The Federation of Marketing and Communications Agencies in Luxembourg, known as MarkCom, celebrated its 30th anniversary in July. Since Tom Turping took over as president in December, membership has increased from 28 to 43 agencies, now representing more than 500 employees. Turping views this growth as a positive step towards making the sector more representative and strengthening its voice in Luxembourg.
MarkCom brings together a wide range of specialised actors. Beyond traditional advertising agencies, the federation includes companies in web design, e-commerce, artificial intelligence (AI) implementation, digital marketing, social media, event management, film production, motion design, and press relations. Turping notes that the diversity is much greater than many might initially think, highlighting the evolving nature of the sector.
For Turping, the most significant change in marketing and communications is not a single development, but rather a process of ongoing technological transformation.
Reflecting on the evolution since MarkCom’s founding in 1995, he recalls how campaigns were once hand-drawn before computers, Photoshop, the web, social media, and smartphones changed the industry. Today, the rise of AI marks the latest stage of this transformation. Agencies must constantly identify and master new trends faster than the rest of the market; it is precisely this expertise that clients seek from agencies.
Turping sees artificial intelligence as a major opportunity for agencies, particularly when it comes to executing projects independently. Smaller companies can now produce content that would have been difficult or costly to create in the past. However, AI’s impact is twofold: agencies must adapt their own production processes to stay relevant, and they must take the technology seriously by integrating it into their workflows. Turping affirms that AI is not a trend; it is here to stay.
He adds that AI is also paving the way for new services. Drawing a parallel to previous technological shifts, Turping observes that while some predicted the end of printed brochures with the rise of the internet, such brochures are still produced today. As digital trends changed, visibility on Google became essential; now, the focus is shifting to platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini. This natural evolution, he says, is creating a wealth of new opportunities for agencies.
For the sector, these developments mean new responsibilities and business areas.
When it comes to AI regulation, Turping is clear: a framework is needed. The EU AI Act, which came into force on 2 August, requires that AI-generated content be clearly marked. However, Turping points out that it remains unclear exactly when and how content must be labelled, for example, whether a single badge on a website suffices if all content is AI-generated. To help agencies and clients navigate these grey areas, MarkCom has developed the Fair Process reference project, aiming to bring greater clarity and help establish a common standard for the sector.
Beyond regulation, Turping sees a strategic role for policymakers: both Europe and Luxembourg should invest in digital infrastructure, including data centres and high-speed internet connectivity. Such investments are essential if Europe wants to remain competitive and reduce its dependence on the US and China. In this context, Turping suggests that rather than relying on the presence of companies like Google in Bissen, Luxembourg should use available land to develop its own European data centres.
Despite rapid technological change, Turping believes that the communications sector continues to offer strong opportunities, especially for young people. He points out that younger professionals often have a better grasp of digital platforms and formats than established players. For instance, many young people understand exactly how algorithms on apps like TikTok work and how to achieve wide reach with short videos. As more companies seek to become active on these platforms, Turping’s advice to young professionals is to find a niche, specialise, and pursue their work with passion.
