You couldn’t make it to OMR 2022? No problem. Here is our recap of the online marketing event of the year.
The OMR wrapped up a few days ago, but still, everyone is talking about it and its rich program. 70,000 visitors. 800+ speakers. 1,000 partners and exhibitors. Everyone was there - be it Kara Swisher, Benedict Evans, Talisa Tossell, Changpeng Bao, Ashton Kutcher, or Quentin Tarantino. The OMR guest list was packed with exclusive guests. And always right in the middle of it all: Philipp Westermeyer. Those who wanted to expand their expertise and chat with professionals from the eCommerce and online marketing scene could register for one of the 250 masterclasses. Those who wanted to meet companies and extend their contact lists strolled through the trade fair with 500 exhibitors. In addition, there was an extensive stage program: from crypto to SEO to influencer marketing, there was something for everyone.
The prettiest booth in town
For the first time, SCAYLE attended the OMR – even with its own booth. And even though we might perhaps not be the most neutral judge, we have to say that it turned out pretty sweet. "To attend this event with such a big booth, having such a prominent location was indeed very special. We attracted a lot of attention. Many people stopped because we differentiated ourselves from the standard. And that's exactly what SCAYLE is all about: maximum differentiation from the competition," says Christian Beller, Principal Sales at SCAYLE. When Tarek Müller, CEO of ABOUT YOU and SCAYLE, was not speaking on one of the many stages, he stopped by the booth. He then guided interested visitors through the company's history – from ABOUT YOU to SCAYLE.
At OMR, SCAYLE could also be experienced apart from online meetings for the first time. "Finally, we were able to shake hands with our customers. It simply is different to meet people in person," says Luca Pecoroni, Marketing Consultant at SCAYLE. "It’s easier to deep dive into conversations and especially at the OMR there are so many new impulses that can be directly incorporated into new projects.
Think & Talk with Tarek and Tobi
SCAYLE not only had a booth at OMR, but was also part of the program. The latest "Think with Tarek" podcast was broadcast live from the OMR Stage. Here, he talked to Rolf Hermann, editor-in-chief of OMR Reports, about new developments in online marketing: from TikTok product advertising to the right marketing mix.
You missed the podcast? Then you can listen to the episode in German here.
On the Red Stage, Tarek then had the pleasure of welcoming one of Germany's most successful managers: Tina Müller, CEO of the Douglas Group. Thanks to her, Douglas managed an impressive digital transformation so that today the company is also a digital market leader. Not an easy undertaking, as she confessed. Digital-first. Seamless omnichannel. And very good communication were essential to achieve this goal.
Another topic at the "Talk with Tarek": influencer marketing. Julian Jansen, Director Content at ABOUT YOU, explained why so many influencers start their own business – and when it makes sense for a company to get involved. Closely linked to this: the topic of live shopping. Mareike Jacobsgaard, Head of Marketing & Business Drops & Live Shopping, presented ABOUT YOU's strategy. According to Mareike, German companies are currently not even scratching the surface of live shopping potential, which already generates sales in the triple-digit billion range in China. The industry is also hoping for new impulses from NFTs. Chris Nickel, Director Content, presented ABOUT YOUs new digital fashion brand Hypewear. He also explained how companies can use the NFT trend for better engagement with their target group.
A video of the German panel discussion can be found on the OMR YouTube channel.
On top of Tarek’s many talks, SCAYLE's Consulting Director Growth Services, Tobias Ring, was able to share his experiences at OMR: at a masterclass titled "Back to Business – How much of a tech company do you have to be today?". Tobias and our partner valantic's Head of Concept & Requirements Engineering, Philipp Hoberg, discussed when and for whom technology ownership makes sense. And if not: What are possible alternatives? You can also watch this lecture online (in German).
Where there’s a fair, there’s a party
Networking is hard work. But it can also be fun. As in previous years, there were a number of smaller and larger events around the OMR for every taste. SCAYLE, for example, invited guests to a special event on Tuesday evening: an executive dinner at the Eisenstein restaurant. The cosy atmosphere and great food gave guests the opportunity to network and exchange experiences. "Some special dynamics developed. Questions to us were often answered directly by our customers," says Slobodanka Sersik, Director Solution Architecture at SCAYLE. "For us, of course, this means that we are doing a lot of things right, which was a welcome confirmation."
The program didn’t end until the early hours of the morning. ABOUT YOU and SCAYLE had invited to the afterparty at Moondoo – right in the middle of the Kiez. After such a long break, it was simply nice to happily party once again. "The atmosphere was great. I didn't think there would be this many different people," Isabell Kühl, marketing working student at SCAYLE, recounts the evening. "From CEOs to the Elevator Boys, truly everyone was there. My personal highlight: meeting my favourite influencer Carmushka."
Lastly, ABOUT YOU held its traditional booth party on Wednesday evening. HHere, guests reminisced about the last two days with a cool drink in their hands. If your feet were still up for it afterward, you could go to the concerts on the Red Stage. We can report first-handedly that some speakers were spotted in the middle of the mosh pit – along with one or two SCAYLE colleagues.
Conclusion
Networking. Getting Informed. Celebrating. The #OMR22 was once again everything but boring. We learned a lot and are happy that there was so much interest in our Commerce Engine. If you missed the OMR, don't worry: A large part of the program is now available on the OMR YouTube channel. And anyone who wants to meet us in person can do so this month at either Shoptalk Europe in London or at K5 in Berlin.
