Taide Guajardo, Senior Vice-President Brand, Europe, Procter & Gamble and Alexis Marcombe, Managing Director, Carrefour Links are among the first speakers to be announced for IAB Europe’s flagship Digital Advertising and Marketing Conference, Interact.
IAB Europe has announced the first confirmed speakers for its flagship annual event Interact 2023. In partnership with IAB Spain the latest edition of Interact will take place on the 23rd - 24th May in Madrid, Spain. Leading European advertisers, industry experts, agencies & media owners will gather to inspire and share best practices on the hottest digital advertising topics of today.
Over the two days, speakers from Axel Springer, Carrefour Links, Google, Integral Ad Science, Magnite, Microsoft Advertising, Meta, P&G, PMX Global (Piblicis Groupe), Samsung Ads,Teads and many more will take to the stage to address Innovation, Sustainability and Growth, as the industry looks to become privacy first, tackle sustainability, and drive growth through innovation in the digital advertising.
Taide Guajardo, Senior Vice-President Brand, Europe, Procter & Gamble, will take to the stage on Day one to share how P&G is advancing and leading key marketing innovations and driving sustainable solutions in Europe and beyond. Gujardo has over three decades of experience working in marketing for P&G where she leads a team of over 1,300 talented marketers and partner agencies across 49 countries, investing amongst the top advertising spenders in Europe.
Alexis Marcombe, Managing Director, Carrefour Links will also take to the stage on day one to discuss how as a leading Retailer in Europe they are advancing the Retail Media phenomenon Globally. With over 10 years of experience working in digital sales, Marcombe runs the digital sales house of Carrefour in 9 countries to develop its retail services and to improve the ability for its partners to leverage its data through an omnichannel precision marketing approach.
The two-day conference will consist of keynote speeches and panel discussions from outstanding industry experts, agency representatives and publishers who will share their experiences, inspirations and solutions on the Interact conference stage.
Join to hear from the following speakers and more:
Alexis Marcombe, Managing Director, Carrefour Links
Michelle Perelman, Standards & Partnerships Director, PMX Global (Publicis Groupe)
For more information on Interact 2023 and to view the first line up speakers, please visit the event website here.
Registration for the event is available here. Tickets are selling quickly so secure your place today!
Opportunity to Get Your Work recognised at a Pan-European Level
IAB Europe will also celebrate the winners of our annual MIXX and Research Awards at Interact during the Gala Dinner on the evening of 23rd of May. The awards offer a unique opportunity to gain pan-European exposure in front of industry leaders. Find out more about both competitions and enter here.
IAB Europe is pleased to announce the election of Arthur Millet, Director General, Alliance Digitale (IAB France) as the new Chair and Steffen Hubert, Associate Director & Sustainability Lead, ProSiebenSat.1 as the Vice-Chair of the Sustainability Standards Committee. The committee elected Arthur and Steffen in the most recent meeting on 8th March 2023. In their newly appointed roles, they will lead the new committee’s work to help reduce the amount of energy consumed and emissions produced by the delivery of digital advertising and will focus on the demand for ESG standards for the industry.
Representing IAB France, Arthur has extensive digital advertising experience and has been actively involved in the sustainability agenda for several years. Even more so since the French government published a new "Climate and Resilience Law” in August 2021, which obliges the advertising sector to respond to the challenges of the climate transition. Commenting on his newly appointed role and vision for the committee, Arthur said “I am grateful to be elected and trusted by fellow members to Chair the new Sustainability Standards Committee. The climate crisis is now impossible to ignore and with new and upcoming regulations coming into action it is imperative that the digital advertising industry acts to tackle key issues of sustainability. For over a year, IAB France has been working collectively with our members and other trade bodies to produce a common measurement framework, and I’m excited to bring this experience to the committee. We have a vital role to play as a committee and I look forward to working closely and collaboratively with the diverse members of this group to ensure we deliver key and valuable outputs that help to reduce the overall impact our industry has on the planet.”
