DMEXCO Podcast by Verena Gründel

By Verena Gründel - DMEXCOBusiness Marketing

DMEXCO Podcast by Verena Gründel episodes

October 07 Ogilvy-CEO Chris Jungjohann über KI, WPP-Pläne und die Agentur der Zukunft
Wie sieht die
Kreativagentur der Zukunft aus, wenn KI immer mehr Aufgaben übernimmt? Darüber
spricht Verena Gründel mit Chris Jungjohann, CEO der Ogilvy Group Germany. Es
geht um den Umbau von WPP, Metas KI-Offensive und die Frage, welche Rolle
Agenturen künftig noch spielen. Jungjohann erklärt, warum menschliche
Kreativität sogar wertvoller werden könnte, wie Ogilvy KI bereits im Alltag
einsetzt und weshalb Agenturen vor allem eines verkaufen müssen: messbares
Wachstum für ihre Kunden.
Einige Zahlen und
Fakten aus dem Podcast:
·
Seit 2023 führt Chris Jungjohann die Ogilvy
Group Germany.
·
Zur Gruppe gehören fünf Agenturmarken.
·
Die AI-Adoption-Rate innerhalb der Agenturgruppe
liegt laut Jungjohann bei weit über 70 Prozent der Mitarbeitenden.
·
9 von 10 US-Agenturen setzen laut einer im
Podcast genannten Forrester-Erhebung generative KI ein.
·
Rund die Hälfte nutzt demnach Agentic AI zur
Umsetzung von Marketingmaßnahmen.
Eine der großen
Fragen des Gesprächs lautet: Was bleibt eigentlich von einer Kreativagentur
übrig, wenn KI Produktion, Ausspielung und Optimierung von Werbung übernimmt?
Für Jungjohann
ist klar, dass sich die Wertschöpfungskette verschiebt. Repetitive,
produktionslastige und exekutive Aufgaben werden zunehmend durch KI und andere
Technologien ergänzt oder übernommen. Gleichzeitig sieht er darin die Chance
für Kreativagenturen, sich wieder stärker auf ihren eigentlichen Kern zu
konzentrieren: mit Kreativität Businessprobleme zu lösen.
Denn je leichter
Content produziert werden kann, desto mehr Content wird entstehen. Jungjohann
erwartet eine regelrechte Explosion – und damit eine „Sea of Sameness“. Wenn
immer mehr Inhalte nach ähnlichen KI-Logiken entstehen, könnten ungewöhnliche
Ideen, Emotionen und konsequente Markenführung umso wertvoller werden.
Außerdem geht es
im Podcast um folgende Themen:
·
Warum braucht die Ogilvy Group Germany weiterhin
unterschiedliche Agenturmarken?
·
Wie entscheidet die Gruppe, welche Agentur bei
einem Pitch antritt?
·
Welche Rolle spielt Metas KI-Offensive für die
Zukunft von Kreativagenturen?
·
Wohin fließen die Effizienzgewinne, die durch KI
entstehen?
·
Welche Fähigkeiten brauchen Mitarbeitende
künftig in einer Kreativagentur?
·
Wann sollte eine Agentur den Daten widersprechen
und trotzdem dem Bauchgefühl vertrauen?
Jetzt reinhören!
55 min
September 22Dave Dugan from OpenAI on ChatGPT Ads and Reinventing Digital Advertising
In this episode of
the DMEXCO Podcast, host Verena Gründel speaks with Dave Dugan, Head of Global
Ads Solutions at OpenAI, about building an advertising platform for ChatGPT and
launching it across Europe.
Dave explains how
ChatGPT advertising differs from traditional search and social media. Instead
of scrolling or entering a few keywords, users describe their needs,
constraints and intentions in detailed conversations. This context enables
brands to offer relevant recommendations at moments when people are
researching, comparing products or preparing to make a decision.
At the heart of
OpenAI’s approach are three principles: conversational privacy, answer
independence, and user choice and control. Dave discusses how organic answers
remain separate from clearly labeled advertising, why conversational
information is not shared with advertisers and how OpenAI measures user
acceptance.
The conversation also
covers campaign strategy, contextual creative, CPM and CPC models, conversion
signals, catalog integrations and the role of ChatGPT in the marketing funnel.
Dave reveals why B2B and SaaS have emerged as particularly successful categories
and shares a case in which ChatGPT delivered a lower cost per signup than paid
search and paid social.
Further information:
Everything about the ads launch
in Europe

