Impetus for SMEs. Prospects for Tomorrow. RTL AdAlliance SME Summit 2025

Moderator and host Fabian Burgey, together with Dr Oliver Vesper, opened the Summit and set the tone for two intensive days: bold perspectives, honest conversations and a shared ambition for a more independent digital future and shifting advertising opportunities for SMEs. 

A major highlight was Dr Martin Andree’s keynote, “Big Tech Must Go.” He revealed the stark imbalance in today’s digital economy: 86% of digital advertising budgets flow to five US tech giants — only 2% to Europe. Platforms such as Google, Meta and Amazon, once champions of the open web, now dominate closed ecosystems that control reach, data and attention. 

Customer access, data and sales increasingly run through platforms that set the rules. Those who lack visibility remain invisible; those who play along pay with margin and autonomy. The subsequent discussion with David Whigham (n-tv) explored the consequences for journalism and democracy: fake news, loss of content control, and the challenge of staying credible in a platform-logic world. For media companies — and SMEs — the conclusion was clear: Visibility must be rebuilt through owned channels, strong brands and trustworthy content, not algorithmic dependency.

• Mareile Höppner reflected on the tension between Insta Stories and investigative journalism — a real-world challenge for authenticity and responsibility in storytelling.
• Oliver Schablitzki, Henning Nieslony and Inga Leschek delivered powerful insights into target-group strategy, the hybrid future of RTL+, and the vision behind “One RTL – All Content,” where linear TV and streaming merge into one cross-platform ecosystem.
• Grand finale: The SME Partner Awards, celebrating standout collaborations, creativity and performance.

The second day was defined by one major theme: artificial intelligence — not as hype, but as a responsible, strategic and already highly practical tool, enabling smaller businesses to scale their digital visibility.

• Sydney Wach offered a captivating look into the parallels between AI systems and the human brain — both recognise patterns, make predictions and learn through reward. His message: successful AI adoption requires clear goals, reliable data and continuous development, not just clever prompts.
• Isabella Thissen demonstrated how AI at RTL NEWS has evolved from an experiment into a core editorial tool. From research assistance to automated processing of complex content, AI helps streamline workflows while strict guidelines ensure quality, ethics and copyright.
• Marc Eichenhorst from Knorrwerbung shared how his virtual “AI team” supports brainstorming, customer communication and routine tasks, freeing human time for what matters most: relationships and trust.

AI is not an end, but a strategic tool. Those who use it with purpose, responsibility and a human-centred approach will see real gains in efficiency and creativity.

• A hands-on demonstration showed how local trades businesses can successfully scale their marketing — highlighted through a VELUX case.
• Another session revealed how ATV delivers measurable performance uplift for brands such as Subaru.
• One showcase demonstrated how ATV drove significant increases in brand searches and clicks for MeinFenster24.
• A practical “how-to” explained how SMEs can create the ideal SwitchIn spot — from setup to optimal creative execution.

Across both days, one thread connected every talk, panel and case study: Sustainable success comes when attitude, expertise and curiosity for the future come together. Whether in journalism, media strategy, marketing or AI adoption, SMEs and media companies alike face the same mandate:

• Build independence beyond platform monopolies.
• Create content that prioritises substance over volume.
• Use AI not as a toy, but as a meaningful tool.
• Keep people — their trust, their needs, their values — at the centre of every digital strategy.

As host Fabian Burgey concluded, the future belongs to those who stay curious, stay committed and dare to shape their own digital path.