Steffen Hubert represents the Seven.One Entertainment Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, and also brings great knowledge on the topic of Sustainability, having led and evolved ProSiebenSat.1´s well-established Corporate Sustainability Strategy into the digital advertising side of the business. Sharing how he will support Arthur in his role and the work of the committee, Steffen commented, “If the interfaces of the digital advertising industry are to meet high ecological, but also social and societal demands, there is still a lot of discussion and exchange required between all market participants. With the background of several years to accompany the sustainable transformation of a large publisher, I am well aware of many of the small hurdles and Gordian knots that need to be overcome. I am very grateful to be elected Vice Chair and looking forward to contributing my experience and to openly debating solutions.”
The Sustainability Standards Committee is a multi-stakeholder group that aims to bring the industry together to create new standards for the delivery of sustainable digital advertising. Both are active members of the Sustainability Standards Committee. Now, as Chair and Vice-Chair, they will help drive the agenda and create connections that enable all committee members to contribute their knowledge and expertise.
Information on the committee can be found here. For any members of IAB Europe that would like to get involved in the committee, please contact Lauren Wakefield – wakefield@iabeurope.eu
About Arthur Millet, Director General, Alliance Digitale (IAB France)
Arthur Millet is an expert in digital advertising. Since the early 2000s, Arthur Millet has mainly worked in the media world. He was notably the Director of Digital Advertising at Le Monde and for Amaury Media Group, and Managing Director of La Place Media, before becoming Director of Operations at Realytics (RTL Adconnect). He joined IAB France at the beginning of 2022 to take over the general management.
About Steffen Hubert, Associate Director & Sustainability Lead, ProSiebenSat.1
Steffen Hubert has spent his entire professional career in various facets of communication. The spectrum ranges from own copywriting & editing to political communication, to comprehensive media responsibility in the spirits industry, to the Seven.One Entertainment Group, where he has been employed for six years and has been anticipating the sustainability concerns and demands of the advertising market and translating them into business for years now.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - 15 March 2023: IAB Europe confirmed today that the APD has voluntarily suspended the six-month implementation period of IAB Europe’s action plan.
IAB Europe’s action plan was unexpectedly validated by the APD on 11 January 2023, with a six-month deadline for implementation (11 July 2023). The validation occurred while outstanding points are being examined by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), further to IAB Europe’s appeal against the APD decision of February 2022 before the Belgian Market Court.
As a result, IAB Europe lodged a second appeal before the Belgian Market Court against the APD decision to validate the action plan and requested interim measures. This formal challenge turned out to be indispensable to prevent the APD from preempting the CJEU’s response and avoid implementation of changes to the TCF that may need to be rolled back when the CJEU’s ruling is rendered.
IAB Europe is pleased to confirm that the APD has decided as a result of IAB Europe’s appeal to suspend voluntarily the implementation period of the action plan. The Belgian Market Court’s ruling on this second appeal is expected at the end of Q2 or beginning of Q3 2023. If it then upholds the APD’s validation decision of January 2023, despite the fact that this validation decision was taken while the appeal against the February 2022 is pending, the implementation period will resume at that time. This would postpone the deadline for implementation to Q4 2023 instead of 11 July 2023.
“The APD’s validation of the action plan was a welcome confirmation of the legality of the TCF, but its timing had raised legitimate concerns,” noted Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO, “many organisations in the sector have shared their surprise that the APD imposed a deadline for implementation despite the referral of key questions to the European Court of Justice.”
“Given the impact of that referral on the foundations of the APD’s decision of last year, and by extension on the action plan, that deadline in practice could have robbed the referral of its utility,” continued Feehan. “The voluntary suspension by the APD of the implementation of the action plan will enable the release of sustainable improvements to the TCF pending the decision of the Belgian Market Court.”
As the deadline of 11 July 2023 ceases to apply, IAB Europe will move forward with various iterations to the TCF that are less directly impacted by the CJEU procedure, including some that could not be contemplated in the allocated time. More information regarding such iterations and their timing will be provided at a later stage, so as to enable TCF participants to prepare for them.
An updated FAQ regarding the TCF can be found on IAB Europe’s website, here.
Back by popular demand! We are excited to announce the opportunity to purchase Interact 2023 tickets and submit entries for the MIXX Awards Europe & IAB Europe Research Awards at a discounted rate has been extended to Friday 17th March. Check out the details below and secure your discount today.
About Interact 2023
Meet leading European advertisers, industry experts, agencies & media owners on 23rd-24th May in Madrid, Spain for Interact 2023. In partnership with IAB Spain, we will be hosting two days of unmissable keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, as we focus on ‘Innovation, Sustainability & Growth,’.
