DEPT® Trends Forecast 2024: Connection, Creativity & Culture
Join us in shaping the future of digital for 2024. Explore the defining trends across culture, creativity, gaming, business, and technology alongside experts representing brands and businesses at the forefront of their industries.
***THIS EVENT IS IN THE PAST***
Please head to Trends 2025 Event: The Future Belongs to the Impatient to register for this year’s event.
DEPT® Trends 2024: Connection, Creativity & Culture
What to expect
The rise of AI (and Barbie), Apple’s Mother Nature Impact Report, the economic slowdown, U2 in the sphere…we all know that a lot can happen in a year. And while no one can predict the future, we’re still going to try.
Let’s shape the future of digital as we explore the trends across culture, creativity, gaming, business, and technology that are defining the year ahead.
From the battle between creatives and AI, to the emergence of a data-driven economy, to Gen Z as cultural watchdogs and tech-savvy digital natives, we’re covering it all.
🗣️ Yu-Ting Liu, Director Digital Brand & Community Experience at cosnova GmbH and Jan Gutkuhn, Director Web3 at DEPT®, will talk about ‘How to Reach Gen Z & Alpha: Unlocking Brand Passion through New Digital Brand Experiences’.
🗣️ With the rise of influencer marketing reshaping budgets, Tolga Öztürk, Influencer Relations Specialist at DEPT®, will zoom in on the fast emerging trend of social commerce and why creators are the new brands.
🗣️ Tobias Cummins, Global SVP, Clients & Managing Director Berlin at DEPT®, will share the key trends for 2024 when it comes to AI, growth and creativity.
🗣️ Valerie Reichel, Project Manager & Consultant Web3 at DEPT®, and Nadine Klein, Web3 Consultant at DEPT®, will talk about Leveling Up Engagement: How to capture Gen Z and Gen Alpha through Gaming Experiences on Roblox (& Fortnite).
🗣️ Ellen Schmidtko, Account Director at DEPT®, and Sönke Schürmeier, Design Lead at DEPT®, will give insights into Campaign Production with Generative AI, such as Midjourney.
Don’t miss out on this chance to craft an unbeatable digital strategy for the new year with the lineup of industry experts and the opportunity to network.
Stay ahead of the curve & register now to join us on January 24th!
Seats are limited.
*Please note that the event will be in English.
Meet the speakers
Yu-Ting Liu
Director Digital Brand & Community Experience, cosnova
Yu-Ting Liu is Director Digital Brand & Community Experiences at international cosmetics company cosnova. He is responsible for digital brand experiences, branded entertainment and community-centered growth. Together with the Content Powerhouse team, he helped to make essence the most successful TikTok brand channel in the DACH region. Yu-Ting uses his understanding of digital lifestyle to scale the essence and Catrice brands with his team across channels and culture, building emotional connections with communities. Through digital brand experiences such as essence ‘Fun Park’ on Roblox or a Catrice 360° format on YouTube, which will be launched in 2024, he wants to anchor the cosnova brands in the contexts of gaming, music and entertainment in the long term.
Tobias Cummins
Global SVP Clients & Managing Director Berlin, DEPT®
With experience in leading businesses in five countries, Tobias Cummins is DEPT®’s Global SVP of Clients and Managing Director in Berlin, responsible for business development across EMEA. Previously, as Managing Director of BYTE/DEPT®, Tobias oversaw expansion into New York and nurtured key relationships with major brands like Spotify, Google, and Twitch.
Gesine Meitler
Director Business Development, DEPT®
Gesine Meitler, Director Business Development & Partner at DEPT®, is a digital expert in the areas of commerce, innovation and customer experience. A true digital pioneer, Gesine was instrumental in the market launch of new services such as Live Shopping, AI, Web3 and Virtual Spaces. From 2012 to 2021, Gesine Meitler launched numerous e-commerce and digital projects in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle sectors at DEPT® for clients such as Douglas, adidas, Birkenstock and Marc O’Polo, leading interdisciplinary, experienced project teams and thus ensuring sustainable brand success.
Jan Gutkuhn
Director Web3, DEPT®
Jan Gutkuhn is Director Web3 and Partner at DEPT®. He is also co-founder of the first digital festival for Web3 and Metaverse, the Meta Festival. Jan has been working at the intersection of branding, commerce, culture and technical innovation for over 15 years and since 2021 he has been helping brands and retailers such as H&M, AboutYou and Vogue Business take their first steps into the metaverse.
Tolga Ötztürk
Influencer Relations Specialist, DEPT®
As an employee of DEPT®, Tolga not only brings almost half a decade of experience in influencer marketing, no, he himself is under contract with a Berlin creator agency and creates social media content that inspires his followers. His work at DEPT® as an influencer relations specialist and also as a content creator allows him to look at trend developments from two completely different perspectives that he is very much looking forward to be sharing with the attendees.
Nadine Klein
Web3 Consultant, DEPT®
Nadine Klein is working as a Web3 Consultant at DEPT® helping clients navigate the ever-evolving Web3 landscape by developing strategies that drive growth and innovation.
With a passion for staying ahead of industry trends and a commitment to deliver pioneering client experiences, Nadine supported clients such as C&A, Hugo Boss and Cosnova to leverage the power of emerging technologies.
Valerie Reichel
Project Manager & Consultant Web3, DEPT®
Valerie Reichel, a dedicated Web3 Consultant at DEPT®, specializes in crafting effective Web3 strategies for clients such as Douglas, cosnova, About You, H&M, and Wempe. With a genuine passion for leveraging emerging technologies, Valerie guides clients through the ever-evolving Web3 landscape and ensures that businesses not only understand the complexities of Web3 but also successfully implement strategies tailored to their needs.
Ellen Schmidtko
Account Director at DEPT®
Working as an Account Director at DEPT® in Berlin, Ellen is primarily responsible for developing strategies for companies to help them meet their KPIs. In her career, Ellen has worked with clients such as Dextro Energy, mobile.de, ALDI SÜD and smart, helping them to successfully position themselves against the competition.
The Program
Time
4:00 – 4:30 pm CET
Speakers
/
Check-in
Arrival & mingling
Time
4:30 – 4:35 pm CET
Speakers
Gesine Meitler, DEPT®
Tobias Cummins, DEPT®
Start event
Welcome & Intro
Time
4:35 – 4:50 pm CET
Speakers
Tobias Cummins, DEPT®
Keynote
Trends in 2024
Time
4:50 – 5:15 pm CET
Speakers
Yu-Ting Liu, cosnova
Jan Gutkuhn, DEPT®
Keynote
How to Reach Gen Z & Alpha: Unlocking Brand Passion through New Digital Brand Experiences
Time
5:15 – 5:35 pm CET
Speakers
Tolga Öztürk
Keynote
How Creators are Becoming the New Storefronts
Time
5:35 – 5:40 pm CET
Speakers
Gesine Meitler, DEPT®
Tobias Cummins, DEPT®
Keynote
Wrap up
Time
5:50 – 6:15 pm CET
Speakers
Valerie Reichel, DEPT®
Jan Gutkuhn, DEPT®
Breakout Session I
Leveling Up Engagement: How to capture Gen Z and Gen Alpha through Gaming Experiences on Roblox (& Fortnite)
Time
5:50 – 6:15 pm CET
Speakers
Ellen Schmidtko, DEPT®
Sönke Schürmeier, DEPT®
Breakout Session II
Generative AI & Production efficiencies: what AI can and can’t do
Time
6:15 – 8:00 pm CET
Apéro
Get together
Snacks, Drinks & Networking