At the CMCX 2017 in Munich

The Content Marketing Conference & Exposition (CMCX for short) is Europe's largest content marketing event. This is where the industry met at the beginning of March to discuss the status quo and relevant buzz trends. Of course, sitegeist was not to be missed. So we bought a ticket and went.

We flew from Hamburg to Munich and took a non-stop shuttle bus from the airport to the trade fair. That worked out perfectly. First surprise on site: Internet World was taking place at the same time and both trade fairs shared a huge expo area where robots walked through the hall and drones buzzed through the air. Everything that was techy, trendy and nerdy was on display here. It was great fun.

The presentations took place in the Waldorf and Statler rooms. Big stages for big brands. And I was always there and always in the unloved row 1. I have always avoided row 1 in the past. Too exposed, too much in the spotlight. Afterwards, you get your turn and have to ask questions. But it really only has advantages: Eye contact with the speakers, short distance for good photos or being first in line for a selfie with Joko after his talk.

Joko Winterscheidt was there, not as a show act, but quite seriously as an employee and creative head at Creative Cosmos 15, who had just realized a great content marketing case for Volkswagen. Well, I don't think the good man can be serious at all. The interview on stage was cheeky and really very funny.

Apart from that, pretty much every presentation was interesting and always focused on how content marketing was practiced and lived in the company. Some medium-sized companies are just starting out, other players such as Nivea, Coca Cola, McDonald's or Bild have established many departments and many years of experience. This mix and the diversity of industries is great.

After two days at CMCX, you return to the agency richer in ideas and highly motivated. Content marketing is also a major topic for sitegeist customers in order to reach their target group today. And its importance will continue to grow, no question about it. I'm already looking forward to CMCX 2018.

My 6 top tips for a successful CMCX

• Take notes or photos during the presentations. You will receive a download link after CMCX, but not all presentations will be available.
• Sit in the front row. You'll have the best view, won't be distracted and will stay focused, even if you were at the party at the end of the day.
• Take the shuttle bus from Munich Airport directly to the trade fair. It costs 7.50 EURO per trip and saves you the hassle of changing trains and running around in the S-Bahn.
• Make sure that the lunch is included in your ticket. It's really tasty and you'll quickly strike up a conversation with other visitors while queuing and eating.
• Make time for the Expo during the breaks. You can try out all kinds of gadgets there, dust them off and talk to the stand operators.
• On day 1, you will find "your" trade fair welcome bag in the lecture rooms. Not all of them will be taken away, so you can see if you could use a second power bank, for example ;-)