Marketing Week’s editor-in-chief Russell Parsons selects his not-to-be-missed sessions at this year’s Festival of Marketing.
This year’s Festival of Marketing theme is ‘Seize the Opportunity’. It’s partly a rallying call to marketers but also a promise from us to the industry – we will do what we can to inspire and enable you to do better.
Our agenda to date is bursting with authoritative voices and case studies on topics ranging from career management to category innovation, personal development to product innovation.
There’s so much to look forward to. The task of picking the best of what we have announced so far is a tough one, but here’s a snapshot of what you can expect at this year’s Festival.
Innovation is an opportunity for all marketers in all categories, and we have one of the leading experts on the topic, Dr Helen Edwards, Marketing Week columnist and consultant to some of the world’s leading marketing organisations, who will be appearing on the Navigating Trends stage to deliver a masterclass in identifying and serving needs and doing so in a profitable way.
This is a rare, not to be missed look under the bonnet of the brand management behemoth that is P&G. Its top marketer in Europe, Taide Guajardo and Northern European brands lead, Matt Thomas, will take to the Effectiveness in Action stage to walk you through what makes some of the world’s best known brands tick.
B2B is well represented at Festival, with big issues and big names featuring throughout the day. There aren’t many bigger B2B brands than PwC, and there aren’t many bigger issues than the skills and knowledge needed to succeed. Who better to share her insight than PwC global CMO and Marketing Week’s 2024 Marketer of the Year, Antonia Wade, who will walk us through her thoughts on the makeup of a modern marketer on the Future Marketer stage.
Behind the brand: The inside story of Specsavers
Specsavers is hugely admired by marketers, and appreciated by its customers. It’s a firm with a strong purpose, creative flair and admirable brand management. And it’s successful. This is a rare opportunity to hear from two of the key architects behind the brand, CEO John Perkins and CMO Peter Wright about how they work together to ensure continued success.
Our Big Picture sessions, taking place mid-morning, are designed to interrogate key topics that will help people think bigger. The session on the Navigating Trends stage is on one of the most prevalent issues – growth. A powerhouse panel of brand and business experts will unpick the strategy, resilience and cultural fluency needed to break through in new and existing markets.
The inside story of Monzo’s rise
Monzo is a brand with momentum, hitting £1bn in revenue and grabbing attention and plaudits for its creative, use of distinctive assets and customer experience. Behavioural science expert, and Marketing Week columnist Richard Shotton is a fan and he will be speaking with head of brand strategy at Monzo Nathalie Malevsky to dissect the secrets behind its success.
The future of advertising effectiveness – ‘Lots’ or ‘Lots of little’?
There are so many huge challenges everyone in advertising faces. In grabbing and keeping attention. In staying true to your brand but also leaning into the myriad of platforms you can use to execute. Who better than three huge authorities – Les Binet, Grace Kite and Kantar’s Dom Boyd to show you the way. Expect received wisdom to be challenged and practical advice to be imparted.
The Festival of Marketing will take place on 2 October at The Brewery, London. Click here to secure your ticket.