Advertising in ChatGPT

OpenAI for business

See Dave Dugan live
at DMEXCO 2026:
· September 23, 4:10 PM to 4:30 PM
Center Stage, Hall 6
„Beyond Attention: Building the Future of Intelligent
Advertising“ with Dave Dugan and Ulrich Klenke (Chief Brand Officer, Deutsche
Telekom)
· September 24, 11:20 AM to 11:40 AM
Innovation
Stage, Hall 8
„Measuring
the Next Era of Marketing: A Fireside Chat with OpenAI and AppsFlyer“ with Dave
Dugan and Alexia Nakad (General Manager EMEA West, Apps Flyer)
No ticket yet? We got you covered: https://dmexco.com/tickets/
46 min
September 16Omar Piras from Teads on the Traffic Apocalypse and Publisher Survival
This episode is powered by Teads.
How will publishers make money once the pure reach providers deliver less traffic? Omar Piras, Vice President Supply Northern, Central & Eastern Europe at Teads and long-time voice in the ad tech industry, answers exactly that question in conversation with DMEXCO Podcast host Verena Grundel.
A few numbers that stand out:
AI overviews cut referral traffic by 20-30% across Europe
42% of page views now come from internal recirculation - more than search, direct and social combined
Teads' unified auction model delivers an average 10% revenue lift across 25 publishers worldwide
For decades, the publisher playbook was simple: more page views, more ad space, more revenue. That model is breaking down. As Omar explains, simply adding more advertising to compensate for lost traffic often backfires. His answer is a shift in thinking, from optimizing single pages to optimizing the entire user session.
Teads' unified auction lets editorial recirculation compete directly against display ads, native demand and direct campaigns, all valued in real time based on what actually drives revenue. As Omar puts it: "We really believe that publishers in the open web are a very important pillar for our democracy - and we need technology to support that."
Curious how publishers can turn the traffic apocalypse into an opportunity? Press play and find out. And if you want to keep the conversation going in person, come find Teads at DMEXCO on September 23 and 24, 2026, in Cologne: in our World of Tech, Hall 6.1 C029
https://community.dmexco.com/event/dmexco-2026/exhibitor/RXhoaWJpdG9yXzMzODc3Mw==
See Teads on the Masterclass stage:
“Beyond the TV: How Heineken & Teads Mastered CTV HomeScreen to Drive Brand Lift”
With Marc Zander, Chief Client Officer from Teads, and Juliana Magalhães Rocha, Global Media Lead at Heineken
Wednesday, September 23, 3:45 p.m., Masterclass MC6B
32 min
September 09Hyundai-CMO Laura Rathai on How to Grow Brand Value by 72 Percent in 5 Years
How
do you turn a brand that used to stand for a good price into one people
actually desire? Laura Rathai, Vice President Marketing at Hyundai Motor
Europe, answers exactly that question in the new DMEXCO Podcast with Verena
Gründel.
For
years, Hyundai's communication centered almost entirely on the car
itself: features, price, equipment. Then the company made a conscious
decision to talk more about itself as a brand: its origins, its culture, its
purpose.
In
the podcast, Laura describes that shift like this: "Our brand is rooted in
this belief, progress for humanity, human-centric innovation. We moved away
from pure feature communication into making sure people understand what things
actually mean for them."
Alongside
that shift, Hyundai built a large dedicated design team in Europe. The new
Ioniq 3 was designed there from scratch. According to Laura, it's this
consistency between design, purpose and marketing that has done the most to
change how the brand is perceived.
The
podcast also covers the following topics:
How does brand perception
differ across markets like Norway, Italy and France?

