Change as an opportunity: Why companies should permanently reinvent themselves

Christoph Keese

What is happening in the digital transformation and how can companies best prepare for it? As CEO of Axel Springer hy, Christoph Keese explores these questions with his team of 60 digital experts on a daily basis. In his talk, he will outline the challenges that companies are having to overcome in the face of new technologies and platforms, disruptive innovations and changing business models. Drawing on his many years of experience, Christoph Keese will explain what companies, politicians and society have to do in order to catch up and successfully shape the transformation.

Best of the Best Brands - Success factors from 20 years of Best Brands and beyond

Petra Süptitz & Mathias Friedrichs

When Best Brands was first established, we were living in a different world. We were recovering from the shock of 9/11 and the invention of the smartphone was still five years away. Since then, the attitudes and behaviours of consumers have fundamentally changed, yet some brands have still managed to remain successful throughout the entire period. In our talk, we will take a closer look at the factors that have defined the continuous success of these brands and the future topics that companies should keep on their radar.

Successful brand management as a process of constant change

Christian Köhler

The political and social environment in which brand companies need to act today has changed dramatically in recent times. The transformation is disruptive and affects all sectors of the economy. How can brand companies equip themselves to actively shape it? Christian Köhler will explain how successful brands can adapt themselves dynamically. He will also demonstrate how the Markenverband (German Brands Association) is opposing politics as a strong representation of interests that, in the face of polycrises, plans on increasingly carrying out market interventions such as advertising bans or market access restrictions.

Learning from the Best Brands of the last 20 years: NIVEA

Catherine Niebuhr and Nadine Bartenschlager

In spite of all the changes, several brands have maintained their position among the Best Brands for 20 years now. How have they managed that and what can we learn from these successful brands? We will find out from a number of brand insiders, including NIVEA management duo Catherine Niebuhr and Nadine Bartenschlager, joint Marketing Directors for Germany.

Learning from the Best Brands of the last 20 years: LEGO Group

Katharina Redmonds

In spite of all the changes, several brands have maintained their position among the Best Brands for 20 years now. How have they managed that and what can we learn from these successful brands? We will find out from a number of brand insiders, including Katharina Redmongs, LEGO Groups audience and brand management Euope Central.

Brand consistency needs change – four big megatrends of the future

Stefanie Kuhnhen

In her talk, Stefanie Kuhnhen will be telling us how consistency in brand management thrives on permanent reinvention. And how brands can consistently embrace the zeitgeist from their own perspective. With this knowledge, she is venturing a look at the next 20 years and predicting the four big trend waves that we, as marketers, should ride with great curiosity.

It’s important to take a stand and show responsibility, but how? How the contradictory relationship between sustainability, credibility and marketing is providing positive inspiration for brand building.

Tom Schwarz and Daniel Koller

Taking a stand is what sets brands apart. But social responsibility also demands authenticity and a real sense of closeness. A prime example of this is Flutwein (Flood Wine), mud-covered bottles of wine rescued from flooded cellars. In 2022, the “waste product” developed into a love brand and a favourite of the creative scene. But how did they manage to establish Germany’s Ahr region, which was affected by heavy flooding in 2021, as a hip wine-growing region and tourism destination in the minds of consumers in a way that goes beyond a one-off fundraising campaign? And what does Flutwein have to do with NFTs, the metaverse and the Museum of Modern Ahrts? Tom Schwarz, Managing Director of Seven.One AdFactory/Creative House and Daniel Koller, Creative Director at Creative House will provide us with inspiring insights.

From content generation to community building: The transformation of media marketing

Dr Jan Kleibrink

In the past few years, the marketing demands of many brands have developed substantially. Traditional metrics regarding brand awareness and image have increasingly taken a back seat in the consideration of marketing activities, making room for a stronger qualitative measurement based on existing contacts. At the same time, media brands are competing for the attention of recipients more fiercely than ever before. 

With this in mind, we have massively driven forward the development and expansion of communities in recent years, establishing them as a central pillar in the marketing and also the activation of readers.

Web 3.0: How brands can communicate successfully in the metaverse

Eric Siegmund

Web 3.0 is one of the big topics attracting the attention of brands and companies. How can brands present themselves in the metaverse, how can they interact with their target groups and what impact does their presence there have on the perception of the brand? Audio can provide the first answers to these questions. With the first audio campaign in Decentraland, RMS and 42 Meta gained some fascinating insights.

What if in 2035 … we live in a post-demographic society?

Dr Steffi Burkhart

By 2035 we will have entered a post-demographic era in which new rules, changing human needs and a new understanding and role of brands will transform the face of consumption.

Post-growth era, micro-societies, clean capitalism, longevity and many other trends and changes will give rise to new social phenomena in 2035. In her talk, Dr Steffi Burkhart will touch upon these and –with insight, hindsight and foresight – reveal the upcoming phenomena that will transform consumers and brands in the year 2035. 

New ways for successful media campaigns: Why being bold in marketing pays off

Yvonne Beister, Olivia Jones, Julia Keißner & Silke Stein

She is flamboyant, glamorous and loud – drag queen Olivia Jones. And she also happens to be the face of pension insurance company neue leben. Pension? And a drag queen? Although this combination doesn’t seem to go together at first glance, it has resulted in a mega success story!

Together with BILD, the insurance company (which belongs to the Talanx Group) presented its ‘Volks-Rente’ (People’s Pension) product across various media for six whole weeks and in more than 80 branches of the Sparkasse bank. In next to no time, the sales team was able to generate more than 18,000 consultations about pension planning – a resounding success! What is the reason for this impressive response? And what’s the secret to the campaign’s huge success?

In a talk on the Best Brands stage, for the first time Chairwoman of the Management Board Evi Popp, Senior Key Account Manager Julia Keißner and Senior Communications Manager Silke Stein from neue leben will come together with drag queen Olivia Jones to discuss why the whole of Germany is celebrating this new campaign and why it’s worth charting new, bold territory in marketing.