When it comes to business, the term 'marketplace' is quite a deceiving word. In years gone by it was a physical thing an area where merchants and their customers came to trade. Today's use of the word is more around a virtual space - a set up defined by email and the Internet.
Being at DMEXCO this week was like stepping back into a physical 'marketers market square' given the fact the show mirrored exactly what is presently happening in our industry, except in one big, confined space.
Just like the wider world, the giant tech firms dominated Google, Facebook, Twitter and
Microsoft all had a massive presence in terms of space and creativity. It was hard to ignore their presence.
A lot has been said about the confusion surrounding our sector at the moment and this
was definitely reflected at the show. The sheer number of vendors here, most of which
are scrambling to promote their company and services, immediately hits you. Despite the
numbers, I got a sense of confusion from many companies that lacked a clear, creative and distinguishing USP.
Ironically one of the best key notes came from Interpublic Group (IPG) CEO Michael Roth
who was very clear how he sees the market, saying that the current confusion in the
marketplace is in fact, a very good for the industry. He also said that marketers need to
embrace social good and that creativity should never be underestimated perhaps two
points that if honed, could go a way to addressing and empowering the former.
Attributable to Jess Macintyre, Marketing Manager EMEA, Qriously