A must-attend event for everyone in the digital advertising and marketing industry, it’s the perfect place to meet, discuss and debate the most pressing topics in our industry today.
Key topics on this year’s agenda include, but are not limited to:
Plus we have some fantastic speakers lined up too, so keep your eyes peeled for more details on that coming soon.
Find out more about Interact 2023 here and get your Early Bird tickets here.
About MIXX Awards Europe & IAB Europe Research Awards
On the evening of 23rd May, we will also reveal the winners of our MIXX Awards Europe and IAB Europe Research Awards. Both are open and accepting entries from talented and hard-working teams that have created some of the best digital campaigns and research projects in Europe.
This year, we are excited to introduce a new Outstanding Contribution Award, dedicated to a team or an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the digital advertising industry over the last 12 months, along with new Retail Media and Sustainability categories.
If you think you’ve got what it takes, why not take advantage of the early bird discount rate to enter?
For more information on the awards and to make the most of the early bird offer, submit your entries here for MIXX Awards Europe and here for Research Awards.
Once a fairly niche topic in the world of digital advertising, sustainability has, in recent years, moved up the agenda to become one of the most talked-about topics in our industry today. As an industry, we have become increasingly aware of our impact on the environment and the responsibility we have to be more sustainable to help tackle the shared problem of the climate crisis.
But before we can start to drive real change, we need to be clear on what we mean by sustainable digital advertising when it comes to the supply chain. Whilst there is a lot of key work being done at a local level, right now, the industry lacks a clear and consistent overall European and Global definition of what the delivery of sustainable digital advertising actually means. And if we are to create valuable work and make meaningful change, we must have a common definition and language in place.
As such, IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee has worked together to establish a definition for Sustainable Digital Advertising, as outlined below. This definition forms the basis of the key work and road map that the committee is working on.
Definition of Sustainable Digital Advertising
Sustainable digital advertising refers to the practice of using digital marketing and advertising techniques and technologies in a way that mitigates the negative impact on the environment and society, whilst also being economically viable.
This includes the digital supply chain, and the technologies used to deliver the ad from the agency or advertisers system to the end user’s screen, and covers the three pillars of sustainability. This does not encompass the creative production process, advertised emissions, or activities outside of this scope.
Environmental Sustainability in Digital Advertising [Updated 29th February 2024]
Environmental sustainability in digital advertising refers to the adoption of actions and strategies by digital advertising stakeholders to reduce and ultimately minimise the aggregated negative environmental impact of business activity across the digital advertising value chain. First by reducing the environmental impacts resulting from the lifecycle of IT resources associated with the delivery of digital ads, including but not limited to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and their effect on the climate emergency, and finally through investment in decarbonisation efforts and voluntary contribution to positive environmental initiatives where reduction is not possible.
Social Sustainability in Digital Advertising
Social sustainability in digital advertising refers to the impact that the industry has on people and communities. This includes, but is not limited to, employment, diversity and inclusion, data privacy and ethics, brand and browsing safety, online veracity of information, and fraud and transparency, meaning that organisations consider the impact of their actions, products, and services on the wider society and not just on customers and suppliers.
Economic Sustainability in Digital Advertising
Economic sustainability in digital advertising refers to the ability of a company or industry to generate profits, and support itself, its employees, and its community financially over the long term. It can be impacted by factors such as the cost of delivering digital ads, the efficiency of operations, and the level of demand for digital advertising services.
It is important for companies to align their sustainability practices with the CSRD, which requires a growing number of companies to report on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance.
By considering all three pillars of sustainability [environmental, social, economic] digital advertising companies and individuals can make choices that address the need for immediate action to tackle the climate crisis, whilst considering the needs of the future. In doing so organisations will help to ensure the long-term health and prosperity of the industry and the communities it serves.
The IAB Europe Sustainability Standards Committee recognises the great work being done across all sectors of our industry to drive the sustainability agenda and is actively engaged with other key initiatives such as IAB Tech Lab and Ad Net Zero. The committee work track is also open to input and guidance to ensure outputs are progressed with success. You can find more information on the committee and how you can get involved below.
About IAB Europe Sustainability Standards Committee
IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee was formed in October 2022 with the primary focus of bringing the industry together to create standards for the delivery of digital advertising and to help all industry participants to reduce the amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions produced through the use of digital media.