What role does Korean pop
culture, from K-pop to K-beauty, play in how Hyundai is seen in Europe?

How is AI-driven search
changing automotive marketing, and how is Hyundai preparing to become part
of AI-generated recommendations?

Out of every 100 marketing
euros, how much should go toward brand building versus performance
marketing?

Why ist Hyundai becoming the
Official Automotive Partner of the UEFA Champions League

Ready
for a fresh perspective on automotive marketing? Grab your headphones and
listen to the new DMEXCO Podcast episode with Laura Rathai and Verena Gründel!
And if you want even more inspiration from the digital industry live: join us
on September 23 and 24, 2026, at DMEXCO in Cologne!
41 min
September 02 10 Things You Need to Know About DMEXCO 2026
DMEXCO 2026 is almost here! In this special episode, Verena Gründel shares the ten things you need to know before heading to Cologne. From “Scaling Intelligence” and the biggest conference highlights to the new World of Commerce, side events and smart networking tips, this is your essential guide to DMEXCO.
 
Plus, Thomas Mosch, Director Conference at DMEXCO, Dirk Freytag, President of BVDW, and Kassenzone founder Alexander Graf reveal what they’re most excited about this year.
 
What's Covered:
1. The motto is a deadline, not decoration Why "Scaling Intelligence" - and not "Scaling Artificial Intelligence" - is this year's theme, and what the PwC CEO survey stat (only 12% of companies grow revenue and cut costs through AI) tells us about where the industry really stands.
2. The basics: When, where, how to get around Dates, venue, opening times, transport, and why the DMEXCO app is essential before you even land in Cologne.
3. Eleven summits, four worlds, one roof: A guide to the four DMEXCO Worlds (Tech, Commerce, Media, Agencies) and the ten summits and stages within them. Plus the Start-Up Area and the new Innovation Stage.
4. Why the two days aren't identical: How Day 1 (technological and structural change) and Day 2 (what it means for brands and marketing leadership) follow a deliberate script, and which topics and stages appear on which day.
5. Conference deep dive with Thomas Mosch: The scale of this year's program, how AI runs through the sessions without a dedicated "AI Summit," and the sessions to watch.
6. World of Commerce deep dive with Alexander Graf: Why commerce, media, and marketing are converging, what's new in the expanded Commerce Summit and Commerce Lounge, and the trends (social commerce vs. agentic commerce) shaping the conversation. Learning Journeys, highlights of the Creativity Summit, the Online Ad Summit, and an insider tip for the show.
8. Side events worth knowing about: Pre-show dinners and parties, booth parties on Day 1, and the legendary night out at Bootshaus.
9. Insider tips for getting the most out of DMEXCO: Practical advice on using the app early, pacing your schedule, stepping outside your usual world, arriving the night before, and leading with questions instead of pitches.
10. A closing thought: A question to carry into Cologne: is your company actually scaling intelligence? Or just scaling expectations?
35 min
July 29 Miele’s Andreas Wieser and Yulia Kalner at Kantar on reinventing German Brands Through Emotion
In this episode,
Verena Gründel is joined by Andreas Wieser, VP Brand Strategy & Customer
Experience at Miele, and Yulia Kalner, Head of Creative and Media Effectiveness
at Kantar.
Together, they
explore why German heritage brands must move beyond engineering excellence and
functional messaging to build emotional connections. They discuss Miele's brand
transformation, the launch of its Outdoor Kitchen category, the role of
creativity and humor, and why emotional differentiation is becoming the key
competitive advantage.
In this episode
of the DMEXCO Podcast, Verena Gründel is joined by Andreas Wieser, VP Brand
Strategy & Customer Experience at Miele, and Yulia Kalner, Head of Creative
and Media Effectiveness at Kantar, to explore why even the world's most
respected heritage brands need to evolve beyond engineering excellence and
product quality.
For decades, German brands have built their reputation on precision,
reliability and functionality. But in an increasingly competitive market, these
