This is our last Digital Digest for 2024. As the year comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect and say thank you 🙏 for an incredible 2024. My first year with DMEXCO has been an unforgettable journey filled with inspiring conversations, new perspectives, and the shared success of our community.
I had the chance to meet many of you in person, to discuss the latest topics, develop ideas and projects together – and just have fun! 🌟
The highlight, of course, was DMEXCO itself – a truly remarkable event made possible by the collaboration, passion, and creativity of all of you. Together, under this year’s motto "Prompting the Future", we’ve made big strides in advancing the digital marketing industry.
Now, I’m looking ahead to 2025 with excitement and optimism. Together, we will continue to shape the future of digital marketing and grow as a community.
Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season 🎄✨ and a successful, fulfilling new year 🥂. Let’s make 2025 extraordinary!
And don’t forget: Let’s prompt the future together.
Warm regards
Yours, Verena 💙💜❤️
🤦♂️ Not enough desks: Amazon postpones end of home office
Amazon is postponing its planned full return to the office due to a lack of space in at least seven US cities. Thousands of employees will have to continue working partially remotely from January 2025, although the return to some offices could be delayed until May. The decision follows CEO Andy Jassy’s announcement of a five-day presence requirement, which was rejected by 91 per cent of the workforce. Despite remodelling measures and renting additional space, there is not enough office space. >>> Techradar
🧠 Billionaire Mark Cuban: Which jobs are safe from AI
Mark Cuban, US billionaire, entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, believes that artificial intelligence (AI) will have little impact on professions that require creative and critical thinking. He emphasises that while AI can automate routine tasks, it is not capable of replacing human creativity and problem-solving skills. Cuban therefore recommends focusing on developing skills that foster creative thinking and complex problem solving in order to remain successful in the changing world of work. >>> MSN
🚫 Party ban at Airbnb
Airbnb is once again tightening its anti-party measures at the turn of the year 2024/25. AI technology automatically blocks bookings around New Year’s Eve that are classified as risky, based on criteria such as booking time, travel duration and distance. Short-term bookings of entire hotels are particularly affected. Last year, 74,000 enquiries were blocked, half of them in the USA. The company is responding to previous negative incidents and is tightening the ban on parties in rental properties that has been in place since 2020. >>> Airbnb
🕹️ Gaming: Only room for two consoles
According to DFC Intelligence, there will only be room for two successful games consoles in the future. Nintendo with the Switch 2 is considered the favourite. Second place will be fought out between PlayStation and Xbox. Despite PS5 dominance and strong own brands, the outcome is open, as Microsoft has gained power as a publisher through acquisitions. According to rumours, Microsoft is planning a more open Xbox platform, while Sony is likely to stick with the classic console structure. The gaming industry expects 4 billion users by 2027. >>> Venturebeat
🥃 AI camera recognises drunk drivers
Police in southern England are trialling mobile AI-supported cameras to detect whether drivers are under the influence of alcohol or drugs based on their driving style. The system analyses passing vehicles in real time and immediately reports suspicious cases to officers, who can then carry out targeted checks. The technology was developed by the Australian company Acusensus, which has already provided cameras for detecting mobile phone use at the wheel and unfastened seatbelts. >>> BBC
🍫 DMEXCO: What marketers can learn from Dubai Chocolate
A DMEXCO case study analyses the marketing success of "Dubai Chocolate" – a chocolate and pistachio mix that was developed on the Arabian Peninsula in 2021. The hype was mainly created by TikTok and Instagram. It is remarkable how the online community bridged the gap until local manufacturers produced their own versions. The study "Dubai chocolate: understanding and capitalising on the food craze" examines the emergence of the trend and provides insights into hype marketing. >>> DMEXCO
💡 These are Germany’s 30 most creative agencies
Campaign Germany presents a new creative ranking of the 30 best German advertising agencies for the first time. The assessment is based on a CCO survey of the most important awards: ten international and five national creative competitions plus the Campaign BIG Global Awards were taken into account. Unsurprisingly, the Serviceplan Group under creative director Till Diestel leads the democratically determined ranking. >>> Campaign Germany (€)
🥳 Survey: How eight agency bosses want to spread optimism
Horizont asked eight agency bosses how they plan to ensure optimism in 2025 despite the pessimistic mood in Germany. The most important strategies include: The use of AI agents to optimise the customer experience (Plan.Net), the development of resilient business models with strong partners (Diffferent) and the combination of bold creation and strategic clarity (Huth+Wenzel). The bosses rely on transparent communication, clear structures and an open culture of innovation as the basis for sustainable growth. >>> Horizont (€)
🍕 Pizza scandalo: How Kühne’s red cabbage campaign succeeded
Kühne caused a stir with a provocative campaign: The "red cabbage pizza" was intended to appeal to younger target groups and halt the declining consumption of the traditional vegetable. The "Eat a Scandalo" campaign developed with KNSK played humorously with German-Italian clichés and reached millennials and Gen Z via creators and an Italian earworm ("Mamma Maria"). With 5.6 million views and 129,000 likes for a creator video on TikTok alone, the campaign clearly exceeded expectations. >>> W&V (€)
🧮 One-pager on iROAS measurement published
The BVDW (Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft) has published a one-pager on iROAS measurement in retail media. While classic ROAS measures the relationship between sales and advertising expenditure, iROAS measures the actual added value of a campaign beyond normal business. This measurement is particularly precise for retailers, as first-party data from the point of sale can be used. The aim is to use standardised metrics to improve the comparability of advertising investments and create greater transparency. >>> BVDW
