Prolific North’s annual Northern Marketing Festival has officially opened bringing together hundreds of marketing professionals, brand leaders, and creatives from across the UK for a three-day celebration of innovation, strategy, and regional talent.
Now firmly established as a flagship event for the northern marketing community, this year’s festival spans three cities – Liverpool (June 10), Leeds (June 11), and Manchester (June 12). The opening day in Liverpool sets a high bar, with a packed schedule of keynote sessions, campaign showcases, and insights into the latest trends shaping the industry.
Nicola Docking of Poke is set to deliver the opening keynote at Liverpool’s iconic Royal Liver Building, sharing the story behind Alder Hey’s powerful Top Trumps campaign – a playful but impactful initiative that used gamification to communicate complex healthcare information to children and families.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Northern Marketing Festival
Prolific North Managing Director Alexandra Balazs said: “This year’s festival is a celebration of not just marketing excellence, but the northern voices driving innovation across industries. There’s a clear appetite for purpose-led, emotionally intelligent campaigns, and we’re excited to spotlight the best our industry has to offer over the coming days.”
Among the standout sessions on day one is a case study from law firm Weightmans, presented by Managing Partner Sarah Walton, detailing the firm’s recent rebrand and its focus on a “people-first” ethos to modernise both its identity and internal culture.
Chester Zoo’s Head of Marketing, Anna Babilinski-Barker, is also scheduled to speak on how the zoo has repositioned itself as a national leader in conservation through bold branding and digital storytelling.
READ MORE: What’s on the agenda at Northern Marketing Festival?
Further sessions will feature contributions from Embryo, Novaro, and Vision One’s Tony Lewis, covering topics such as social selling, energising brand campaigns, and the neuroscience behind marketing that moves people. A panel hosted by shesaid.so will explore inclusive community-building, while Mustard Research’s Richard Walker is set to deliver a tongue-in-cheek session on common marketing pitfalls.
Following today’s programme, the festival continues in Leeds on Wednesday before concluding in Manchester on Thursday. Highlights, interviews, and takeaways will be published throughout the week on Prolific North.
Headline partners Embryo, SBS, and Automated Analytics will be joined by leading agencies – including TALL, Wolfenden, Poke Marketing, and Impression Digital. Read a little bit more about the festival, including how to get your tickets to each location and more on our latest partners here.
