DMEXCO 2025: A Recap

Now that we’ve decompressed from our time in Cologne, we’re looking back at the memorable moments of DMEXCO 2025 and what our team got up to there.

DMEXCO has been running since 2009, bringing together global leaders, innovators, and practitioners to explore the future of marketing, media, and technology. It’s where big ideas meet practical insights, and where partnerships across industries are created.

This year’s event, held September 23–24, gathered thousands of attendees, brands, and thought leaders under one roof. Have a bit of FOMO? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. You can watch the main highlights here.

In this post, we’ll share our top takeaways and share what our team found most exciting about DMEXCO 2025.

Signals

One topic that was front and center? Signals.

For those who aren’t adtech nerds like us, signals are data points and contextual information that publishers can provide to buyers (advertisers, DSPs, SSPs, etc.) in programmatic advertising bid requests.

These signals help advertisers evaluate the value of an impression and helps them decide how much to bid.

Rob Brett, our Director of Business Development, explains:

“The importance of signals was front of mind and a recurring theme in conversations. Publishers and their technology partners are working hard to illuminate the value of their inventory by passing better signals in bid requests. It’s a subject I’ve long campaigned for: publishers, as the primary technology on the page, hold a wealth of first-party data that can be packaged and used to radically improve how they demonstrate value. I’m looking forward to continuing this discussion with more publishers at Beeler.Tech’s Base Camp in Lisbon.”

Stay tuned for our upcoming blog where we’ll explore signals in depth.

Generative AI

Surprise, surprise. Generative AI was one of the hot topics this year at DMEXCO. While previous years focused on AI’s role in digital advertising and marketing operations, this year’s conversations were centered less on what AI can do and more on how to use it to its full potential.

The main discussion was on the role of AI in personalization. Brands and publishers are exploring how AI can make sense of first-party data to deliver more relevant, contextual experiences for consumers, without overstepping privacy boundaries. With its ability to process huge amounts of signals in real time, AI is helping marketers tailor content, messaging, and offers at a scale that was once unimaginable.

At the same time, responsible AI use was a key theme this year. Brands and publishers are thinking carefully about transparency, consent, and avoiding bias, making sure that personalization helps people feel understood, not intruded upon.

Networking

As Andrew Church, our Commercial Director put it,  “DMEXCO was a brilliant opportunity to meet existing partners and foster new relationships, some of which are already starting to grow nicely.”

For the Publisher Collective team, the event was all about connecting with others. We strengthened ties with our current publisher partners while also meeting prospective publishers eager to explore new opportunities. Every conversation, whether with tech providers, innovative brands, or fellow publishers, sparked ideas, opened doors, and reinforced why DMEXCO is such a key event for the digital marketing ecosystem.

‍

Didn’t get a chance to chat with us at DMEXCO? Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or want to explore a partnership opportunity.

‍