Meetup Istanbul, one of the marketing industry's longest-running gatherings, opened its doors for the tenth time. Held at UNIQ Istanbul on October 13 under the theme “Beyond Control,” the event set the stage for debates on shifting power dynamics and technology's impact on business. Artificial intelligence, data strategy, brand-consumer relations and next-generation business models were on the agenda across multiple stages throughout the day.

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Leadership in the age of AI

Among the standout speakers on the main stage was Serkan Girgin, CMO of Google Türkiye, whose presentation “An AI Year” explored the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in marketing. According to Girgin, technology is no longer just a tool for efficiency — it is fundamentally reshaping how consumers are understood, how decisions are made and how experiences are designed.

Girgin noted that real-time data has made strategies more dynamic, personalized and measurable, but argued that the transformation cannot be completed through technology investment alone. Human resources, leadership approaches and business processes must also be prepared for the change, he said; rather than trying to keep everything under control, the priority should be reading change correctly and expanding one's sphere of influence.

The consumer at the table has changed

Gamze Menek, Brand Manager at TAB GIDA, pointed to a fundamental shift in consumer preferences in her talk “What Has Changed at the Table? The Changing Consumer, the Transforming Brand.” Taste alone is no longer enough, she said; options that fit different moments of the day and individual expectations are gaining the upper hand.

Menek emphasized that consumer-driven trends on social media are now charting the course of kitchen innovation, and defined innovation as “bringing curiosity-sparking novelty together with tangible benefit.” Lasting success, she argued, is only possible by listening to the consumer and reading change correctly.

Data creates no value until it becomes action

In his talk “Know the Data, Lead the Future,” Mimeda General Manager Kına Demirel assessed the growing weight of real purchase data in strategy building. Trends such as the rise of single-person households, the needs of an aging population and the shift from large baskets to frequent small purchases are forcing brands to rethink how they approach their audiences, he said.

Demirel explained that the data accumulated through loyalty programs has turned retail into a new-generation media power, but that data's true value only emerges when it is converted into concrete action. Insight meeting human creativity, he stressed, is what makes the difference in marketing.

Ten years of gathering, assessed

Necip Murat, Founder and CEO of Pazarlamasyon, reflected on the event's ten-year journey. The original goal, he recalled, was to create a meeting point that brought together different stakeholders of the industry and laid the groundwork for new ideas and collaborations.

Today, he said, the industry's major transformation is being witnessed together. This year's edition addressed a period in which change is accelerating and control is being shared among different actors. The ability to adapt to change and to create together, Murat added, is what will shape the future.

Commerce media takes the side stages

The main stage hosted discussions on artificial intelligence, leadership, creativity and the creator economy, while marketing leaders' priorities for 2027 and evolving consumer expectations were also on the table.

The Emerging Trends Stage, jointly prepared by Pazarlamasyon and IAB Türkiye, focused on retail and commerce media as advertising's third wave. Across five sessions, the program examined new business models, data usage, measurement methods and AI-powered shopping experiences.

Two separate award ceremonies

The event also stood out with The Hammers Awards and Brand Impact ceremonies. Under The Hammers Awards, companies' team achievements across different fields were recognized, with plaques presented to standout work spanning a wide range from social responsibility and sustainability to technology and data, and from brand experience to strategy.

On the Brand Impact side, the focus was on brands' perceived value and social prestige. Successful brands were awarded based on the results of a study measuring trust, appreciation, reputation and sustainability perceptions beyond commercial success.

Special spaces: CMO's Hot Seat and Zeitgeist

CMO's Hot Seat brought marketing leaders together with attendees in an intimate format. In ten-minute sessions, CMOs shared their career stories and views on the industry while answering questions from the audience.

Zeitgeist, organized by Walther Kranz since 2023, was hosted on this stage for the first time. The program has so far introduced more than 2,000 students from 52 universities across Türkiye to the media and communications world; this time, over 200 students got the chance to hear from leading industry figures and put their questions to them directly.