NMF Content themes
01
Experimentation & play
ROI is king, we strive to do more with less and short-term goals often take centre stage. The price? Innovation. This is a call to arms to remember the power of play in coming up with ideas that truly stand out.
02
Creativity through the lens of tech
As AI takes on more tasks, what becomes the uniquely human role in marketing creativity? Looking beyond AI, how are other technologies shaping marketing?
03
Northern Grit
Celebrating Northern culture in all things marketing, design and showcasing that top tier talent we all know we have plenty of in the North!
Explore the Northern Marketing Festival Agenda
09:00 - Doors open. Collect your badge, grab a brew, and connect with other marketers before the talks kick off.
10:00 - Welcome to Northern Marketing Festival 2025!
Want to see a campaign that truly moves decision-makers? Nicola Docking from Poke reveals the bold strategy behind Alder Hey’s Top Trumps initiative. Learn how they tapped into the power of “play” to raise awareness of critical inequalities in children’s healthcare and compel action from politicians. Nicola will share tips on how to transform complex issues into engaging campaigns that drive real-world impact.
Presented by:
Nicola Dorking, Managing Director at Poke
Can a 200-year-old law firm become a branding innovator? Absolutely. Discover how Liverpool-founded Weightmans, now a top 40 UK player, reimagined their brand by putting their people at the heart of everything. Weightmans’ Sarah Walton, their first female Managing Partner, shares the inside story of their brand transformation.
Panellists
- Sarah Walton, Managing Partner of Weightmans
- Dr Catriona Wolfenden, Director of Innovation at Weightmans
- Valerie Bounds, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy & Creative Officer Aurora
Hosted by Dawn Paine, Co-Founder & CEO Aurora
11:00 - 11:30 Networking Break
In today’s fast-paced digital marketplace, engaging content is key to social selling success. During this session, you’ll hear about the tools and techniques for creating compelling content that converts followers into customers. You’ll also learn about tailoring your creativity for the different platforms and leveraging the power of the TikTok shop.
Speakers:
- Harriet Tuite, Head of Paid Social at Embryo
- Chris Grimes, Managing Director of Novaro
For years, brand building has revolved around the same set of ideas: messaging, positioning, communication, and value creation. But here’s the truth – your market isn’t waiting to be “messaged.” It’s overwhelmed, distracted, and moving faster than ever.It’s time for a shift.
Brand success today isn’t about what you say—it’s about what you spark.
Forget just telling stories or crafting value propositions. The brands that win now are the ones that energise their market. They create momentum. They inspire action. They fuel participation, not just awareness. Ask yourself:
- Are we creating content, or are we creating energy?
- Are we broadcasting, or are we catalysing?
- Are we creating an image, or are we adding value?
Communication will always matter- but if it doesn’t move people, what’s the point?
Tony Lewis, CEO of Liverpool and London-based market research specialists Vision One, has uncovered new insights about how brands grow. His talk will outline these insights and explain their implications for marketers, enabling them to enhance their skills and achieve better outcomes.
Presented by: Tony Lewis – CEO of Vision One & Author
Join Anna Babilinski-Barker, Senior Brand and Marketing Manager at Chester Zoo, for a 30-minute fireside chat exploring the zoo’s remarkable rebrand journey. With 16+ years of experience in visitor attractions and charities, Anna will reveal how they’ve transformed Chester Zoo into a UK renowned hub of conservation. Learn how bold strategies, a “Northern Grit” attitude, and innovative campaigns have delivered measurable results and propelled this iconic brand to new heights.
Fireside chat with Anna Babilinski-Barker, Senior Brand and Marketing Manager at Chester Zoo
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch & Networking Break
Liverpool is renowned for its vibrant cultural scene, and this panel discussion celebrates how the city’s music, film, and gaming sectors are not just cultural assets but powerful engines of economic growth. Featuring key figures from these dynamic industries, his session will explore how Liverpool’s unique ‘Northern Grit’ and innovative spirit have fostered a thriving creative ecosystem.
Every brand dreams of a loyal community, but the music industry has perfected the art. Nina Kehagia, from shesaid.so, will reveal the secrets behind building passionate fan bases, exploring how artists and labels cultivate deep loyalty through authenticity, shared experiences, and creative engagement. Learn actionable strategies to transform your audience into a thriving, advocacy-driven community for your brand.
Presenter: Nina Kehagia – Strategist at shesaid.so
We’re keeping a few surprises up our sleeve… This session will be revealed soon and promises to bring fresh insight, bold thinking, and practical takeaways to your Festival experience. Keep an eye out…
15:45 - Drinks Reception & Networking
09:00 - Doors open. Collect your badge, grab a brew, and connect with other marketers before the talks kick off.
10:00 - Welcome to Northern Marketing Festival 2025!
