November 3, 2025
Industry
Full house with a new attendance record on the Rhine: On October 30, 1,500 people turned Cologne’s Palladium into the epicenter of the community economy. At the VideoDays Festival, 800 creators met with brands, agencies, and producers for a day full of exchange, matchmaking, and purpose. Under the motto “From Creator to Community Economy,” Germany’s largest social media festival put the power of communities in the spotlight – as the most valuable currency in the attention economy. Once again, the event was supported by the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.
The program was opened by Tobias Schiwek, CEO of the organizer We Are Era, who addressed the 800 creators on-site with a powerful message:
“Relevance must be earned. With the reach you have, you are automatically political. We need to open bubbles. When you talk about empowerment, show the people you want to empower. I wish those who don’t make political content would do so – not with feel-good statements, but by taking real action.” Anyone who wants to be taken seriously, he said, must also take responsibility.
In panels, matchmaking sessions, and masterclasses, speakers including Eva Schulz, Mirella Precek, Tomatolix, and Otto Bulletproof discussed topics such as disinformation and racism online, mental health, storytelling, brand building, and the evolution of digital pop culture.
As the international star guest, NikkieTutorials gave a keynote about her own creator journey – from her first makeup tutorials to becoming a global icon who inspires and mobilizes communities across generations.
The highlight of the evening was the VD Award Gala, hosted by Dominik Porschen and Laura Larsson. Among the roughly 700 invited guests was the who’s who of the German-speaking creator scene. A total of 19 categories honored the year’s outstanding talents – including, for the first time, the new “Best Brand Collab” category, celebrating Germany’s most successful creator campaign. The award was presented in collaboration with Campaign Germany and DMEXCO.
Comedy: Mervegsteuer
Best in Longform: Marvin Wildhage
Food: russischraclette
Best Visual: Teo Crawford
Sports: Paula.enx
Music: Baran Kok
Social Responsibility: Robinga Schnögelrögel
News & Commentary: Desy F
Gaming: Game Two
Storytelling: Joseph Bolz
Vlog: Annemarie Paulsen
Animation: Bubblescutieee
Best in Streaming: HandOfBlood
Science & Education: Jacob Beautemps
Best in Shortform: Josischreib
Beauty & Fashion: Paula (unlabled)
Creator of the year: HandOfBlood
Newcomer of the year: Legendary Mirko
Honorary Award: Phil Laude
