These days, about two in every three people around the world use some form of mobile phone, and around four in every five of those devices are smartphones. (Source: Digital 2022 July Global Statshot Report) Since the end of 2018, mobile phones have accounted for more than half of the world’s “connected time” – and that share continues to increase. The latest GWI data indicates that mobile phones – previously our second screens – now account for 55.5 percent of the time we spend online, compared with 52 percent in the past year. My personal figure is likely to top 75 percent.

Mobile Internet is the key to smart homes, remote working, and augmented & mixed reality, so you don’t need a crystal ball to understand that it will be the dominant Internet channel in the future. Mobile Internet has also unlocked the rapid growth in advertising revenue from channels such as Instagram and TikTok. Ads now fill the majority of the timeline on these apps and deliver social commerce with no media discontinuity whatsoever.

Now that DMEXCO can finally take place live and in person again in 2022 at the Koelnmesse exhibition center, it is the perfect opportunity for us to discuss the various aspects and angles of this trend. And the prognosis is definitely positive, despite the many challenges that the world is currently facing.

More than 60 percent of advertising investments use digital channels

Back in 2009 – when the first DMEXCO was held in Cologne – the figure for advertising investments using digital channels was just around 17 percent. Fast forward to 2022 and global media networks are forecasting the current figure to be over 60 percent. Mobile display advertising is also expected to grow strongly, driven in particular by a significant increase in mobile video ads. Overall, auditors at PWC are predicting a total revenue of eight billion euros for mobile advertising in Germany in 2025 (source: “German Entertainment & Media Outlook 2020 – 2025”). That is almost double the figure for 2020 (4.4 billion euros). In less than two decades, digital has grabbed most of the advertising pie for itself – and its share is continuing to grow. The quarterly figures for the major platforms continue to look very positive.

Hot topics up for discussion at DMEXCO

 The digital industry is currently facing a whole host of challenges, including the EU’s new regulatory framework (the Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts), the end of third-party cookies, new Web3 technologies, and fluctuating global stock markets, along with increasing discussions about the energy consumption and sustainability of the digital industry (Green IT).

Under this year’s motto #WeProgressTogether DMEXCO is inviting its community to come together in Cologne from 21 to 22 September – not only to discuss progress, but also to help shape it. The conference will be arranged into four distinct worlds: World of Agencies, World of E-Commerce, World of Media, and World of Tech. DMEXCO visitors will be able to experience around 15 star-studded summits within these worlds and on the main stages. For example, the World of E-Commerce will place an emphasis on the topics of direct-to-consumer and social commerce. As for the World of Media, retail media will be one of its focuses, while the Agency Stage will see agency professionals discussing the challenges faced by the creative industry today.

We’re bringing together key figures from the scene for you to listen to, including an array of CMOs from major brands and top managers from leading digital companies. We have already shared the initial lineup of speakers: Sir Martin Sorrell, making his third visit to DMEXCO; Sarah Personette, CCO of Twitter; Dr. Karsten Wildberger, CEO of MediaMarktSaturn; Maurine Alma and Gali Arnon, CMOs of Just Eat takeaway.com and Fiverr respectively; Ashish Prashar, CMO of R/GA; and Claire Valoti, VP EMEA of Snap, to name just a few of the around 600 speakers 

The Mobile Marketing Association will also host two panels on the DMEXCO Media Stage – on 22 September from 10 am to 11 am. The first panel will feature Mark Wächter, Chair of MMA Germany, with guests including famed composer and producer Jean-Michel Jarre talking about “Music in the mobile metaverse”. The second will focus on the topic “Data use in mobile marketing”. Along with these two panels, “mobile” will be also a common thread running throughout DMEXCO this year, so don’t miss your chance to come to Cologne on 21 and 22 September.