I attended D-Congress in Gothenburg for the first time on March 4–5, 2026. The experience was highly positive: inspiring, thought-provoking and full of new insights.
Retail, digital marketing and AI are converging
One of the strongest observations during the event was how rapidly retail, digital marketing and artificial intelligence are converging.
The integration of these areas will inevitably transform many parts of business operations. We are likely to see increasingly advanced solutions that improve service models, customer experience and operational efficiency.
This development does not necessarily mean that fewer people will be needed. On the contrary, it may simply mean that people will be working in slightly different roles and functions in the future.
Retail media moving beyond the hype phase
From a retail media perspective, it feels like the industry is gradually moving beyond the hype phase.
This typically marks the point where industries begin building more sustainable and standardized business models. At the same time, the industry continues to develop common rules, measurement standards and operational frameworks.
This is a healthy and necessary step for a rapidly growing market.
First-party data at the core of retail media
Data plays a crucial role in retail media, and particularly important is first-party data – the core fuel of the entire ecosystem.
During his presentation, Colin Lewis highlighted an interesting observation: many senior decision-makers in large organizations still do not fully understand the difference between shopper marketing and retail media. This clearly shows that the industry is still evolving.
Inspiring speakers and perspectives
The event featured a wide range of inspiring speakers. One memorable presentation came from Hannaleena Koskinen from Aller Media Nordic / ReTALE, whose energetic and insightful talk made a strong impression.
It is inspiring to see Nordic – and particularly Finnish – professionals performing so well on international stages.
Other notable speakers included Jack Stratten, Jacob Loven, Nina Jönsson, Rickard Lyko, Sofia Larsen, Jacob Rastad, Piotr Zaleski, Stefan Palm, Kenneth Danielsson, Marcus Lord and Kathrine Rönhof Karstensen.
Thank you to the organizers
Finally, I would like to thank Svensk Handel for organizing an excellent event. D-Congress offers a great platform for learning, networking and discussing the future of retail.
I strongly believe I will return again next year.