The committee is open to all IAB Europe members, including corporate companies and National IABs from across Europe.
For more information and to join the committee please email communication@iabeurope.eu
Last week, we heard the devastating news that two deadly earthquakes, of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6, respectively, took over 6,400 multi-story buildings to the ground in both Turkey and neighbouring Syria, causing mass destruction and huge loss of life.
The latest figures show that across the two Nations over 33,000 fatalities have been reported, with that figure growing on a daily basis. In light of this, the Turkish Government has declared a state of emergency and a level 4 alert issuing an appeal to the international community to rush aid to help.
IAB Europe wishes to show support for all those affected, and share solidarity with our colleagues at IAB Turkey who have called upon our International IAB community and their corporate members to support in any way possible.
If you would like to send financial support, please consider the following two state-approved organisations that are coordinating aid in the affected area:
Your generosity can make a huge difference in the lives of those impacted by this tragedy.
IAB Turkey has asked if those making donations could please kindly inform them at iab@iabtr.org, so that they can acknowledge any donors.
Thank you in advance for your kind consideration and support.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - 10th February 2023: IAB Europe confirmed today that it has lodged a formal request for interim measures with the Belgian Market Court in the Transparency and Consent (TCF) case. This follows the decision by the Belgian Data Protection Authority (APD) to validate the action plan, submitted by IAB Europe on 1st April 2022 as one of the obligations under the Authority’s February 2022 decision.
This validation was unexpectedly announced on 11th January 2023, while outstanding points are being examined by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), further to a referral by the Belgian Market Court in September 2022. In that same judgement, the Belgian Market court held that the APD was in breach of its duty of care, which taints the February 2022 decision by the APD.
The six-month deadline to implement the plan is 11th July 2023, a date by which the CJEU will not have rendered its judgement. For this reason, while it moves forward with various iterations to the TCF that are less directly impacted by the CJEU procedure, IAB Europe is seeking interim measures to prevent the APD from enforcing the execution of changes to the TCF that may need to be rolled back when the CJEU’s ruling is rendered. This formal request turned out to be indispensable as the APD has not shown any clear willingness to engage in dialogue with IAB Europe following its decision, and seems unlikely to provide guidance between now and 11th July 2023.
"If the European Court finds that IAB Europe is not a (joint) data controller and/or the TC String is not personal data, the steps taken in the action plan that are premised on these findings - steps that will need to be taken by vendors, CMPs and thousands of publishers, in addition to IAB Europe - will have to be rolled back,” noted Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO. "Companies will have wasted resources and made changes to their business practices, while consumers will be negatively impacted and misled through multiple adjustments."
“The APD’s approval of the action plan in its entirety is an important and welcome confirmation of the legality of the TCF. IAB Europe is moving ahead with positive changes to the TCF that are less impacted by the referral to the CJEU,” continued Feehan. “Pursuing interim measures will allow a serene completion of the remaining legal proceedings on the points that are significantly impacted."
An updated FAQ regarding the TCF can be found on IAB Europe’s website, here.
Europe’s Greatest Digital Minds to Gather at IAB Europe’s Flagship Conference: Interact 2023
On 23-24 May in Madrid, Spain, one of Europe’s most important and highly regarded digital advertising and marketing conferences will take place. The theme of the 16th edition of Interact 2023 is: Innovation, Sustainability & Growth.
Interact is an annual event hosted by IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem. The event attracts industry experts and influential representatives from Europe’s leading advertising agencies, media owners, ad technology and brands. This year, in partnership with IAB Spain, the event will be held, once more, in Madrid.
The two-day conference will bring industry leading experts together to discuss and debate how we become privacy first, tackle sustainability and drive growth through innovation in the digital advertising industry.
“Each year, Interact brings our large and diverse network together to assess emerging trends, exchange best practice, and define the industry agenda for the ensuing 12-18 months”, “We are delighted to co-host the event with IAB Spain in Madrid again this year, welcoming visitors from across Europe and beyond to discuss and debate the hottest topics in digital advertising today”. Townsend Feehan, CEO, IAB Europe.
Participants are invited to join Interact 2023 with Early Bird tickets now available until 10th March.
