College

Best Brands College 2026

To underline the informative aspect of Best Brands, prior to the evening’s award ceremony there will also be a congress during the day: at the Best Brands College from 08.30 am on 25 February 2026, high-profile speakers will come together to discuss the overarching topic: Under the theme ‘#ExperienceUnlimited: How brand experience gives brands stability and strength’.

From global upheaval to technological disruption and a changing understanding of consumption and values – brands need to respond to this unprecedented pace of change with unwavering innovative strength and resilience. What sets successful brands apart these days is their ability to create unmistakeable experiences that resonate with people and maintain a strong sense of relevance. With #ExperienceUnlimited as its central theme, the 2026 Best Brands College will provide inspiration and expertise on this topic.

Host: Daniel Boschmann

Highlights of the Best Brands College 2026

Keynote with

bestselling author & criminal psychologist

Julia Shaw

Felicia Mutterer & Oke Göttlich

Closing Highlight

with President of FC St. Pauli, Oke Göttlich, co-founder and Managing Director of FC Viktoria Berlin, Felicia Mutterer and Jasmine Robinson.

Further Highlights of the Best Brands College 2026

Time: 8:30 am

Time: 9:30 – 9:40 am

Welcome with Carina Hieber, Chief of Staff / Manager Strategy & Projects at Media Impact

Speaker: Dr. Julia Shaw, bestselling author & criminal psychologist

Time: 09:45 – 10:10 am

A little caution is advisable when you meet Dr Julia Shaw: in a groundbreaking study, the bestselling author and criminal psychologist was able to implant memories in people of things that they have never actually experienced. Based on the latest findings from neurosciences and psychology, the ‘memory hacker’ will show in her talk that memories are not set in stone. On the contrary: remembering is a creative process in which our brain repeatedly forms a new image from individual fragments – our identity. How can brands use this knowledge to communicate their message better and make their products unforgettable? In her fascinating talk, Julia Shaw will encourage the audience to examine the connection between identity and successful storytelling – and show just how valuable memories can be for brands.

More Information about Dr. Julia Shaw here.

Speaker: Stephan Betz, Brand & Media Experte - Strategic Analytics & Insights at NielsenIQ
Sandra Haberstroh, Team Lead Mobility D-A-CH at NielsenIQ

Time: 10:15 – 10:35 am

The demands being placed on brand management are huge and classic differentiation by product or price is no longer enough. In a time in which brands are battling it out for attention and loyalty, experiences are the key to success. Yet brand experiences are so much more than individual touchpoints: they are the sum of all interactions that result in a consistent, relevant and emotional overall picture. And they shouldn’t just surprise – they also need to be recognisable, align with the brand’s identity and deliver real, tangible value. But what makes brand experiences powerful? And how can they be strategically designed and successfully used in your own brand management.

Further information about the speakers of this Masterclass can be found here.

Speaker: Adrian Eck, Senior Brand Activation Manager DE/AT at Weber-Stephen, Alina Enache, Senior Marketing Director at Coca-Cola Europe & Stijn Mentrop, Vice President & CMO at McDonald’s Germany

Time: 10:40 – 11:10 am

What makes a brand a Best Brand? Three of this year’s top 10 brands – Coca-Cola, Weber-Stephen and McDonald’s – will be taking to the stage to provide insights. The marketing specialists will outline what makes their brands strong today, as well as the principles that contribute to relevance, community and growth. This will be followed by a lively discussion with sharp theories, precise questions, clear answers and plenty of opportunities for input from the audience. And at the end you will take away tangible lessons and useful input that can be applied directly to your own roadmap.

Speaker: Ramona Jaeckle, Brand Manager at the Handelsblatt Media Group

Time: 11:15 – 11:35 am

In order to make business journalism truly tangible as a brand, it is crucial to establish a clear positioning, deliver a consistent brand experience and authentically embody your own values. Ramona Jaeckle, Brand Manager at the Handelsblatt Media Group, will provide fascinating insights into the branding of German newspaper Handelsblatt and WirtschaftsWoche magazine, showing how strong media brands can build trust and provide orientation in times of change. In practical terms, she will demonstrate how targeted branding forges a deeper connection between brand and audience and therefore lays the foundation for long-term relevance.

More Information about Ramona Jaeckle here.

Speaker: Alexander Mühl, Director of Marketing & Digitalisation at Borussia Dortmund

Time: 11:40 am – 12:00 pm

There aren’t many other football clubs that define themselves by their stadium experience as much as Borussia Dortmund (BVB). The club profits from a fan culture that has grown over decades and is based on exceptionally strong loyalty. But how are they dealing with a rapidly changing sports and event culture? How can marketing and digital services contribute to maintaining the unparalleled BVB experience? And how can they convey this special experience to people around the globe who will probably never set foot inside the Signal Iduna Park stadium?

More about Alexander Mühl here.

Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm

Speaker: Jil Andert, Director Brand & Events at Miss Germany, Max Klemmer, Managing Partner at Miss Germany & Tom Schwarz, Managing Director of Seven.One AdFactory

Time: 1:00 – 1:20 pm

In a world in which we are constantly bombarded with information, brands need to do more than just get noticed: they need to leave a lasting mark on people. But how? Seven.OneAdFactory’s Managing Director Tom Schwarz knows the answer: brands need to become emotional experiences. At the College, he will present some of the most spectacular ad campaigns and content cooperations from recent months and explain what is required of brands. Together with Max Klemmer and Jil Andert from ‘Miss Germany’, he will also present one of the most exciting brand developments of the past few years: the transformation from a traditional beauty contest into a modern platform for female empowerment, activism and social relevance. They will talk about why the transformation was necessary, the new self-image that defines the brand today, how this realignment is reflected in this year’s ‘Miss Germany’ contest – and what makes it attractive for brand integrations.

Further information about Tom Schwarz can be found here.

Speaker: Filiz de Campos Oliveira, radio presenter at bigFM & York Strempel, Lead Audio Experience at RMS

Time: 1:25 – 1:45 pm

Audio reaches people in ways that other media cannot. It creates resonance – between brands and people, between voices and emotions. In a digitalised world full of distractions, audio is the medium that turns attention into genuine relationships and relevance. Listening builds a sense of closeness and trust and brands that are a part of this connection will stay in people’s minds and hearts. York Strempel, Lead Audio Experience at RMS, and Filiz de Campos Oliveira, radio presenter and digital creator, will talk about the emotional power of listening and explain why the proximity to real people makes the medium of audio so unique and effective for brand communication.

Further information about the speakers of this Masterclass can be found here.

Speaker: Mike Bödger, Director Strategic Business Development at WallDecaux

Time: 1:50 – 2:10 pm

Out-of-home campaigns provide more than just reach: if they are properly orchestrated, they can become an experience space in the middle of the city. Programmatic targeting, creative technologies and special formats are turning (digital) advertising media into dynamic brand experiences. Out-of-home advertising is visible, relevant and scalable – and surprises, activates and connects people. Based on real-life examples, OOH expert Mike Bödger will show how it’s done.

Further information about Mike Bödger this Masterclass can be found here.

Speaker: Nikolaus Glasmacher, Chief Business Officer at BILD

Time: 2:15 – 2:35 pm

Strong brands need approachability, emotion and relevance – and they also need to play their part in shaping change, especially in times of technological disruption. Nikolaus Glasmacher, Chief Business Officer at German newspaper BILD, will take you behind the scenes of Germany’s biggest media brand and explain how technology, emotion and brand identity can be combined to create an unmistakable brand experience. Learn more about how to turn reach into real experiences, how to accompany users in all situations, and with which formats – from an emotional live event to a platform for interaction and discussion to a buying guide – you can offer users genuine added value and further grow existing business models.

Further information about Nikolaus Glasmacher can be found here.

Speaker: Michael Stücke, shepherd and owner of the Schäferei Stücke sheep farm, Nadia Leytes, Client Strategy Director at Serviceplan Cologne & Andy Wyeth, Creative Lead at Serviceplan Cologne

Time: 2:40 – 3:00 pm

When New York celebrates a shepherd from the north-west of Germany: with an innovative idea, queer wool label Rainbow Wool managed to get Tokio Hotel singer Bill Kaulitz on board as a testimonial and attract the attention of the international press. This was followed by a cooperation with dating app Grindr and a spectacular fashion collection by designer Michael Schmidt – who has created outfits for Lady Gaga and Rihanna – on a catwalk in New York. This success story shows how a unique brand experience can catapult a brand with local roots to global relevance. Prepare to be inspired!

Further information about the speakers of this Masterclass can be found here.

Speaker: Felicia Mutterer, co-founder and Managing Director of FC Viktoria Berlin, Oke Göttlich, President of FC St. Pauli and Jasmine Robinson, Managing Partner at Monarch Collective

Time: 3:05 – 3:35 pm

In a time of constant disruption, how do brands stay relevant? Two perspectives – the values-driven approach of FC St. Pauli and the progressive model of FC Viktoria Berlin in women’s football – will demonstrate how social commitment, working closely with the community and showing courage can strengthen brands in the long term. Felicia Mutterer and Oke Göttlich will show examples of diversified investor structures, effective community building and successful initiatives such as Kiezhelden (Neighbourhood Heroes), FC St. Pauli’s social initiative that supports marginalised groups in the local area. Plus: Jasmine Robinson from Monarch Collective will reveal international insights from a global investor perspective. Monarch recently became the first global investor specialising in women’s sports to invest in FC Viktoria Berlin – a first in the German Women’s Bundesliga. In the panel, you will be able to ask her questions directly and find out how leadership, empathy and business courage can make today’s brands resilient and desirable.

Further information about the Speakers can be found here.