Observed Signal · Mar 14, 2025 · Conference Coverage · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Advertisers Dominate; Two Clouds Over d3con 2025
Two days of d3con 2025 explored the future of marketing, underscoring that advertisers are the industry’s sole revenue source. Topics included Telekom’s data-sharing with Google and Meta, and how loyalty programs and first-party data drive app engagement. Obi showcased a multi-budget approach across brand, local markets, ecommerce, lead generation, and retail media impressions. The conference highlighted advances in measurement, with Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) approaches and a comparison of Google Meridian and Meta Robyn MMM tools. Retail media and commerce media emerged as a growing focus, while attention was given to risks from EU-US data transfers and potential trade frictions that could raise online-ad costs. The event concluded with cautious optimism about ad spend sustaining growth, including in Germany, and anticipation for d3con 2026 (March 17–18).
Industry trend coverage (Retail/Commerce Media, MMM, data privacy) and cross-border data transfer considerations; not a major platform launch or earnings report.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Telekom analyzes data sharing with Google and Meta.
- Obi uses up to five distinct budgets: brand, local markets, ecommerce, lead generation, and retail media impressions.
- MMM tools Meridian (Google) and Robyn (Meta) discussed as part of measurement discussions.
- EU-US data transfer risk and potential trade tensions could complicate online advertising.
- Loyalty programs and first‑party data strategies gain importance for advertisers.
Connected Companies & Entities
6 Entities mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Balancing Data and Media: Insights from d3con 2026
A report from d3con 2026 in Hamburg highlights advertisers’ pragmatic approach: relying on both owned data and platform ecosystems. Panels showed that cookies remain central for direct online sales (Parship uses first‑party cookies and validates with affiliates’ third‑party cookies), while TV and Media Mix Modelling (MMM) are used to measure long‑term uplift (Nivea). Speakers warned about platform dependence—retail‑media networks and loyalty apps can act as new walled gardens (Unilever) while Universal Music builds large custom audiences and shares data for partnerships. Programmatic streaming fragmentation and opaque TV pricing drew criticism, and AI was discussed as both an efficiency opportunity and a trust risk (fake videos). The piece concludes that advertisers continue collecting data but increasingly cede data control to platforms. Next d3con is scheduled for 16–17 March 2027.
Google launches unified agentic AI for Gemini
At a Google Cloud event on Thursday, Google announced it is bringing agentic AI to its Gemini assistant, launching a unified agent that can autonomously plan and execute tasks on behalf of users. Aimed initially at businesses, the agent can connect to internal systems and external tools, use custom skills, and even choose from third-party models like Anthropic's Claude. It will have its own Workspace account with an email address, and will write its own audit trail. Early testers include On, Shopify, and PayPal. Gemini has over 1 billion monthly active users, and nearly 90% of Fortune 100 companies use Gemini Enterprise.
US Government Excludes Microsoft from Visa Program
The US government has barred Microsoft from participating in the permanent residency process for foreign workers with H-1B visas, accusing the company of abusing the program. Vice President JD Vance stated that Microsoft laid off 6,000 American employees last year while benefiting from 6,300 H-1B visa holders. The Department of Labor, led by Keith Sonderling, will not accept new permanent residency applications from Microsoft, as well as several consulting firms and Adobe. This action comes weeks before the midterm elections and reflects the Trump administration's broader criticism of the H-1B program, which it claims disadvantages American workers. Microsoft has not yet responded. The move could impact the tech industry's ability to retain skilled foreign talent.
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