MIXX Awards Europe & IAB Europe Research Awards Now Open
The winners of the prestigious MIXX Awards Europe and IAB Europe Research Awards will also be presented at the conference. The MIXX Awards recognise and celebrate the best digital advertising campaigns in Europe whilst The IAB Europe Research Awards identify and showcase the very best in digital research projects across Europe.
There are a wide range of categories available in each Programme including new Retail Media and Sustainability Campaign categories. Additionally, this year the MIXX Awards Europe will celebrate a new Outstanding Contribution Award. This award is for a team or an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the digital advertising industry over the last 12 months.
Both competitions are now open and full details including how to enter can be found here for MIXX Awards Europe and here for Research Awards.
Tickets for Interact 2023 are available now. Visit www.stg-iabeurope-iabeuropeold.kinsta.cloud/interact for full conference details.
Sustainability is one of the top three challenges for digital advertising businesses
51% of digital advertising businesses don’t currently measure the emissions produced by the delivery of digital ads
Brussels, Belgium, 2nd February 2023 - IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem, today announced the results of its new ‘State of Readiness - Sustainability in Digital Advertising’ Report. The survey received 256 respondents from across 29 European markets and shares key insights on how far the digital advertising industry is progressing on its journey towards the delivery of sustainable digital advertising.
Sustainability is now a key focus for the digital advertising industry. Last year, it was estimated that a typical ad campaign emitted around 5.4 tons of CO2, with a programmatic ad impression producing around one gram of CO2 emissions. When the number of ad impressions transacted on a regular basis multiplies over time, it is easy to see how this has become an imperative problem for the industry.
In order to gain insight into how the digital advertising industry is tackling sustainability and what measures individual companies have in place, IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee developed the State of Readiness – Sustainability in Digital Advertising survey. The survey attracted 256 respondents from across the digital advertising ecosystem with the vast majority coming from Ad Tech, Agency, and Publisher businesses, as well as Advertisers.
Key Findings:
Commenting on the findings, Laura Wade, Head of Sustainability at EssenceMediacomX said “With 55% of respondents ‘having started’ or ‘made significant progress’ with their own carbon reduction efforts, I am hopeful this indicates that 2023 is the tipping point for sustainable digital practices to become embedded into the mainstream. However, the report also highlights that we need to focus on education and collaboration to turn this into a reality. I believe we need to act quickly and commit fully, to realise the commercial opportunity that decarbonisation and sustainable innovation unlocks.”
IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee which comprises over 40 European and Global organisations is using the survey findings to help shape its 2023 work plan.
Commenting on the core focus, Andrew Hayward-Wright, IAB Europe’s Programmatic & Sustainability Advisor said, “It is clear from the results that a combination of measurement, standards, and solutions will be key to driving sustainability in digital advertising forward. This year, IAB Europe will focus on delivering standardisation of reporting whilst supporting the industry as it navigates the complex European regulatory environment of sustainability."
Adding to the work being conducted by the Committee, Steffen Johann Hubert, Associate Director & Lead Sustainability, Seven.One Media said, “Sustainability is indispensable for today's and all future generations. Therefore we are pleased to be able to support the development of IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee. The challenge of reconciling the diverse sustainability requirements of regulations, investors, competitors, advertisers, employees, and consumers is enormous and will demand a lot from all market participants. Addressing a common understanding of the challenge via IAB Europe can form an important basis.”
Alongside the work of the Sustainability Standards Committee, IAB Europe has also set up a dedicated Working Group for European National IABs who are currently working together on a joint action plan and charter to show the industry’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, which will be released in the next few weeks.
The full report with accompanying graphs can be downloaded from IAB Europe’s website HERE.
Notes to Editors
About IAB Europe
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Through its membership of media, technology and marketing companies and national IABs, its mission is to lead political representation and promote industry collaboration to deliver frameworks, standards and industry programmes that enable business to thrive in the European market.
About IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee
IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee was formed in October 2022 with the primary focus of bringing the industry together to create standards for the delivery of digital advertising and to help all industry participants to reduce the amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions produced through the use of digital media.
As part of IAB Europe’s key focus on topics of corporate responsibility in the digital advertising industry, The Programmatic Trading Committee has set up a mini-series to discuss diversity and inclusion in 2022. The latest blog post dives into the theme of partnerships in digital advertising.
