Highlights of re:publica 2016

It was a sunny spring day in Berlin at beginning of May when the tenth edition of one of Europe's largest digital conferences opened its doors to 8.000 visitors from more than 60 countries. For three days, we joined the international digital community, exchanged the latest trends, dove into the technology of the future and hosted the very first re:publica instawalk. 

Here is a quick overview of the hottest topics of this year:

1) Snapchat

Undeniably, the most talked about social platform of re:publica. From the session "Snapchat for grown-ups" and Snap Meet-Ups to a case study of the UK Parliament, countless visitors "snapped" the latest conference updates. However, it's not a channel for each and every brand. If your target group doesn't use it, you should think twice before adding it to your digital media mix.

 

2) Virtual Reality

Omnipresent at the conference, virtual reality has fully arrived to today's world. Google's VR cinema, ZDF's rich VR stories and many, many more games and installations were part of the re:publica program. Brands need to start thinking about VR storytelling opportunities and exploring new content strategies. 

3) mHealth

Apps and technologies that help us live better lives are no longer uncommon. Fitness tracking with Runtastic, heart rate monitors with Apple Watch and sleep tracking with the Fitbit are just a few examples. Applications like mySugar and the Clue app are using big data provided by the user to improve health treatments for diabetes and women around the globe. The trend of measuring and monitoring one's body functions is here to stay. Brands need to think about the personalization of services in a way that they have never done before.

 

More highlights from this year's re:publica TEN

  • Jeff Kowalski's session on the shape of things to come.

  • The live conference with Edward Snowden