Greek advertisers warn against era of digital Darwinism

In November, the Hellenic Advertisers Association (SDE) organised a conference entitled "Digital Transformation: Take it or... leave!" in Athens. The event gathered more than 300 industry professionals to discuss the different challenges faced by brand owners when it comes to digital transformation.

The conference's international speakers and panellists included Sotiris Syrmakezis, General Manager and Group Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Eurobank, Taide Guajardo, Marketing Director at P&G Europe, as well as Stephan Loerke, WFA CEO.

Some of the key learnings highlighted during the conference included:

• Digital transformation is not a nice-to-have, but a must-have; it is something brands should be doing now. It is not a destination but a constantly changing and ongoing journey.


• Convincing the C-suite is one of the greatest obstacles to digital transformation. Companies must be brave. As Stephan Loerke, WFA CEO, said during his presentation, "This is an era of Digital Darwinism. The biggest and the strongest will not survive; the most adaptable will."


• New business models and technologies are radically changing the digital landscape. The brands' use of digital platforms must be examined from the perspective of the consumer.


• In the new digital reality, the only way brands can remain relevant to consumers is by keeping people at the centre of what they do and offering them unique experiences.


• The challenges and opportunities of digital transformation apply to all stakeholders: from brand owners and agencies to publishers and tech companies. They must join forces in order to highlight and benefit from the countless possibilities this new era of digital brings.

For more information, visit the event page or contact SDE.