Northern Marketing Festival

It was great to be at Prolific North’s Northern Marketing Festival yesterday, taking part in a panel discussion alongside Stephen Ardern from Continuous, Simon Rhodes from Smiling Wolf and Nicola Docking from Poke, chaired by Helen Cross from Growth Platform.

We discussed the city’s agency scene and how regional businesses are competing on a national and global stage.

The clear theme was that geography matters less than mindset. Clients are increasingly open to working with agencies outside London, but the agencies that push beyond their region are the ones that avoid being self-limiting, stay ambitious and prove they can deliver nationally and internationally.

We also heard from Bill Dennett at Uber Advertising on the “now economy” and how brands need to be present at the point of decision, Kimberley Dean from Liverpool Hope University on the role apprenticeships can play in building stronger talent pipelines, and Craig Hannan from The Anfield Wrap on why podcasts should be treated less like an advertising tactic and more like a trusted community.

A great event, with some sharp insights on where the industry is heading and the role Liverpool City Region agencies and businesses can play in that.