AI out of the experimental phase and into applications: How artificial intelligence is changing marketing
36 percent of respondents in the inaugural "DMEXCO Marketing Reality Check" study want to make greater use of AI. With over 40,000 participants, more than 700 partners (including 100 agencies), a ten percent larger exhibition space, and around 1,000 speakers with more than 230 hours of programming across 17 stages, DMEXCO 2026 once again became the central meeting place for the digital economy in Europe.
by Koelnmesse || October 6, 2026
The first-ever "DMEXCO Marketing Reality Check" study reveals that, despite subdued economic expectations, the marketing budgets of German companies are largely expected to remain stable or increase next year. At the same time, the survey highlights a tension between technological developments and investment plans on the corporate side and consumer acceptance of certain applications.
DMEXCO, Europe's leading digital marketing and tech event, has commissioned the opinion and market research institute Civey to conduct the "DMEXCO Marketing Reality Check" study for the first time. This study, which will be published annually, examines key developments in marketing – from budget sentiment and relevant communication channels to the planned use of AI. On the consumer side, it investigates how advertising is perceived and accepted. The goal is to provide a recurring benchmark that offers marketing decision-makers practical guidance for budget allocation and KPI management, while simultaneously highlighting trends in digital marketing.
Drivers of investment: Technological changes in marketing
In the “DMEXCO Marketing Reality Check 2026”, 39 percent of the marketing decision-makers surveyed stated that they plan to keep their budgets the same for the next twelve months. 29 percent expect budgets to increase, and 26 percent expect them to decrease.
Technology is the most important driver: For 35 percent of respondents, technological changes – such as those brought about by artificial intelligence (AI) – are decisive for investments in digital marketing. The measurability of campaigns is almost equally important (32 percent). Competitive pressure, legal regulations such as data protection, and consumer sentiment also play a role. Multiple responses were possible.
“AI is fundamentally changing marketing. But every new opportunity must be measured by whether it actually works and creates added economic value,” says Verena Gründel (pictured above), host and Director of Brand & Communications at DMEXCO. “That’s precisely the point: to move AI out of the experimental phase and into applications that make companies more efficient and successful.”
Search and social media are leading the way in reaching target audiences.
When choosing communication channels, marketing managers primarily rely on established methods. 35 percent consider online search, for example via Google, to be particularly suitable for reaching their target groups. Social media follows with 32 percent, and owned content such as their own website or newsletters with 23 percent. Applications like ChatGPT currently play a significantly smaller role at 7 percent. "Search and social media are currently the go-to channels for reaching target groups. At the same time, the study shows that companies intend to increase the use of AI in various marketing areas in the future. This creates a new playing field for marketers, the development of which we will be discussing intensively at DMEXCO," says Verena Gründel.
AI for greater efficiency, ROAS the most important budget KPI
Companies plan to increase their use of AI in various areas over the next twelve months. 36 percent of respondents want to use AI more to work more efficiently. 30 percent cite customer service, 28 percent content creation, 24 percent campaign optimization, and 23 percent analytics and attribution. 17 percent plan to increase their use of AI for personalizing their marketing.
When managing marketing budgets, economic success is paramount: For 30 percent of marketing decision-makers, revenue or return on advertising spend (ROAS) are the most important key performance indicators (KPIs). Brand awareness follows with 11 percent. 27 percent state that they do not know which KPI is most important for their budget management.
“Today, more than ever, marketing needs to demonstrate its contribution to business success. It is therefore all the more remarkable that more than one in four respondents cannot name a key performance indicator (KPI) for their own budget management. Especially as AI becomes increasingly integrated into marketing processes, clear goals and measurability will be crucial,” says Verena Gründel.
Trust in recommendations
On the consumer side, the importance of trust is particularly evident: When it comes to product recommendations, respondents rely primarily on expert reviews and test reports. These are clearly in the lead at 59 percent. Recommendations from family and friends follow at 44 percent, and product reviews from other users at 27 percent. Search engine results such as those from Google (13 percent) and AI assistants like ChatGPT or Gemini (6 percent) enjoy significantly less trust.
Differences emerge between generations. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, expert reviews and test reports (56 percent) and recommendations from family and friends (48 percent) are relatively closely matched. Among those over 65, the gap is wider: 66 percent trust expert reviews and test reports, while 39 percent rely on recommendations from their personal network.
Consumers are skeptical of personalized and AI-generated advertising.
68 percent of consumers surveyed stated that they rarely or never find advertising personally interesting. There is also a reluctance towards advertising created using AI: 65 percent of respondents rate it negatively.
The results reflect consumers' perceptions and assessments. They thus reveal the expectations and reservations that exist regarding advertising – regardless of the measurable impact of individual advertising formats.
Trust and added value as a prerequisite for acceptance
“This is precisely the challenge for brands: technology alone doesn't create relevance. What's crucial is whether communication offers people tangible added value and builds trust. The study shows us where businesses and consumers still have differing perspectives on the possibilities of AI. We need to discuss this gap – and that's exactly what DMEXCO is for,” says Verena Gründel.
About the study
Civey, commissioned by DMEXCO, conducted an online survey of 1,000 private sector decision-makers responsible for marketing and communications between July 14 and August 22, 2026. An additional 5,000 German citizens aged 18 and over were surveyed. The results were collected from Civey's own online panel of verified participants. Due to quotas and weightings, the results are representative, taking into account the statistical margin of error, which ranges from 2.5 to 6.4 percentage points for the overall results, depending on the question. The results are rounded. For questions with multiple-choice answers, the values may add up to more than 100 percent.
DMEXCO 2026
DMEXCO 2026, held on September 23 and 24 under the motto "Scaling Intelligence," concluded with record-breaking results in almost every area: 700 partners, including 100 agencies, presented themselves to industry professionals in a space ten percent larger than usual. The following figures also underscore the event's relevance: With 2,200 brands and roughly a third of attendees being C-level executives, the event recorded significant growth. DMEXCO solidified its status as a knowledge transfer platform with its extensive program across 17 stages, featuring approximately 1,000 speakers and more than 230 hours of content. The World of Commerce was larger and more relevant than ever before.
With DMEXCO ASIA, DMEXCO has now established a central platform for digitalization in the Southeast Asia-Pacific region. DMEXCO ASIA will take place in Singapore on April 7th and 8th, 2027, in conjunction with the eCommerce Expo.
The German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW) is – with the special involvement of a – the conceptual and technical sponsor of DMEXCO and owner of the brand. Koelnmesse is the organizer of DMEXCO.