strengths alone are no longer enough to create lasting brand preference.
Andreas and Yulia discuss why emotional connection has become one of the most
important drivers of brand growth and how companies can embrace it without
losing the authenticity that made them successful in the first place.
The conversation dives into Miele's ongoing brand transformation, the
launch of its new Outdoor Kitchen category, and the thinking behind a campaign
that deliberately breaks with traditional category conventions. Andreas
explains why Miele chose to evolve from a position of strength rather than
necessity, while Yulia shares insights from Kantar's research on creativity,
advertising effectiveness and the power of emotional differentiation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af1mgSWxvgc
Together, they
discuss why humor deserves a place in premium branding, how emotional
storytelling complements functional excellence, and what marketers can learn
from one of Germany's most iconic brands.
They answer the
following questions:
·
Why have German
brands traditionally relied so heavily on functional communication?
·
How can premium
brands create emotional impact without losing credibility?
·
What role does
humor play in premium advertising?
·
Can entering a
completely new category strengthen an entire brand portfolio?
·
How should
heritage brands balance tradition with transformation?
·
What can
marketers learn from Miele's brand evolution?
A fascinating conversation about brand transformation, creativity,
consumer perception and the future of premium branding.
Listen now! 🎧
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32 min
July 08Criteo-CEO Michael Komasinski on AI Commerce, Commerce Media & ChatGPT Ads
Can AI really transform shopping without taking the joy out of it?
Michael Komasinski, CEO of Criteo, answers exactly this question in the latest DMEXCO Podcast with Verena Gründel. Recorded during the Cannes Lions Festival, the conversation explores how AI is redefining commerce, advertising and customer experiences—and why the future will be driven by relevance rather than automation.
As CEO of Criteo, Michael Komasinski leads one of the world's leading commerce media companies. His focus is on preparing advertisers and retailers for an AI-driven future where commerce, search and discovery increasingly converge.
Four Key Facts from the Conversation:
Criteo started as a DVD recommendation engine more than 20 years.
Around 80% of the traffic generated by paid advertising on ChatGPT currently represents new-to-brand customers.
Michael expects traditional keyword-based shopping experiences to largely disappear within the next two to three years.
Clean product data, not algorithms, is becoming one of the most important competitive advantages for retailers.
While much of the industry is fascinated by autonomous AI agents that could shop entirely on behalf of consumers, Michael Komasinski takes a different view. He believes people will continue to enjoy shopping themselves. AI should support consumers, not replace them.
Instead of fully autonomous purchasing, he expects AI assistants to help users discover products more efficiently, compare options and surface highly relevant recommendations. Retailers will increasingly offer conversational shopping assistants that combine AI with sponsored recommendations, making product discovery easier while creating new advertising opportunities.
As Michael explains:
"People like to shop. Even for mundane products. AI should reduce friction, not remove people from the experience."
Do you want to see Michael Komasinsy live? Come to DMEXCO in Cologne on September 23 and 24. Get your ticket now and see you there!
https://dmexco.com/tickets/
48 min
June 24Niche-Beauty-CEO Nina Pütz über Luxus-Commerce und VIP-Kunden
Wie behandelt man Kund:innen die, fünfstellige Summen für Beauty-Produkte ausgeben?
Diese Frage beantwortet Nina Kristin Pütz, CEO von parfumdreams und Niche Beauty, im DMEXCO Podcast mit Verena Gründel. Gemeinsam sprechen sie über die Besonderheiten des Luxus-Commerce, exklusive Kundenerlebnisse, die Zukunft von Beauty-E-Commerce und darüber, warum Wachstum und Begehrlichkeit oft in einem spannenden Spannungsverhältnis stehen.
