflecting on in the weeks ahead.

Key takeaways

While DMEXCO was absolutely more business than party-based on this occasion, this didn’t take away from the experience at all.

It was a privilege to meet and reconnect with industry peers, and I look forward to seeing how the conversations that took place shape the industry's future.