In this blog, our contributors explore the biggest challenges when it comes to digital advertising partnerships, they look at what has worked well and what more can be done to ensure diversity and inclusion under this umbrella.
A Q&A with:
Phil Tolliday, VP Marketing Science, EMEA, Xaxis
Sara Vincent, Managing Director, UK & IE, Index Exchange
Shez Iqbal, Director of Publisher Partnerships, Criteo
Q1. In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges when you think about diversity and inclusion in digital advertising partnerships today?
Phil - “We need to put huge effort into unpicking systemic bad practices.
Whether it's renaming the use of terms like Blacklists, or blindly repeatedly using the same content block lists without revision; inadvertently denying diversely owned publications and creators ad revenue.
Lazy practices like these need overhauling through active management, training, and education across a variety of disciplines, otherwise, the endemic problems travel with individuals from company to company as careers are progressed across the industry.
At Xaxis and in wider GroupM, we aim to equip managers and business leaders with the education they need to truly understand the disparity and ultimately make them accountable for progress towards our need to reflect the diversity of society in the people that we employ.”
Sara - “An important Cannes Bias and Inclusion report highlights how, while characters of colour are well-represented at the Cannes Lions winning ads (38%)--a significant improvement since 2006–huge gaps remain, such as LGBTIQ+ characters being virtually nonexistent (1.8%). It showcases how systemic the issue is, but also how crucial representation in advertising is for influencing diversity in the culture at large.
Through the positioning and prioritising of these advertisements both in display and omni formats, digital advertising can play a crucial role in helping change this representation. Strategic partnerships and private marketplaces have exploded in recent years in digital advertising–and with good reason, as they strengthen human relationships while promising cost savings. But cost efficiency can't be the only metric of success and reason for building these partnerships. Rather, companies should prioritise partnerships with organisations that take diversity pledges seriously in order to ensure that advertisements appearing–across all digital channels–accurately reflect the diverse worlds we live in.”
Shez - “D&I is not just focused on one action or program, it is an ongoing effort to change historical standards that have been in place over many years.
To add some context, the All-In survey from the Advertising Association found that non-white representation in London (17%) is still a long way off the general London population (38%). Furthermore, nearly a third of Black respondents and over a quarter of Asian respondents report that they are likely to leave the industry due to a lack of inclusion and/or discrimination experienced.
Helping the situation requires a mindset and behavioural change that challenges some of the systemic structures that exist throughout the digital advertising ecosystem. For instance, the industry needs to deliver a larger piece of the pie to publishers catering for diverse audiences.
At Criteo we are making a conscious effort to use more inclusive language with our tools. Keyword and publisher exclusion lists are a constant battle, with the continued effort not to throw the baby out with the bathwater each time a significant news event occurs.
There’s also the challenge of accountability for driving and sustaining improvement in diversity and inclusion. I think brands have it tough in this regard. Representation within advertising receives a mixed reception and I’m pleased to see brands are riding out the negative commentary and sticking to their values.”
Q2. Are you aware of how your partners recruit, support, and develop diverse talent? Have you seen any examples where this has worked well?
Phil - “I’m not aware of specific recruitment policies but at Xaxis we aim for roles to be both equitable and attainable; equality is the goal, equity is how we get there.
In the wider industry, many businesses still mandate that entry-level roles require a degree. That immediately rules out certain backgrounds, which then also establishes an elitist stigma that the industry is hard to break into.
The upshot of this is that more talent needs to be recruited through alternative pools that have not been traditionally prioritised.
A significantly noticeable increase in the last five years has been through the public support shown.
Many Xaxis partners show support through events and panels, all the way through to representation through their products. Google stands out in this regard with its excellent ‘I Am Remarkable’ initiative. This aims to empower women and other underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond.
This is also true in broader GroupM. A recent example that stands out for me is Channel 4's ‘Black to Front’ initiative with its efforts to improve Black representation on-screen and more widely in the TV industry.
But this is also culturally innate for Channel 4 - it would be good to see similar efforts from those without the same mandate”
Shez - “There is certainly more focus on the attraction, development, and internal support mechanisms across the industry towards under-represented and diverse talent pools. We’ve had a number of partners ask us about our DEI initiatives, including one large and reputable retailer. We were rightly grilled about our policies during the RFP process and we’re expecting this to be the norm. I should add, we won that RFP.”