Nina Kristin Pütz gehört zu den profiliertesten Managerinnen der deutschen E-Commerce-Branche. In ihrer Karriere hat sie Unternehmen wie eBay, Brands4Friends und Ratepay mitgestaltet und weiterentwickelt.
Heute verantwortet sie mit parfumdreams und Niche Beauty zwei sehr unterschiedliche Unternehmen innerhalb der Douglas-Gruppe. Während parfumdreams auf Reichweite, Sortimentstiefe und internationale Skalierung setzt, steht Niche Beauty für exklusive Marken, kuratierte Produktauswahl und ein besonders hochwertiges Einkaufserlebnis.
Die Herausforderung besteht darin, beide Geschäftsmodelle erfolgreich weiterzuentwickeln und gleichzeitig die jeweilige Markenidentität zu bewahren.
Zahlen, die überraschen
Niche Beauty versendet Produkte in rund 100 Länder weltweit.
Das Unternehmen beschäftigt nur etwas mehr als 40 Mitarbeitende.
Im vergangenen Jahr wurden rund 80 neue Marken ins Sortiment aufgenommen.
Das Loyalty-Programm zählt inzwischen mehr als 70.000 Mitglieder.
Besonders treue Kund:innen geben teilweise hohe fünfstellige Beträge pro Jahr aus.
Besonders spannend sind die Erkenntnisse rund um Loyalität und Kundenbindung. Während viele Händler um Neukund:innen kämpfen, beobachtet Niche Beauty einen anderen Trend: Die wertvollsten Kund:innen werden immer mehr.
Dazu sagt Nina Kristin Pütz:
„Unser VIP-Level, also die Leute, die am meisten ausgeben, das wächst am stärksten. Und weil das so toll wächst, haben wir jetzt vor kurzem auch noch ein neues Premium-Level mit noch einer Stufe drüber gelauncht.“
Diese Entwicklung zeigt, dass Luxus-Kund:innen nicht primär auf Rabatte reagieren. Viel wichtiger sind exklusive Vorteile, besondere Erlebnisse und individuelle Betreuung. Genau deshalb investiert das Unternehmen gezielt in Loyalty-Programme, Events und personalisierte Angebote.
Hör jetzt in die Folge rein und entdecke, wie Luxus, Technologie und E-Commerce zusammenwirken.
+++Early-Bird-Tickets+++ Und wenn du die spannendsten Köpfe der Digitalwirtschaft live erleben möchtest, komm am 23. und 24. September zur DMEXCO nach Köln. Sichere dir jetzt noch dein Ticket zum Early-Bird-Preis. Wir sehen uns dort!
https://dmexco.com/tickets/
43 min
June 09Ebays Zentraleuropa-Chefin Saskia Meier-Andrae über KI-Commerce & Live-Shopping
Wie verändert KI die Art, wie wir künftig einkaufen? Und welche Rolle spielen dabei Live-Shopping, Re-Commerce und Agentic Commerce? Darüber spricht Verena Gründel mit Saskia Meier-Andrae, Vice President and General Manager, eBay Germany & Central Europe.
Die Art, wie Menschen Produkte suchen und entdecken, steht vor einem grundlegenden Wandel. Für Saskia Meier-Andrae ist klar: Die klassischen Filter auf Websites könnten schon bald Geschichte sein.
Statt mühsam Kategorien, Größen und Preise auszuwählen, werden Nutzer künftig in natürlicher Sprache mit intelligenten Systemen interagieren. Die KI kennt Vorlieben, Größen, frühere Käufe und sogar den Inhalt des Kleiderschranks. Produktsuche wird dadurch persönlicher, intuitiver und deutlich komfortabler.
Gleichzeitig entstehen neue Herausforderungen für Händler und Plattformen. Denn wenn KI-Agenten den Einkauf übernehmen, stellt sich eine zentrale Frage: Wer besitzt künftig die Kundenbeziehung?
Besonders spannend ist Saskias Blick auf Live-Commerce. Während viele Menschen dabei sofort an Teleshopping denken, sieht sie darin vielmehr eine Mischung aus Community, Entertainment und Commerce.
Bei eBay stehen nicht austauschbare Massenprodukte im Mittelpunkt, sondern häufig einzigartige Artikel: Luxusuhren, Vintage-Handtaschen, Sammelkarten oder Refurbished-Produkte. Händler präsentieren ihre Ware live, beantworten Fragen der Community und schaffen Vertrauen durch direkte Interaktion.
Ein entscheidender Unterschied zu vielen KI-getriebenen Entwicklungen: Live-Commerce lebt von Menschen.
Spannende Zahlen aus dieser Episode:
Rund 40 Prozent des eBay-Umsatzes stammen bereits aus nicht neuer Ware.
In Asien werden bereits etwa 35 Prozent des E-Commerce-Umsatzes über Live-Commerce generiert.
Der globale Live-Commerce-Markt soll laut Prognosen von 25,6 Milliarden auf 74,5 Milliarden US-Dollar bis 2030 wachsen.
eBay Live ist mittlerweile in sieben Ländern verfügbar.
Der weltweite Außenumsatz von eBay Live hat sich gegenüber dem Vorjahr verachtfacht.
Einzelne Luxusuhren-Verkäufe erzielen in Livestreams Preise von über 90.000 Euro.

