Product Advisory Board Paris 2023

We originally introduced our Product Advisory Board (PAB) event in 2021, to offer our clients the opportunity to drive conversations surrounding our product roadmap. Since then, twice a year, we invite our partners to attend a two-day event centred around strategically aligning, sharing local market updates, and discussing micro and macro trends, opportunities, and threats. While the structure of the programme remains similar, the location varies each time from one partner-based city to another. This time, from May 3rd – 4th, we co-hosted the event in Paris with our subsidiary, Realytics. 

Creating a client-driven roadmap 

Before each PAB event, we hold a Round Table Committee (RTC) meeting where a smaller group of representatives from all our client companies can align, discuss, and agree on product development priorities. After learning about the unique local market challenges our clients are currently facing, we explore how enhancements or new developments of our product can address their needs. The meeting concludes with a selection of priorities, where our clients share their input on which topics they believe are most important to include in our product roadmap.

Local market updates from around Europe

After the RTC meeting, the main PAB event kicks off with market updates from our partners. This year, we had the pleasure of hearing from Simone Branca, Head of Adtech & Data at Rai Pubblicità, Marcel Korstjens, Domain Architect Advertising at RTL Nederland, Arne Steinmetz, General Director Client Services, Adtech & Data at AdAlliance DE, and Fernando Pino Velázquez, Marketing Services Director at Atresmedia. Following the market updates, Sven Hagemeier, Senior Director of Inventory Development at The Trade Desk took the stage and shared a special keynote presentation. While it was great to see so many familiar faces, we were also pleased to welcome RTL Hungary to PAB for the first time. Attila Vándor, Head of Digital Sales at RTL Hungary, gave us an in-depth introduction to the company and the Hungarian market. 

Technology updates from smartclip

We also utilise PAB as an opportunity to share the latest developments within our company and ensure our clients understand the strategy behind our choices. Our colleagues Gloria Eichler, VP of Ad Platform, and Cecilia Tanasoiu, Growth Product Manager for Realytics, shared our programmatic Addressable & Linear TV vision. Frank Plähn, VP of Audience Products, updated our clients on our smart ID Hub, while Björn Münchau, VP of Advanced Products, spoke about the redesign process of our platform UI. Attendees also heard from Guillaume Belmas, CEO & Co-Founder of Realytics, who spoke about their product roadmap, and learned about the latest developments at RTL AdAlliance from Dr Oliver Vesper, Deputy CEO / CDO, Pieter van den Bergh, VP of Product & Advanced Solutions, and Franck Litewka, Senior Director Strategy & Development. To wind down, our clients listened to a fireside chat on server-side ad insertion with Tim Sewell, CEO of Yospace and Tomas Hanedoes, Tech Lead Online Advertising at RTL Nederland. 

Expanding knowledge and networks

Once all presentations are concluded, we hold breakout sessions which give attendees the opportunity to dive deeper into the previously discussed topics. Attendees learned more about our approach to programmatic TV with Björn Münchau and Cecilia Tanasoiu, discovered new data tools with Gloria Eichler and Frank Plähn, and how Realytics’ all-in-one BEE solution can help advertisers and brands optimise TV spend across different channels, with Guillaume Belmas. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a smartclip event without getting a little festive. Each PAB includes an after-hours event, offering attendees the opportunity to continue discussions, network, and enjoy the host city’s culture. We invited our clients to a boat ride along the Seine River, where we enjoyed a nice dinner together and took in some of Paris’ iconic sights.

A big ‘thank you’ to Realytics and our partners for helping us bring our very first PAB in Paris to life. While this edition of PAB has come to a close, we look forward to bringing PAB to London this November — and hosting the event with our RTL cousins, Yospace. Stay tuned for more!