In 2023, digital creativity has become an integral part of our living and working environment: In just the past few weeks, over one billion people have read texts and viewed images that have been created using artificial intelligence programs, according to DMEXCO.

Until now, they only analysed existing data statistically, while these new programmes are now implicitly creative and generate impressive results — something that, without human input, hardly seemed possible before.

According to DMexco, data has always formed the basis for strategic decision-making in digital marketing. Working with the creative models that artificial intelligence enables, it is now possible to imagine completely new and effective ways of making contact with people, communicating ideas and developing new products.

DMEXCO adds that, at the same time, it also raises many new questions:
  • How creative do we want to let artificial intelligence become?
  • Who owns the outcomes of these new programs?
  • What value does human creativity have in comparison to the creativity of AI?
  • What tasks – if any – will be left for humans in the future?
  • What about the risks and corresponding regulations?

But because we cannot imagine the future of digital marketing without this new form of creativity and since learned working practices will change significantly, the makers of DMEXCO say that they will bring the sector together under the motto 'Empowering Digital Creativity' in September.

Oliver Frese, COO of Koelnmesse, says, "The merging of data from different sources, the giant leap in the field of artificial intelligence and, parallel to this, the developments in the metaverse, create a synergy that opens up the enormous creative potential for brands and businesses. At this year's DMEXCO, we will look ahead and, together with the experts, discuss what the digital marketing of tomorrow could look like."

DMEXCO adds that it will also showcase a wide range of the other megatrends that are driving digital marketing. In cooperation with w3.fund, DMEXCO 2023 will present the second edition of the w3.vision conference, dedicated to the latest developments around the metaverse and other Web3 technologies.

Among those joining the discussion will be:
  • Tim Walther, Metaverse and NFT at Volkswagen Group
  • Maike Hornung, Europe Crypto and global CBDC strategy lead at VISA
  • Peter Grosskopf, co-founder and CTO at Unstoppable Finance, and
  • Jürgen Alker, Web3 consultant at Highsnobiety.

DMEXCO adds that, for the first time, it is building the Retail Media Area, where major retailers including OBI, REWE, Otto and Douglas will be demonstrating the wide range of opportunities that retail can offer to brands that advertise.

In 2022, retail media was considered the fastest-growing advertising segment — partly because providers have high-quality first-party data. Whether this boom will continue as strongly will be discussed at the DMEXCO Retail Media Summit, which will host the brightest minds in the industry, according to DMEXCO.

Another DMEXCO first is the Digital Fashion area, which offers a holistic, phygital perspective on fashion, thus linking the physical with the digital world. Thanks to the cooperation with the Deutsches Mode-Institut, the latest technological developments in the industry will be presented.

Dirk Freytag, president of the German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW), says, "The signs are abundantly clear: Technologically, we've reached a profound digital turning point. The disruptive power of data and new technologies, such as AI and the metaverse, is already unfolding in communications and marketing — areas that have been the creative leaders in the digital world from the very start."

"However, we can only begin to grasp the full impact of these far-reaching changes on the economy and people's day-to-day lives. With that in mind, we now need to define the way forward for Europe with regard to establishing standards, documenting performance, shaping the political framework, and handling data responsibly. In this respect, DMEXCO is the perfect arena for highlighting and discussing innovative strategies for the future," adds Freytag.

Professor Dominik Matyka, chief advisor of DMEXCO, says, "Once again, in 2023, DMEXCO is a place for new beginnings, disruptive approaches and interaction, a place to discuss and shape the future. This is where the next generation of digital marketing will emerge and the power of digital creativity will be unleashed."

DMEXCO says that the great need for dialogue, sharing and interaction in these rapidly changing times is also evident in the number of early bird bookings for exhibitors — the booking rate is up by 95%, almost double compared to 2022.

Among those who have committed early this year are numerous international corporations such as DHL Deutsche Post and Huawei Technologies. But prominent returning DMEXCO exhibitors such as Payback, Pimcore and Kentico are eager to utilise the central meeting place for key players in digital business, marketing and innovation, the event says.

For more information, visit www.dmexco.com. You can also follow DMEXCO on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.