In a world that’s shifting fast, marketers worldwide are struggling to stay relevant with only surface-level design and campaigns. Using the real journey of FTSE250 transport giant FirstGroup, we’ll explore how the best way to respond to change is not to just slap lipstick on a pig – but to elevate marketing into the world of business transformation.
Step into the minds of marketing leads from La Redoute UK and 247 Blinds as they reveal how experimentation and play fuel their boldest campaigns in this intimate panel, hosted by HUB.
From testing bold ideas to embracing risk, these brands are reshaping how marketing works in the home, garden, and fashion sectors. Discover how they nurture curiosity-driven teams, turn missteps into momentum, and win over C-suites. If you’re ready to rethink the rules, this is one conversation you won’t want to miss.
Speakers:
- Sarah Link, Head of Marketing at La Redoute UK
- Rob Wood, Marketing Director at 247 Blinds
- Rob Shaw, CEO at HUB
11:25 - 11:45 Networking Break
Presented by:
Jamie Peate Global Head of effectiveness & retail at McCann Worldgroup and McCann Manchester
Let’s be honest, proving social ROI can feel like a constant battle, right? Naomi Horan from CLOUD NINE gets it – she’s been in the social and influencer world for over 9 years, on both the agency and brand sides. If you’re keen to figure out what real social success looks like in 2025 (and the metrics that actually prove it), this is your session. We’ll be diving into:
- Strategic content: where the magic starts
- Reporting: tracking what actually matters
- Community: showing the ROI
Speaker: Naomi Horan – Social Media & Influencer Manager at CLOUD NINE
The rules of organic search strategy are being rewritten, and in this session, we’ll explore what it’s going to take to futureproof your brand in an AI-powered, culture-driven, digital landscape. We’ll unpack the new pillars of SEO and how the evolution of the audience has caused this shift. It’s no longer enough to build rankings, you need to understand your audience so that they choose you. Whether you’re brand or agency-side, this talk will give you actionable tools to reimagine your approach and create a stronger organic presence.
Presented by: Jess Atkinson, Head of Organic at Embryo
13:00 - 14:00 - Lunch & Networking Break
Paid media isn’t just for quick wins. In this sharp and strategic session, Wolfenden’s Matt Robson explores how rethinking paid as a brand-building tool – briefed better, integrated smarter, and measured differently – can unlock serious long-term growth. With insights from WARC’s Multiplier Effect and a real-world case study, this session will change how you see performance marketing.
Presented by: Dan Pratt, Solutions Director at Wolfenden
Adam Zavalis – Vice President, Marketing at Asda
Adam brings a wealth of experience from both agency (McCann, TBWA) and client-side (Aldi UK, Boots) to his role as VP of Marketing at Asda. Here, he’s leading a dynamic transformation, marked by a complete visual identity refresh, innovative partnerships, and a strategic nod to Asda’s heritage.
In this candid fireside chat, Adam will share the core tenets of demand generation he relies on and give practical insights into balancing short-term tactics with long-term brand building. We’ll then delve into how Adam has built high-performing marketing teams throughout his career and how to build a culture where creative effectiveness isn’t just a goal, it’s the standard.
If you’re driven to understand how a seasoned leader navigates complex brand evolution and builds winning marketing teams, this is a talk you won’t want to miss!
In today’s fast-paced market, speed and efficiency are critical for brand success. But how do we achieve this without sacrificing creative excellence?
Sun Branding’s ‘Brand Catalysts’ will explore how they’re tackling this challenge by integrating proprietary technology with their creative process when it comes to branding and packaging. This session will delve into practical strategies for leveraging tech to accelerate creative workflows.
Discover how Sun Branding balances the ‘logic’ of technology with the ‘magic’ of creative innovation to drive tangible business results for global brands and retailers. We’ll examine real-world examples and discuss how you can implement similar approaches to supercharge your own brand development.
Presented by:
- Caroline Kaye – Design Director at Sun Branding
- Robert Quigley – Technical Director at Sun Branding
15:45 - Drinks Reception & Networking
09:00 - Doors open. Collect your badge, grab a brew, and connect with other marketers before the talks kick off.
10:00 - Welcome to Northern Marketing Festival 2025!
Don’t let the evolving digital landscape leave your paid media strategy behind. Join experts Callum (Embryo) and Stephen (Roland DG) to discover how they’re leveraging emerging opportunities and adapting to change. Get practical takeaways and real examples of winning campaigns that have achieved results both in the UK and internationally.
Speakers:
- Callum Leonard, Paid Media Strategy Director at Embryo
- Stephen Davis, EMEA Marketing Director at Roland DG
In 2015, we would have never envisaged a Search world that wasn’t dominated by Google. Fast forward a decade, we’re in 2025, searching in more ways than ever before. But what does this mean for Search Marketers now that Search means so much more than Google?
