First-hand expertise and experience, personal encounters, and a growing LBX family
A reunion, a chat during a coffee break, a question that sparks a new idea. At Local Marketing Day 2026, it was these moments between the scheduled sessions that made the day truly special.
On September 17, customers, partners, marketing managers from various industries, and the LBX team gathered at the Pyramide Mainz to exchange experiences and gain new perspectives on local marketing. It became clear to us that the network surrounding Local Brand X is gradually growing into an LBX family. Many already knew each other from the previous year and were looking forward to the reunion, while new faces joined in, bringing their own questions and experiences.
The Pyramide Mainz provided a fitting backdrop for this. In local marketing, too, the brand stands at the peak, supported by a foundation of locations, sales partners, and local teams. They bring the brand to life on the ground and play a key role in determining whether a centrally planned campaign becomes a successful local initiative. "If you want to be visible at the top, you need to understand the foundation." This thought resonated throughout the day, from the insights shared on stage to the personal conversations in between.
What drives local marketing forward today
The presentations highlighted the diversity of tasks and challenges in local marketing. How do companies create the conditions necessary for good ideas to be implemented locally? This shared question connected all the participants on site.
The platform evolves alongside the needs of its users.
Simon Hofbauer looked back at the roadmap from the past year. Since the last Local Marketing Day, more than 20,000 development hours have resulted in 157 new features, including campaign management and the AI marketing assistant. This insight demonstrated the capabilities that the Local Brand X marketing platform now offers for planning and executing local initiatives. Furthermore, a preview of the upcoming year's roadmap was provided, along with an introduction to additional planned features.
The gap between strategy and practice determines what actually resonates locally.
In the panel discussion, Tim Kehr (STARK Deutschland), Sebastian Bürger (INITIATIV Team, Concordia Versicherungen), Sebastian Wulff (LVM Versicherung), and Michael Tietgen (Einkaufsbüro Deutscher Eisenhändler) spoke openly about the balance between central control and local autonomy. How much guidance does a brand need, and how much leeway should a location have? And what determines whether a central campaign is actually implemented: the content, the process, or the persuasion? The discussion addressed questions that many participants encounter in their own daily marketing routines.
As the dealer network grows, marketing must grow with it.
Sebastian Ackermann from MG Motor described what it means for a marketing organization when the dealer network grows from nearly 100 to 180 locations within just a few years. More points of contact and coordination can significantly lengthen the path to finished advertising materials. A shared marketing portal simplifies this process. Dealers select central templates, adapt them for their location, and order directly. In this way, MG Motor combines a consistent brand presence with local agility, freeing up more time for core business.
Centralized planning requires a clear path to the people on the ground.
Using the marketing cockpit, Michael Busch from EUROBAUSTOFF demonstrated how campaigns are planned centrally and rolled out to shareholders. The insight made it tangible how a platform can support the connection between campaign planning and local execution.
Visibility starts with reliable information.
Madeline Hirt from Uberall focused on company profiles in relevant online directories. Complete and up-to-date information forms a crucial foundation for ensuring that locations are found—in search engines as well as in AI-powered search tools. It is a topic that can easily be sidelined by the next campaign in daily life, yet it is decisive for local discoverability.
Advertising budgets need a clear focus.
Maximilian Balbach from crossvertise explored the question of where dealers can invest their budgets effectively. His recommendation was to focus on one to three channels that align with the target audience. The possibilities of Digital Out-of-Home and Connected TV were particularly interesting. Through geographic targeting, these formats can also be utilized for local advertising.
A shared concept can tell many personal stories.
Oliver Zapel from Cheggl showed how a concept developed together with the client resulted in around 2,000 individual videos for approximately 300 HanseMerkur partners—without the use of AI and tailored closely to each specific location. The example illustrated how a central idea can be connected with the people and unique characteristics of a local site.
At the POS, timing is everything.
Andre Brinkmöller from vir2store illustrated the impact that interactive screens can have on purchasing decisions. According to the study presented, nearly 15 percent more items end up in the shopping cart when an ad is triggered at the right moment. Content for the screens can be managed directly from the local marketing platform. Each location can choose and customize what is displayed.
AI opens up new possibilities and requires a conscious approach.
Prof. Dr. Kevin Bauer showcased application examples for predictive and generative AI and provided insights into automated planning, coordination, and execution through agentic AI. The discussion covered both the potential and the risks involved. His presentation offered food for thought, encouraging a closer look and a nuanced assessment of potential applications.
The value of the conversations in between
The expert insights provided plenty of common ground for conversations during breaks and at the evening event. Those who organize marketing for multiple locations or sales partners often face similar questions, even across different industries.
How can sales partners be motivated to participate in campaigns? What level of freedom do local teams need? And how can processes be simplified without losing sight of brand quality?
In personal exchanges, such questions can lead to new perspectives. You learn how other companies approach a task, the hurdles they face, and what has proven successful in their practice. This can help you put your own decisions into perspective and discover new ways to solve problems.
At the same time, a day like this offers space for encounters that would never happen in a scheduled meeting. A conversation can evolve, a spontaneous question can lead to a different topic, and you get to know the people behind the professional roles. This openness is particularly enriching, and we value it highly.
A community grows from contacts
The joy of seeing everyone again was particularly moving for us. It shows that the connection between customers, partners, and our team extends far beyond individual projects.
This is what we mean when we talk about our LBX family. People stay in touch, share their knowledge, and are interested in how others solve their challenges. New participants expand this circle and bring in further experience.
For us, this is a key value of community. When you know each other personally, it is easier to pick up a conversation or think through an idea together. In this way, the benefits of the Local Marketing Day extend well beyond the event itself.
What we are taking away
Local Marketing Day 2026 provided us with professional inspiration and strengthened the personal connections within our community.
We are taking away new ideas for local marketing, additional perspectives on familiar challenges, and the joy of seeing our LBX family continue to grow together. After all, a strong foundation is built where people listen to one another, share experiences, and think through solutions together.
Thank you to all the speakers, the panel discussion participants, our partners, and all the guests who contributed their experiences and questions. And thank you for the personal encounters that made this day so special for us.
We look forward to continuing the conversation and to seeing you all again soon.
