Product Advisory Board 2026

On May 20th and 21st, the tenth annual Product Advisory Board (PAB) convened in Hamburg. While the venue changed, the core mission remained: serve as an exclusive forum for our clients and partners to align on emerging European industry trends and share how our technology is being used to solve specific local market challenges. With an agenda focused on the convergence of media and the pragmatic application of AI, this year’s event reinforced the vital link between our development and the real-world challenges our partners face.

Before the main PAB event begins, we convene the Round Table Committee (RTC) to ensure our roadmap is driven by real-world needs. This private session serves as a strategic sounding board where close partners can highlight evolving challenges and market dynamics. The process is democratic, and participants vote on the key directions they want us to prioritise. By limiting the size of the group to three representatives per client, the format fosters an environment where every contribution is heard, and every vote counts.

smartclip Business Momentum, Innovation, & Strategic Direction

Since PAB serves as a key forum for sharing company updates, Thomas Servatius, Co-CEO at smartclip, opened the event with a look at “What’s New & What’s Next,” providing a comprehensive preview of the upcoming initiatives for our company and smartx platform. This set the stage for a deeper dive into our evolution, with Thomas also providing an essential update on our agentic AI platform, Sidekicks, sharing the next steps for the initiative’s development.

The strategic conversation continued with Gloria Eichler, Chief Product Officer, who shared a snapshot of our product strategy. Her session outlined the innovation themes guiding our next chapter, focusing on how smartclip is adapting to meet the complexities of a convergent landscape. This theme was further explored in a joint session with Tim Nieland (Ad Alliance DE), where they mapped out “The Road to Total Video,” and with Frank Plähn, who introduced the Net Reach Reporting Centre — a significant step forward in our audience measurement capabilities.

One of the most spirited discussions of the event was the panel “Real Value or Just AI Theatre?”. Moderated by Jan Niklas Ries (RTL Deutschland) and featuring Mathieu Ho Thanh (M6 Unlimited), Tomas Hanedoes (RTL Nederland), and Thomas Servatius, the group cut through the hype to discuss where AI is delivering genuine operational value and where it remains merely performative.

Industry & Partner Perspectives

A cornerstone of PAB is the opportunity for our clients to lead the conversation. This year, we saw a diverse array of strategies being deployed across Europe to drive growth and efficiency.

Mathieu Ho Thanh detailed the launch of M6 Audio, covering the motivation and early results of their audio expansion, as well as their experience migrating to the smartx ad server and SSP. This set the stage for a Fireside Chat between Stephen Byrne (RTL AdAlliance) and Stefan Havik (DPG), who offered a transparent look at DPG’s acquisition of RTL Nederland, the consolidation within the industry, and the difference between working with large and small tech companies. 

The geographical breadth of our network was on full display as Tan Bilge and Alp Ustaoğlu from Media Ltd. broke down the unique opportunities within the Turkish market for ATV, and Simone Branca shared how Rai Pubblicità leveraged CPM-based Total Video strategies for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, demonstrating how a unified approach to pricing and delivery can maximise visibility and value across multiple screens during major sporting events.

The partner-led insights continued with Jean-Baptiste Moggio (RTL AdAlliance), who presented results from the latest “Living Room Study“, and Dirk Ritters (RTL Radio), who explored the “agentic media plan,” discussing how audio inventory must evolve to remain visible in an AI-mediated world. To round things off, Dr. Oliver Vesper and Pieter van den Bergh (RTL AdAlliance) highlighted how the RTL AdAlliance Admanager is being utilised as a primary engine for SME, local, and international scaling, and where the tool is heading next.

Industry Insights & Trends

To broaden the perspective, PAB 2026 invited many expert members from across the industry to share their hard-won knowledge and experience. Keynote speaker Marion Ranchet (Streaming Made Easy) provided a masterclass on the state of SME in Europe, identifying untapped value streams for today’s broadcasters.

The discussion of scalability continued with Ian Maude, who spoke on behalf of the Project X Initiative. Ian focused on the necessity of industry-wide standardisation, arguing that common frameworks for measurement and transparency are essential for programmatic TV to scale across Europe. By bringing together broadcasters and experts, the initiative aims to build a more consistent and trusted ecosystem that transcends individual markets.

Product Deep Dive Breakout Sessions 

The event concluded with a series of immersive deep-dive sessions, designed to translate high-level strategy into practical, tangible application. All attendees participated in three curated sessions, each selected with the purpose of diving deeper into our products. 

The sessions included a detailed exploration of “The Economics of TV Convergence” led by Thomas Servatius, a technical deep dive into the latest Audio developments with Frank Plähn, and a comprehensive look at Content & Audience Management with Ekaterina Beck.

By showcasing our technology in action and aligning it with the needs expressed by our partners, these sessions served as a practical bridge between theory and execution. They mirrored the overarching spirit of PAB: an open, honest dialogue built on the belief that the best products are those shaped by the people who use them every day.

Waterfront Networking

Following the day’s sessions, attendees were treated to a scenic boat ride along the Elbe River. The night continued at the restaurant Am Kai, where waterfront views and great food provided the perfect backdrop for the networking that makes PAB so valuable — offering a relaxed space to continue the day’s most important conversations.

Looking Ahead

PAB 2026 provided a great opportunity to align our product strategy with the evolving needs of our partners and industry. We appreciate everyone who joined us in Hamburg and contributed to the discussions — we look forward to continuing these conversations throughout the year.