Join Claire and Nick as they provide actionable insights on how to grow your search beyond Google to keep competitive in the wider search landscape in 2025. Learn how to leverage AI to understand patterns and get ahead of the competition in the new world of search.
Speakers:
- Claire Elsworth – Strategy Director, Impression
- Nick Handley – Head of Paid Media Performance, Impression
11:15 - 11:45 Networking Break
Driving traffic is easy. Making it count? That’s where the difference lies. This session talks about how to build a digital experience that delivers long-term impact. Learn how aligning your brand’s personality with performance marketing can reshape your content strategy to boost engagement, reduce drop-off and drive conversion without wasting budget.
In this session, Andy will share how to:
- Build journeys that connect brand storytelling with performance metrics
- Turn static landing pages into high-converting brand assets
- Align tone, message and design across every touchpoint
Key takeaways:
- How to identify the optimal balance of brand identity and performance goals
- How to design experiences that drives both awareness and action
- How to use categorisation frameworks to align user intent throughout the funnel
- How to use data insights to optimise and scale content over time
Who’s it for?
Perfect for marketing managers, digital strategists, and performance leads looking to move beyond clicks and build brand-led digital experiences that actually convert.
Speaker: Andy Beckwith – Creative Director at Tall
Presented by:
Jamie Peate Global Head of effectiveness & retail at McCann Worldgroup and McCann Manchester
Creativity often gets pushed to the bottom of the list – behind deadlines, tight budgets and shifting priorities. But what if the right technology didn’t just support creativity, it unlocked it?
In this straight-talking panel hosted by LucidLink, we’ll explore how brands and agencies across the North are collaborating across cities, time zones and even continents – without compromising on speed, security or creative ambition. You’ll hear how teams are scaling up and down with ease, tapping into talent from anywhere and delivering great work everywhere with cloud collaboration that just works.
Speakers:
- Neil Williams – Head of Production, Leith
- Alistair Rankine – Post Production Supervisor at SharkNinja
- John Lucas – Broadcast Creative Director, SharkNinja
- Hosted by Rupert Watson – Senior Director of Sales, EMEA, LucidLink
13:05 - 14:00 - Lunch & Networking Break
In a world dominated by pixels and platforms, print can be your secret weapon. This session explores how tactile, playful, and high-impact print can elevate digital campaigns – anchoring your brand in the real world. By creating multi-sensory experiences, print enhances marketing effectiveness, sparks emotion, builds trust, and boosts ROI. Discover how print isn’t just still relevant – it’s essential.
Speaker: Fiona Robinson, Country Captain (UK) at Print.com
What began in the North is now reshaping the national conversation – and proving that you don’t need a London postcode to make headlines that matter. The North is pulling up its own chair in national Broadcast PR. This session explores how Manchester-born creativity, warmth, and unapologetic identity are powering authentic campaigns where creative bravery, not location, is what drives results.
We’ll explore how Gaydio — the UK’s LGBTQ+ radio station, founded in Manchester — has grown by taking the best of Manchester — its warmth, directness and unapologetic identity — and making it matter everywhere.
We’ll also learn insights from Mission Control, Be Broadcast’s in-house media intelligence unit, revealing how regional stories gain national traction – and why people trust voices that feel like theirs. The North must stop waiting to be invited to the table – and start pulling up its own chairs.
Speakers:
- Josh Wheeler – Be Broadcast Founder
- Kriss Herbert, Network Content Director of Gaydio
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the complex landscape of shifting geopolitical forces, evolving cultural norms or sometimes unexplainable changes in consumer behavior, you are not alone!
This talk explores how marketers can stay true to their values and drive meaningful connections at a time marked by uncertainty and division. We’ll discuss how to respond to challenges such as the pushback against diversity and inclusion, the need for greater authenticity, and the importance of understanding how global events shape customer expectations.
16:40 - Drinks Reception & Networking
Our Speakers
We can't wait to welcome you to Norther Marketing Festival 2025 in...
One week, three Northern host cities
Liverpool - June 10
A city built on creativity, culture, and big ideas - Liverpool’s marketing scene is no different. It’s a celebration of the energy, originality, and fearless thinking shaping the industry.
Leeds - June 11
From disruptive startups to powerhouse brands, Leeds is where marketing talent thrives. It’s about showcasing bold strategies, fresh ideas, and boundary-pushing campaigns driving change.
Manchester - June 12
A city that never stands still - Manchester’s marketing industry leads the charge with innovation. It’s where creativity, collaboration, and big ideas turn into real impact.
HEADLINE PARTNERs
SBS
Automated Analytics
Embryo
Regional Partners
Growth Platform
Poke Marketing
Supporters
Pathway
ICG
Vision One
Canny Creative
Made Brave
BuyMedia
LucidLink
Growth Platform
SBS
Automated Analytics
Print.com
TAL
Wolfenden
Colony
McCann
Be Broadcast
Impression Digital
Poke Marketing
Embryo
