5 urgent lessons agencies need to learn from Dmexco 2023

But having been lucky enough to visit and speak at the event, there were some clear learnings that I’ll be relaying to our creative, tech and data teams and related clients going forward. Yes, there’s a point on AI, but there are some other clear levers for growth that I think we all in the industry would do well to remember, too.

1. Tech is moving fast, but creativity is still fundamental

We know that the tech on show can have massive implications for businesses worldwide. But creatives need to be involved in the conversations at Dmexco too. They may not need to get into the weeds of how some of it really works, but how will these amazing tech solutions help capture the hearts and minds of consumers if there aren’t big, bold ideas accompanying it?

We were delighted to have a big turnout for our talk on building brands in the digital age, where we shared our 3 Cs of earned influence: cultural relevance, connectivity and collaboration. But the ‘C’ that connects it all is ‘creativity,’ and I have a hunch that we brought in a sizeable crowd because the appetite is there for those in the tech industry to be immersed in creative thinking. However, it takes a concerted effort to connect the dots and implement the joined-up thinking to make it happen. And post Dmexco, the industry still has a long way to go to bridge the creative and tech gap.

2. Take a step back

Dmexco was a huge assault on the senses. Three massive aircraft hangars full of vendors promising faster, better, and cheaper. And while the collective energy it offered was rather exciting, it’s important to remember that we don’t over-index on ‘faster’ just because we can.

There were plenty of use cases at the festival where taking a step back in the initial instance was cited as the key to sprinting faster when the time was right. Nik Fletcher, head of digital experience at cycling brand Rapha, likened his approach – naturally – to starting a cycle up a mountain. It’s OK, he said, to wobble a little at the start, to try and find your feet, knowing that when you’re in the rhythm, the momentum will then come.

Spending time identifying the outcomes you’re trying to achieve is important and focuses the overall team, rather than just having them focus on what the work is in front of them. It could be the difference between ultimate success and ultimate failure.

3. Stop talking about proof of concept and start talking about proof of value

On the subject of speed – it was invigorating to see a slight shift in language that may seem subtle but can have big implications. Several tech brands discussed how they’d altered their ‘proof of concept’ mindset to one around ‘proof of value.’ From a wider marketing perspective, that’s key as it rightly puts customers at the heart of thinking – which can often get forgotten when everyone is distracted by the next shiny tech object in the corner.

Discovering the value drivers of your business and applying them to all levels of product delivery is important if you’re going to be sprinting in the right direction – helping you make cost-effective decisions in the long run so that you’re only building what’s necessary and delivering on what’s useful and engaging for your customers.

4. Everyone talked about AI – but few came away any clearer

AI will undoubtedly have a huge impact on our industry. In many cases, it’s already doing so. But despite the hype, where exactly we’ll end up is not something that can be stated with any sort of clarity yet (no matter how hard some speakers and vendors sought to do so).

I was certainly interested to hear Sir Martin Sorrell’s view that AI could be the death of media planning and buying agencies.

"In as little as two years, AI advances will mean media agencies won’t employ anywhere near as many people as they do now," he claimed. That’s questionable on several levels, but I agree that AI will offer several efficiencies across agency and client organizations.

The important thing right now, certainly from the amount of possibilities on show in the exhibition center, is that agencies have defined guardrails in place – the dos and don’ts and maybes of using AI to behave responsibly in an increasingly unwieldy space.

We don’t want to stifle creativity and innovation or shoot down new business models for growth. Still, if AI is a means to an end, then we need to provide client security, trust, safety and transparency going forward.

5. Be afraid, be very afraid

Normally, at these conferences, the Kool-Aid is on tap, and everyone is celebrating ‘their best year ever,’ with even sunny forecasts ahead.

But there was a marked sense of nervousness, too. The aforementioned Sorrell quote will grab headlines for a comment that ‘this is the first time in my life where I can say the (wider global) political issues are actually impenetrable,’ pointing to a ‘less expansive’ US, continuing long-term worries over Ukraine/Russia and volatility in Africa.

While Sorrell wasn’t necessarily fearmongering, UserWay CEO Allon Mason certainly was. He was on stage to talk about web accessibility – or, more accurately, the general lack of it online. A startling stat was that, of the 600+ vendors at Dmexco, less than 1% of them had accessible websites.

That’s not good enough from any perspective, but it’s particularly scary for businesses when you consider the impending European Accessibility Act. A huge number of new considerations need to be catered for, and, as Mason said, with TikTok being fined almost £300m recently for its breach, this is a regulator with teeth.

Yes, the next GDPR movement is well and truly here. And though accessibility can be complicated, it will be much more complicated if you get it wrong and require legal expertise too. So, as a client, ask yourself, your wider team and your agency, what’s your plan?