Building Brands Live is a major marketing conference coming to Bristol UWE on September 3, 2024. The event will be held at the Bristol Business School, UWE Bristol, Hosted by the Building Brands network in partnership with AMRG. It promises a full day of marketing insights, networking, and learning opportunities.
The conference includes 12 workshops led by South West-based subject matter experts and 3 keynote speeches from marketing industry leaders. Topics covered range from AI in marketing to sustainability, SEO, and brand building. Speakers include experts from Google, Inclued.AI, Roar!, and various marketing agencies.
Click here for more information, schedule & tickets
I caught up with the super-bubbly Jon Payne – He’s a Sales, Marketing and CRM consultant, who also heads up Marketing at Building Brands. We caught up to talk about why this event is such a big deal for both industry folks and researchers alike.
Building Brands Live sounds like it’s going to be a jam-packed day! What inspired you to bring this event to Bristol, and what can attendees expect that’s unique to the South West marketing scene?
Jon Payne – It really is going to be a big day, with so many useful sessions from inspiring speakers.
Dave Briggs, the wonderful man who founded Building Brands, was actually inspired to do so when he attended a similar event I used to run in Bristol. After running successful events in Plymouth and Exeter together, it made sense to come back here.
Attendees can expect a day filled with smiles, and while there’s no pressure to “network” most people find that they meet nice people in the queue for lunch or afternoon cakes. We get loads of feedback that people return to their jobs with a notebook full of practical ideas too, which is really why we do it.
You’ve got an impressive line up of speakers and workshops. How did you go about selecting such a diverse range of marketing experts?
Jon Payne – We find speakers who can give practical advice on their topic within a cohort who can cover a breadth of topics relevant to marketing in 2024. Thankfully, we’re lucky to know some very impressive people, so we create a long list we want to invite and then figure out who’s got space in their diary.
You mentioned the wide range of marketing topics covered in this conference, from AI to sustainability. How do you think these diverse subjects reflect the current state of marketing, especially for businesses in the South West?
Jon Payne – With all the new technology available to businesses (and their potential customers) it’s essential that we help marketers understand what bandwagons are ripe for jumping on and which are just a waste of time and resource.
Building Brands give delegates a tool kit which enables them to push back against some of the more impractical ideas their boss ‘heard down at the golf club’ while allowing them to sell initiatives internally that are more likely to show a return on investment. Remote working means if we’re not leading the conversation on this stuff, our work may shift to major hubs outside of the South West – I’d prefer that the area stays as creative and vibrant as it was when I moved here (and fell in love with it) 20 years ago. Building Brands Live gives people the opportunity to develop the unique cultural voice of the region so that the South West remains a place where creativity in marketing thrives.
”…I’d prefer that the area stays as creative and vibrant as it was when I moved here (and fell in love with it) 20 years ago…”
It’s great that Building Brands Live is collaborating with the Applied Marketing Research Group (AMRG) here at UWE Bristol. Can you tell us more about this partnership and why incorporating academic research is important for marketers?
Jon Payne – For Building Brands, the partnership with the AMRG was all about us being able to bring people to the amazing venue that is the Bristol Business School. We met with Mario, Tom, and the team, their enthusiasm for engaging with marketers working in the South West, and improving the way they do their jobs and it really sealed the deal.
Incorporating academic research is useful for marketers as it provides data-driven insights, fosters innovative strategies, and enhances credibility. By partnering with AMRG we hope our members might bridge theory and practice, driving more effective, informed marketing decisions.
Although it’s your first time in Bristol it’s not your first rodeo, Building Brands events happen across the South West and beyond – tickets for these events usually sell out, which is fantastic! What do you think it is about Building Brands that resonates so much with the marketing community, and what’s your vision for the future of Building Brands?
”…Building Brands Live gives us a place to get together, have a laugh and learn things – quite a change from our day to day!”
Jon Payne – Napoleon once described England as “a nation of shopkeepers” and while in modern Britain that’s not the case, what powers the economy is small to medium sized businesses. In the SME environment, the marketing dept (sometimes just one person) can be an isolating place to be. Building Brands Live gives us a place to get together, have a laugh and learn things – quite a change from our day to day!
And finally, (I promise) give me your elevator pitch; If you had to sum up the main reason to attend Building Brands Live in just one sentence, what would it be?
Jon Payne – Building Brands Live provides some inspirational time away from your desk, the amazing speakers will give you heaps of ideas AND we’ll feed you, all for less than the price of a return ticket to London.
Building Brands is coming to UWE Bristol on the 3rd of September.
You can find out more and register to attend here