AI Evening: What Marketing Managers Need to Know
AI in marketing is no longer a nice-to-have in 2026, but a significant gap remains between hype and real-world value. At the AI Evening with the Bundesverband Der Mittelstand BVMW e.V. in our Munich office, we addressed exactly this gap: with three compact expert talks on data quality, AI competence and Agentic AI. The verdict: an inspiring evening full of great conversations, networking and a fresh buffet.
A Strong Evening Event with the BVMW in Munich
Following the successful webinar “Marketing Analytics Methods” with the BVMW, we hosted our first in-person event at our Munich office last week. The response exceeded our expectations: the evening was very well attended, the atmosphere was open and curious, and the networking conversations deepened what had been covered in the talks.
We hosted this event because marketing decision-makers in 2026 feel increasing pressure to deploy AI in meaningful ways, yet many quickly encounter the gap between hype, technical complexity and what actually works in day-to-day practice. That is exactly what we wanted to address. In three compact talks, our Hopmann experts covered what truly matters: from data quality as an indispensable foundation, to building genuine AI competence within teams, to concrete strategies around Agentic AI.
Why Is Clean Data the Foundation for AI Agents and Automation?
Talk 1 | Dr. Simon Hannemann, Manager Marketing Science, Hopmann Marketing Analytics
Simon opened the evening with the most fundamental truth in AI: garbage in, garbage out. Simple in theory, yet systematically underestimated in practice. His talk “Clean Data: The Foundation for AI Agents and Automation” made clear that data quality is not merely a technical challenge for the IT department to solve, but a strategic prerequisite that marketing decision-makers must actively demand and understand themselves.
The key takeaway: AI agents are only as good as the data they operate on. Anyone investing in automation and intelligent marketing systems today should first ensure that CRM data is clean, tracking structures are consistent and data sources are reliable.
How Do You Build Genuine AI Competence in a Marketing Team?
Talk 2 | Dr. Özgün Köksal, Senior Data Analytics Specialist, Hopmann Marketing Analytics
Özgün posed a question that many marketing managers recognise: “Are you already using AI fully across your team?” The typical answer: “Yes, we use tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to draft copy or summarize text whenever we need it.” Her talk made it clear why that does not yet constitute an AI-competent team. Between the sporadic use of language models and the genuine, strategic deployment of AI in everyday marketing lies a considerable difference, and above all: a concrete path of development.
The key takeaway: AI competence in a team does not emerge through tool access alone, but through a clear definition of responsibility, structured learning, concrete use cases and a culture that allows experimentation. Marketing teams investing in this competence now are building a lead that will pay off in the long run, regardless of which AI tool wins tomorrow.
What Is Agentic AI in Marketing and How Is It Used Strategically?
Talk 3 | Jörg Hopmann, Founder & Managing Director, Hopmann Marketing Analytics GmbH
Jörg closed the talk series with the topic that is currently attracting the most attention and at the same time requires the most clarification: Agentic AI. His talk “Agentic AI in Marketing: Strategies Between Standard and Competitive Edge” started by making the concept tangible: what distinguishes an AI agent from a simple prompt? When is autonomous action in marketing beneficial, and when is it risky?
The key takeaway: Agentic AI is no longer a future topic. Many marketing teams already deploy AI agents for a wide range of use cases such as lead qualification, content distribution, reporting automation and customer journey orchestration. Ultimately, Agentic AI shifts marketing professionals from being planners and operational executors to becoming strategic architects. This creates a decisive difference between companies that benefit and those that simply follow along: they have a clear strategy for where AI agents create genuine value, and where human judgement remains irreplaceable.
Thank You: Who Made This Evening Possible?
A warm thank you goes first and foremost to all attendees. Your curiosity, your questions and your openness made this evening what it was. The networking conversations around current AI topics were enriching and genuinely fun for everyone involved.
A special thank you goes to Ingrid Janssen from the BVMW for the smooth collaboration and flawless organisation on the association’s side.
And of course: thank you to Dr. Simon Hannemann, Dr. Özgün Köksal and Jörg Hopmann for three talks that were grounded, practical and inspiring in equal measure. As well as to the Hopmann team for their dedicated support in preparing and following up the event. And a special thank you to Marko Gross for the wonderful event photos.
What Events from Hopmann Are Coming Next?
The AI Evening was just the beginning. Just two days later, our “Raw & Roasted” coffee event took place at our office.
And for the coming weeks and months, we already have further online and in-person events in the pipeline on topics that truly matter to marketing decision-makers: from Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) and AI competence to Composable CDPs.
Anyone who wants to join can find all upcoming events on our events page. We recommend registering early. Spots at our last event were taken quickly.
→ All upcoming Hopmann Events: Online Webinars & In-Person Events
Questions that moved the evening.
FAQ on AI in Marketing 2026
What is Agentic AI and how does it differ from ChatGPT?
While tools like ChatGPT respond to individual inputs, AI agents (Agentic AI) act autonomously: they plan tasks, execute multiple steps in sequence and use various tools and data sources along the way. In marketing, this means an agent can independently qualify leads, distribute content and write results back to the CRM, without manual intervention at every step. Despite all the automation, we always recommend keeping a human in the loop for regular oversight.
Why is data quality a prerequisite for AI in marketing?
AI systems learn from data and reproduce any errors within it. Incomplete CRM entries, inconsistent tracking or duplicate records cause AI-driven campaigns to target the wrong audiences, deliver inaccurate forecasts or run automations in the wrong direction. A clean data foundation is therefore not a preparation for AI, it is the actual prerequisite.
How do you systematically build AI competence in a marketing team?
AI competence does not emerge from giving employees software access alone. Successful teams first define concrete use cases where AI creates genuine value, then build knowledge there deliberately. Helpful approaches include internal experiments with clear learning goals, regular knowledge sharing within the team and a leadership culture that allows mistakes when experimenting. Starting with one concrete use case is more effective than broad training programmes.
Which marketing tasks is Agentic AI already suited for today?
AI agents are already being used successfully in marketing for lead qualification, automated reporting processes, content personalisation and the orchestration of customer journeys. The strongest results come where repetitive tasks follow clear rules. Creative decisions and strategic judgement remain, in our view, among the most important responsibilities for humans.
What does a BVMW event offer marketing decision-makers in the Mittelstand?
BVMW events combine practical knowledge transfer with genuine networking among peers. Particularly in the area of AI and marketing, mid-sized companies benefit from hearing experiences from similarly structured organisations. The direct exchange after the talks at the AI Evening in Munich created at least as much value as the presentations themselves.
When are the next Hopmann Marketing Analytics events?
Hopmann regularly hosts webinars and in-person events on Marketing Analytics, AI strategy and data-driven marketing, in cooperation with partners such as the BVMW. All upcoming dates can be found at this page. Early registration is recommended, as spots tend to fill up quickly.