Leading the Global Digital Business: dmexco 2011 Breaks All Records!

COLOGNE, GERMANY--(Marketwire - Sep 22, 2011) - A new attendance figure record of over 19,300 trade visitors from all over the world, a sold-out Expo with 440 exhibitors -- around 20% of whom came from abroad, 50% growth in floor space, occupying in total 42,000 m² and over 330 international top speakers with an approx. 120-hour conference program: The dmexco 2011 has announced records in all areas and has thus reinforced its position as the leading digital marketing event worldwide. "The meanwhile third edition of the dmexco in Cologne has clearly demonstrated its central and pioneering significance for the international digital industry and thus perfectly fits into the ranks of the successful events of the Koelnmesse," commented Gerald Böse, Chairman of the Management of the Koelnmesse GmbH. The next edition of the leading international Expo and Conference for Digital Business is scheduled to take place on September 12th and 13th, 2012.

"The dmexco is currently the largest and most influential forum that focuses on digital marketing, mobile, eCommerce, targeting, future trends and the huge economic potential of the digital world. This is where the leading heads of the industry meet up with the world's most inspiring decision-makers of the digital business," summarised Maria Luisa Francoli (MPG) on behalf of the over 19,300 guests from all over the globe and the 440 international exhibitors of the dmexco 2011 that had been sold out weeks in advance. As the worldwide unique combination between an Expo and a Conference, over the past two days the dmexco served once again as the hub of a global growth market, which achieved new superlatives in all areas. The new attendance figure and Expo records quite clearly underline the fact that the dmexco has become the most important meeting place for the industry in Germany, Europe and beyond. Approx. 20% of the dmexco trade visitors travelled to Cologne from all corners of the earth to gain a holistic overview of the current trends and themes of the digital world -- this corresponds approximately to a 40% increase in the share of international dmexco visitors compared to last year. Indeed the stand reservations from overseas increased by an impressive 50%. As such in 2011 the dmexco registered an overall share of international exhibitors of around 20%. In particular, organisations from the USA and Great Britain have discovered the dmexco. "Digital is driving the globalization of media. The people at dmexco are driving this change," is how Steve King (ZenithOptimedia Worldwide) describes the international standing of the dmexco.

In addition to the Expo, the dmexco Conference also set new standards with a fascinating line-up of executives and top representatives from the digital business. In the four program formats comprising of the Congress and Debate Halls, the over 70 Seminars and Speakers' Corner, over 330 top speakers from home and abroad contributed towards the 120-hour Conference program that followed the motto "New rules -- The digital shape of today's marketing". Leading personalities from all branches of the industry including Hartmut Ostrowski (Bertelsmann), Henrique de Castro (Google), Maarten Albarda (Anheuser-Busch), Andrew Robertson (BBDO), Carolyn Everson (Facebook) and Bob Carrigan (IDG) held speeches and discussed current themes in visionary panels. There were additionally plenty of informative specials on the respective core growth markets of the digital industry.

With its first-class Conference line-up and its diversified Expo, the dmexco 2011 was for Alfredo Gangotena (MasterCard Worldwide) the most important and most influential international meeting point for all sectors of the digital business: "dmexco is one of the top global conferences for digital marketing, bringing together international advertisers, marketers and digital professionals. The show provides a fantastic forum for the exchange of ideas, information and new techniques, as well as cutting-edge research, education and networking opportunities." Placing a clear focus on advertising, creativity, brand management, relevance and efficiency, the dmexco offers central know-how, which the companies profit directly from in their day-to-day business dealings. For Stan Sugarman (G+J Media Sales) the diverse opportunities for exchange played a particularly significant role: "As the most important industry show the dmexco is setting ground-breaking impulses, because it promotes the active exchange between all of the relevant market players -- both at a national and international level. The publishers, agencies and marketers gain equal benefit from this dialogue, especially since the increasing spectrum of themes and exhibitors reflects and further promotes the ever-growing significance of the digital industry worldwide." Jimmy Mayman (goviral) even goes one step further in his clear résumé: "dmexco is the biggest event since the beginning of digital marketing!"

The trade visitors were convinced by the dmexco: Over 80% were totally satisfied with their visit, almost 90% praised the overall selection of exhibitors. The theme sectors Social (over 60%), Mobile (around 50%) and Online Marketing (almost 70%) aroused particular interest. Over 90% of the 440 dmexco exhibitors are satisfied with the event, approx. 80% are pleased with the high quality of the visitors. In order to secure the international industry planning security, the dmexco has already set the venue date for the fourth edition of the leading international Expo and Conference for Digital Business: The dmexco success story will be entering the next round on September 12th and 13th, 2012. "Above all eCommerce, moving images and mobile are extremely interesting themes that we will be placing the emphasis on at the dmexco 2012. They are extremely close to the focus of the present exhibitors. By addressing payment, SEO and usability eCommerce is taking further steps in the digital marketing value chain. Furthermore, it is most certainly worthwhile organising additional events following the same principle of the already successfully established customer event for the finance and pharmaceutical sector, in order to introduce further industries to the digital business. And once again of course we intend to provide all of the guests of the dmexco 2012 with a unique, holistic overview in the form of the Conference program, offering them the ultimate information platform for the digital industry. We'll see you at the dmexco 2012," Christian Muche, dmexco's Director Business Development, Strategy & International, and Frank Schneider, dmexco's Director Marketing, Sales & Operations dmexco, said giving us an initial preview of what to expect in the coming year.

"The expectations for the dmexco 2011 were already clearly exceeded on the very first day. The huge numbers of trade visitors from a wide range of industry segments, both from the industry and trade sectors, confirm the increasing relevance of the digital value chain," commented Arndt Groth, President of the BVDW.

The dmexco 2012 will be held in Cologne once again next year on September 12th and 13th.

About the dmexco
The dmexco is the international leading expo & conference for digital business. Comprising of a combination between an exposition and a conference, a concept that is unique worldwide, it stands for innovative and future-oriented marketing, advertising and media in the midst of a global growth market. Placing a clear focus on advertising, creativity, branding, relevance and efficiency, the dmexco is in its capacity as the customer and brand-oriented no. 1 branch meeting place, the central, international platform for all players of the marketing, advertising and media scene. The dmexco - which is free of charge for trade visitors -is thus the cross-media and transnational central hub for the digital industry: dmexco - leading the global digital business.

A new special conference format on the digital creative business took place for the first time on the eve of the dmexco 2011: The exclusive pre-day event "UBERCLOUD - The visible mass of digital creativity" (www.ubercloud.de).

All further information as well as photos, videos and statements on the dmexco 2011 and UBERCLOUD are posted at www.dmexco.com, www.facebook.com/dmexco, http://twitter.com/dmexco and www.youtube.com/dmexcovideo