Q3. Are D&I objectives incorporated into briefs you share with your partners or that your partners share with you? What more do you think can be done to encourage/adopt this?
Phil - “A great example in GroupM is that inclusivity is systemically built into Mindshare's Orchestration System, the Good Growth System. This is available to all employees worldwide.
It replicates the entire planning process in a digital environment to break down silos and encourage collaboration.
At every stage of the process, there are prompts to reflect and consider diversity in planning to overcome any biases, investigate inclusive innovation and outline inclusive investment plans.
It also holds all resources in one place for easy access at each stage, including a partnership with the Diversity Standards Collective.”
Shez - “We have built DEI focussed deals and curated marketplaces to help brands and agencies target inventory based on context. We are also currently working on a pilot in the US across our supply and publisher partnerships team to build an offering that supports incentives for black-owned partnerships.
Of course, I’d always like to see more. As experts on their audiences, publishers can be a fantastic help to brands unsure of how to bring their ideas to market when they’re in the planning stages. Sam Ajilore, the founder of That Grape Juice, a premier Urban Pop Culture website, told me he has yet to be approached by a brand looking for his consultation on how to engage his readership.”
Q4. What are the biggest opportunities available today for more diversity in digital advertising partnerships?
Phil -
In a more direct and practical sense, there are areas of governance that can be elevated more directly to the agencies and publishers;
Sara - “Collaboration is crucial to start seeing real industry transformation. Cross-industry initiatives–like the BRiM, devoted to improving the representation of Black people in marketing in the UK–can deliver frameworks and focus areas that might be less of a priority for individual companies. Meanwhile, industry bodies like the IAB offer platforms to highlight achievements in the industry to inspire other organisations. Partnering with these industry bodies will help to build a culture of change that will help make the industry more diverse, with the sort of coordination and encouragement that will also ultimately ensure that those changes are lasting.”
Shez - “The biggest opportunity as we see is elevating the voices and visibility of people that are generally under-represented. There is a significant benefit to reflecting the diversity of the populations and the markets we engage in; McKinsey research proves outputs are 35% higher on average among businesses that embrace diversity in the decision-making process. Through this, our industry has opportunities to become more creative and reflective of society in general.
Pharmaceutical companies are something of a benchmark here. They’re acutely aware of the discrepancies in healthcare provision and as such depend on building teams able to speak for each key audience. Whether it's the specialised hair and skin requirements or something universally relevant like common cold remedies, representation is woven into every creative.
As we look at our brand at a consumer level, our priority is to connect with our audiences, and this isn’t just about ticking a ‘diversity box’, it is about supporting a companywide ecosystem where we are aligned with the values of the partnerships we engage with.”
Online retailers and digital marketers look forward to the E-commerce Berlin Expo every year. This conference, which takes place every winter in the German capital, offers insights into the latest trends and technologies shaping our online world.
E-Commerce Berlin is thrilled to announce its first speakers today! For e-commerce enthusiasts everywhere, this is exciting news, as it means we're getting closer to the event.
About E-commerce Berlin Expo
A leading international e-commerce conference, E-commerce Berlin Expo is a gathering of digital leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs. The event will take place on the 23rd of February 2023 at STATION-Berlin. They have an impressive line-up of speakers from around Europe who are leading experts in their respective fields - so you can expect some fascinating insights.
What is the process for selecting our speakers?
They always seek speakers with considerable expertise in their fields, but at the same time - they must be dynamic and innovative. It is their goal to create a conference that goes beyond regular e-commerce strategies and discusses new technologies and future trends as well.
Attendees are always the focus of its efforts.
#1 Call for Papers winners
The first group of speakers announced for the E-commerce Berlin Expo 2023 are the winners of the Call for Papers. This is an annual event that invites e-commerce experts from all over the industry to submit their proposals for talks. Public voting, and then a panel of judges, decide which proposals are the most interesting and insightful, and these are the talks that get selected for the event. This year, there were over 500 submissions, and the judges had a tough time narrowing it down to the final selection. But they've done it, and we're very excited to announce the following talks as part of the E-commerce Berlin Expo 2023:
#2 Regular Presentation Slots
Every single year, they invite a wide range of speakers to cover the latest trends and developments within their specialist areas. These regular presentation slots form an essential part of the E-commerce Berlin Expo and help ensure that attendees gain actionable insights that they can take away and apply to their own businesses.
