Comms to commerce: adtech innovations that got marketers talking at Dmexco

As leaders gathered in Cologne for Dmexco 2024, The Drum hit the ground running (and also got in a dodgem – watch above for more on that) to catch up with industry leaders to uncover how emerging technologies like AI, retail media, and privacy-first strategies are driving the marketing world toward a more connected, data-driven future, transforming how brands connect with consumers and drive business results.

Adtech’s bold moves – the creative surge to engagement

One of the major trends buzzing around at Dmexco this year was how creativity and technology are colliding in bold new ways, redefining how brands capture attention in a fragmented digital landscape.

Adtech has evolved far beyond just targeting ads to the right audience. It now plays a critical role in delivering personalized, engaging experiences across multiple touchpoints. Gone are the days of static banners and repetitive display ads. Today, it’s all about engaging, immersive content that keeps audiences hooked.

As Ed Dinichert, chief revenue officer at TripleLift, noted: “More than 70% of the performance of a campaign relies on the quality of the creative.” As ad formats evolve, dynamic, data-driven creative innovation will be the key to standing out, especially in increasingly crowded channels like connected TV (CTV) and programmatic.

“With the emergence of programmatic, this industry has been obsessed with math and the optimization of pipes, but creative can give a new leverage right at the time where AI and Gen AI are popping up,” Dinichert added.

But it’s not just about flashy formats – it’s about making the entire user experience more fun and engaging. “We’re there to drive innovation through technology that ultimately will transform the way users interact on the open internet,” explained Stephanie Himoff, executive vice-president of global publishers at Outbrain, during our chat on how vertical video content is driving attention and engagement across mobile platforms. “Consumers are expecting integrated, immersive experiences when they go to the open web,” she added. “What we’re doing is transforming their discovery, their user journey, and making it more like social.”

The takeaway? Adtech is helping brands not only reach their audiences but entertain them along the way. And now, with the rise of AI-powered creativity, platforms are leveraging machine learning to create dynamic, real-time content, where ads feel less intrusive and more integrated into the consumer’s journey.

Retail media – the new playground for marketers

If adtech is taking the lead in creativity, retail media is powering the engine behind the scenes. Once considered the new kid on the block, retail media is now central to many marketers’ strategies, connecting content directly to commerce like never before.

As more brands embrace the shift from traditional advertising to full-funnel retail media strategies, the question is no longer whether retail media is relevant, but how to scale it effectively. The buzz around retail media was loud and clear: it’s growing beyond traditional retail channels and expanding into new, offsite ecosystems.

Tim Crouch, vice-president of strategic partnerships at Rokt, pointed out: “The transaction moment is where brands are able to put in front of the customer the right offer at the right time to make sure that it’s a better user experience, and it’s going to drive more value for both the customer and the brand. This is a very engaging time for an advertiser to put a new offer in front of a customer who’s in that buying mindset.”

For marketers, this means the ability to tap into the purchase journey when customers are most engaged. Retail media isn’t just about getting products in front of shoppers. It’s about crafting a fully connected ecosystem that spans multiple touchpoints – from in-store to social to CTV – allowing brands to meet consumers wherever they are. Real-time relevance will help brands close the loop between content and commerce, ensuring that each touchpoint is optimized for maximum impact.

AI – the turbocharger for adtech

AI has been a buzzword for years, but if Dmexco and most industry events this year are anything to go by, it’s no longer just a nice-to-have. It’s the turbocharger that’s powering everything from creative, targeting, personalization and now disinformation detection – a critical role in making campaigns safer and more trustworthy.

“This is really important for brands as part of an integrated brand safety strategy,” said Khurrum Malik, chief marketing officer of Integral Ad Science (IAS). “By 2026, 90% of the content online could be machine generated. IAS is using AI to fight that AI fire. Our frame-by-frame AI analysis allows us to identify video content and determine if it’s brand safe or not.”

But it’s not just about keeping ads safe; it’s about making them smarter. Brands are now using AI to deliver hyper-relevant experiences in real time, creating personalized ads that feel less like ads and more like genuine recommendations – an evolution that’s helping brands cut through the digital clutter and deliver more meaningful interactions.

Privacy-first strategies – the fuel for trust

In such a fast-moving digital world, where data privacy is the new frontier, marketers are shifting gears to stay compliant while still driving innovation. That leads us to the concept of privacy-led marketing, described by Adelina Peltea, chief marketing officer at Usercentrics, as “a new way of doing marketing” and strategic advantage for brands.

“Everyone wants to know what's happening with their data,” she said. “User centricity is not just about design UX, it’s literally putting the user in the middle, caring about who they are, their data, their preferences, respecting that, using it in the right contexts and giving them value for that at the right time. I think we all need to question; do we use all the data that we have gathered?”

As privacy regulations like GDPR and the Digital Markets Act continue to shape the global landscape, brands that lead with transparency and respect for user consent are not only staying compliant but gaining a competitive edge.

The shift from data gold rush to permission-based marketing is putting marketers back in the driver’s seat when it comes to fostering deeper relationships with their audiences. As brands move away from third-party data, focusing on zero-party and first-party data strategies is the key to navigating this privacy-driven future.

What’s clear from Dmexco 2024, the road from communication to commerce is speeding ahead. From AI-driven personalization to the expansion of retail media into new channels, the future is all about delivering smarter, more seamless experiences that connect communications directly to commerce.

Check out The Drum’s ‘Comms to commerce’ video above and catch our special predictions segment on what’s next for adtech in ‘The Dodgem Dash’.