Hör jetzt in die Folge rein und entdecke, wie sich das Einkaufen der Zukunft entwickelt.
38 min
May 13Idealo’s CEO Jovan Protić on the Future of Agentic Commerce
Will consumers soon outsource their entire shopping journey to AI agents? Jovan Protić, CEO of Idealo, answers this question in the latest DMEXCO Podcast with Verena Gründel about the future of e-commerce in the age of AI. They discuss agentic commerce, AI-powered shopping assistants, trust in AI purchasing decisions, and why brands matter more than ever in an automated world.
Jovan also shares insights from Silicon Valley, explains Idealo’s vision of becoming an AI-driven platform, and introduces the concept of “Decision Media” as the next evolution of retail media.
Jovan Protić leads one of Europe’s best-known price comparison platforms at a time when AI is rapidly transforming online commerce. Before becoming CEO of Idealo, he spent several months in Silicon Valley studying how artificial intelligence would reshape digital business models.
Those experiences fundamentally changed his leadership style and strategic thinking. Today, he is focused on turning Idealo into an AI-native company while helping consumers navigate an increasingly automated shopping landscape.
Key facts and numbers from the episode
25% of consumers already used GenAI shopping tools in 2025
31% plan to use AI shopping tools in the future
76% of users want clear transparency when AI assistants are involved
71% are concerned about how AI shopping tools use their data
While many industry experts predict a fully automated shopping future, Jovan Protić believes reality will be more nuanced. According to him, there is a critical difference between receiving recommendations and handing over full purchasing control.
“People like shopping. For many consumers, shopping is entertainment. And when money is involved, trust suddenly becomes incredibly important,” he explains.
This is where Idealo sees its future role: not as a faceless backend provider, but as a trusted, branded layer inside AI-driven commerce ecosystems.
Also discussed in this episode:
Will AI agents eventually replace marketplaces?
What can retailers do today to prepare for agentic commerce?
Why will we buy tomatoes through AI agents?
Will price or brand matter more in an AI era?
If you want to understand how AI will reshape shopping, advertising, and digital consumer behavior, this episode is packed with insights, practical examples, and bold predictions.
🎧 Tune into the full episode now.
And if you want to discuss the future of AI, commerce, and digital marketing in person: join us at DMEXCO in Cologne on September 23 and 34.
44 min

About DMEXCO Podcast by Verena Gründel

From the publisher's feed

Where Digital Marketing Minds Meet: The DMEXCO Podcast is your backstage pass to the people shaping the future of digital marketing, media, and commerce. Every two weeks, Verena Gründel, DMEXCO host, Marketing Expert and former Chief Editor, talks to the brightest minds in the industry – from bold agency founders and disruptive CMOs to global C-level executives and change-makers.

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DMEXCO Podcast by Verena Gründel

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