Northern Marketing Festival – Leeds

Presented by David Prior - Editor at Prolific North

Most advertising is ineffective, with only 16% of TV ads being remembered and correctly attributed to their brands. Yet, despite this being true, the advertising industry continues to judge and measure its success on subjectivity and creative awards. But can this change? Is it changing already?!

Join us for this talk delivered by McCann Worldgroup on the journey of advertising that will unpack how we, as marketers, can more effectively link spend to growth and long-term success.

Speakers:
James Bagan - Strategy Director at McCann Worldgroup
Miles Williams - Strategy Director at McCann Worldgroup

In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital marketing, paid media stands out as a crucial component for driving measurable results and achieving significant return on investment (ROI).
During this talk, you’ll hear from agency and brand marketers, as they discuss the strategies, tools, and trends in paid media that are shaping the future of performance marketing.

Speakers:
Harriet Tuite - Head of Paid Social at Embryo
Callum Leonard - Head of PPC at Embryo
Simon Wild - Head of Marketing & Membership at TOTUM

With Dom Dwight - Strategy & Innovation Director at Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate

Dom has seen lots of change in 16 years at Taylors of Harrogate, particularly during his 8 years as Marketing Director, where he drove Yorkshire Tea to become the UK's number one brew through consistently creative comms. Now focusing on strategy and innovation, Dom is exploring new ideas that could shape the future for one of Yorkshire’s most successful independent businesses.

How can brands navigate the balance between playing it safe vs being playful? We look at the benefits of bold creative thinking for brands, and why some of it works and why some of it goes badly wrong. The session will arm you with strong arguments to sell the most exciting and adventurous ideas, as well as the principles to ensure they don’t backfire.

Speakers:
Jon Workman - Creative Director at Ponderosa
Steve Henry - Group Growth Director at Audience Collective
Adam Irwin - Strategy Director at Ponderosa

A myth-busting session to showcase how research & insights can provide inspiration and confidence to push brands in new directions.

Presented by Alex Culshaw - Head of Qualitative Research at Spark Market Research

In today’s advertising world, one-size-fits-all just doesn’t cut it. Making sure your content shines without wasting resources is absolutely key. With demand on the rise, challenges like poorly executed content, isolated briefs, misalignment between agencies, and missed reuse opportunities are all too common. Join us as we tackle these issues and share proactive ways to make the most out of your marketing budget.

Presented by Neil Adams - CEO & Co-Founder at Powerhouse

Events are more than just a moment in time. They are the loudest part of your marketing strategy; providing a unique opportunity to interact and engage with your customers. But, you want to create more than just an event, you want to take your attendees on a journey.

So, how do you harness technology and creativity to create seamless and intuitive experiences that let your brand take centre stage?

From using AI insights to streamline every element of your attendee experience, to creative and immersive content; it’s about creating moments not just messages.

Join First Event as they share the latest strategies and innovations to apply to your events, as well as the pitfalls to avoid. Discover how to deliver unforgettable experiences that leave a lasting post-event legacy

Speakers:
Marc Allott - Creative Director at First Event
Max Collishaw - Head of Tech & Innovation at First Event

With the recent explosion of GenAI, algorithmic bidding and emerging platforms, the search ecosystem is changing fast - disrupting consumer behaviours and upending established advertising strategies and business models. How should brands respond to gain a competitive advantage in this pivotal moment?

Presented by Danny Blackburn - Chief Strategy Officer at KINESSO

Panelists:
Caroline Huntley - Partner Marketing Manager at Virgin
Laura Kenny - VP of Marketing at BOXT
Dan Mortimer - Head of Marketing at Nimble Approach
Angela Cameron - European Brand and Portfolio Director at Mars (Pedigree)