Some of the topics that will be covered in these regular presentation slots include:
#3 Keynote Speakers
Several keynote speakers will grace the stage next year. Among them, you’ll find:
We cannot wait!
More speakers to come - stay tuned!
We hope you enjoy this sneak peek of the E-commerce Berlin Expo 2023. Keep an eye out for updates in the coming weeks regarding more speakers and sessions. It's going to be so much fun seeing you there!
If you want to be up to date with the latest news, trends, and tricks for e-commerce in 2023 and beyond, you simply need to be there.
In addition, attendees can visit the booths and speak with many great exhibitors during the EBE 2023. To name a few, you can have your choice of ChannelAdvisor, Tradebyte, Nexi Group, Empactcom, felix1, Smarketer, Checkout.com, Deutsche Post or Shopware. They will be eager to exchange feedback and knowledge, as well as to see new tactics to implement in the world of e-commerce.
The EBE2023 is free to attend. Visitors can register for a ticket here.
Find out more about the E-commerce Berlin Expo 2023.
The E-commerce Germany Awards are back and better than ever! This year, the contest starts on December 1st, so make sure you're prepared. The E-commerce Germany Awards recognise the best of the best in the industry, so it's definitely an honor to be nominated.
If you're not familiar with the contest, it's basically a way to recognize outstanding individuals and businesses in the e-commerce field in Germany. It's a great opportunity to get your name and your business out there, and you might even walk away with an award.
About E-commerce Germany Awards
The E-commerce Germany Awards is a yearly event that recognizes the achievements of e-commerce companies in the German market. The event is designed to serve as a platform for networking and sharing experiences and provides an informal opportunity for clients, competitors, and partners to meet. Additionally, the awards provide recognition for excellence and creativity in the e-commerce field. If you are involved in the e-commerce field, this is an event you don't want to miss!
Who can submit their entry to E-commerce Germany Awards?
Any company which is present & active in the German market and contributes to the e-commerce industry in the DACH region may take part in E-commerce German Awards (EGA) contest. There is no entry fee for taking part in the competition. All you have to do is fill out an online application form before the deadline.
The e-commerce industry caters to everyone, as evidenced by the 12 different categories in the E-commerce Germany Awards:
These Awards recognize excellence in e-commerce activities, from online retail to payments and logistics. Last year's winners include Sendcloud, Stripe, Channable, Bloomreach, Droppery, Ax Semantics, JTL, Storyblok, Link Mobility, Basecom, Everstox, and Xentral.
Stages of the E-commerce Germany Awards
In the first round, the public is invited to vote (via LinkedIn accounts) for their favorite companies in each category. The ten companies with the biggest amount of votes in each category will move on to the second round, where a panel of experts will choose the final winner in each of the twelve categories. This year's award is sure to be hotly contested, and it will be interesting to see which companies come out on top.
The award ceremony is a major event on the e-commerce calendar. This year, the awards will be given to companies with the highest total number of points from the public and jury voting combined. The Award Ceremony and Networking Party will take place on 22.02.2023 in Berlin, and it promises to be a night to remember. So mark the date in your diary and make sure you're there to celebrate the success of the winners.
The jury of the E-commerce Germany Awards
The E-commerce Germany Awards are given out annually to honor excellence in the field of online retail. This year's jury is composed of industry leaders and experts from various companies, including BASF, Google, Zalando, HUGO BOSS AG, Meta, Mercedes-Benz, Infosys, and TUI. With such a diverse group of judges, the awards are sure to reflect the best of what the e-commerce industry has to offer. So be sure to keep an eye out for the winners when the awards are announced early next year.
Why should you submit your company to the E-commerce Germany Awards?
Being awarded as the best in e-commerce can help your company in several ways. Awarded companies enjoy additional visibility in their industries. The award can help develop brand awareness with potential clients and competitors. For companies with multiple products or services, an award can create a halo-effect that raises the perception of the company's other offerings. The award can also motivate team members and help an organization become the destination for top talent! Finally, an award can boost a company's bottom line by increasing sales and customers. For all these reasons, it makes sense to submit your company to the E-commerce Germany Awards!
E-commerce Germany Awards submissions are accepted until the 6th of January 2023.
