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Last month, we hosted our first-ever Marketing in the Madness LIVE - a day that proved the best marketing conversations happen when things don’t stick to the script.
Shoreditch came alive as we took over The Drum Labs - a space filled with ideas, laughter, and plenty of honest conversation. This wasn’t just another event; it was a chance for marketers to drop the polish and talk like real humans.
From the moment the doors opened, the energy was electric. Real conversations. Bold thinking. Genuine connection. Upstairs, the ‘Feeling So Contentful Lounge’ buzzed with collaboration and curiosity, while one floor up, the ‘LinkedIn Content Studio’ gave guests the perfect excuse to step in front of the camera - for a new profile shot, a quick post, or a personal brand refresh. And that was all before we even hit the main stage.
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To kick things off, we took a moment to pause. In a room full of fast thinkers, Zoe Marlowe led a short meditation that set a calm, grounded tone for the day - a rare chance to slow down before diving headfirst into a schedule packed with creativity, conversation, and big ideas.
From there, it was a high-energy journey through insight, honesty, and a few reality checks.
Jennifer Shaw-Sweet, EMEA Lead at the LinkedIn B2B Institute, opened with the science of memory and trust - showing that fame isn’t vanity, it’s visibility. Her message landed hard: if you’re not remembered, you’re not even considered.
George Sullivan, Founder of The Sole Supplier, brought the human truth back into focus. His take was simple: people don’t follow brands - they follow people. Authenticity built his business, not automation, and the room felt that.
Charles Bell, Senior Director, Sales EMEA at Contentful, cut through the AI hype with a sharp reminder that creativity still needs evidence. AI is a tool, not a truth - it only matters when human judgement gives it meaning.
Next up, Sedge Beswick (Founder, Nxt Lvl) led a brilliant panel on the future of community-driven marketing, joined by Romilly Boddington (Marketing & Community Manager, Perfect Ted) and Alex Siegel (Managing Director & Senior Talent Agent, Intertalent). Their message? Influence isn’t about reach - it’s about resonance. Belonging beats algorithms, every time.
Sarah McVittie, VP of Marketing at Mapp, delivered a retail reality check - exploring how creativity and operational edge can coexist. Smart decisions, data done right, and a little flair. Mapp even treated everyone to a legendary Mapp bum bag to take home.
Then came a powerhouse retail panel with Fabrice Khullar (Chief Product Officer, Boots), Simon Pakenham-Walsh (CIO, River Island), and Lynn Ritson (Global Digital Director, Dr. Martens). They unpacked how retail is evolving fast - from AI adoption to shifting customer expectations and new digital journeys. Together, they emphasised how the future of retail belongs to brands that move with their customers, not just toward them.
Jason Trout, Managing Director at Crimtan, tackled the big question: Is TV dead? His answer - absolutely not. From decline to dominance, he showed how streaming, connected TV, and programmatic advertising have turned traditional TV into one of the most dynamic spaces in marketing today. His message was clear: TV isn’t dying but it’s evolving, and the brands that blend creativity with data will be the ones that win.
Paul Wright, Head of EMEA at Uber Advertising, showed how Uber is turning everyday moments into powerful opportunities for brands. With audiences already engaged - tracking rides, waiting on orders, on the move - Uber’s ads capture real attention, not just impressions. His data-backed talk revealed that brands on Uber see 6.6x higher attention rates and over 50% recall in just a few seconds, proving that relevance in the moment drives real impact.
Finally, Richard Shotton took the audience inside the world of behavioural science, showing how Dyson uses psychology to shape consumer decisions, and what every brand can learn from it. One of the UK’s leading voices on applied behavioural science and founder of Astroten, Richard is also the author of best-selling books The Choice Factory and The Illusion of Choice. With his trademark mix of sharp insight and real-world examples, he made the science of influence feel both practical and powerful.
After his talk, the buzz didn’t stop - a queue quickly formed for a live signing of his brand-new book, Hacking the Human Mind. Safe to say, it was one of those moments where everyone wanted to take a little piece of the insight home with them.
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Just when the post-lunch lull started to creep in, Krispy Kreme came to the rescue with an endless supply of doughnuts - the perfect treat to reset the room and get everyone buzzing again before the next set of talks.
Uber kept the good vibes rolling, gifting every guest £25 to get home (or grab a cheeky Uber Eats), setting the tone for an evening that didn’t disappoint.
Then came the after-party - and it was unreal. DJ Jules Cameron, fresh from Ibiza’s closing parties, brought pure sunshine energy to the decks. People danced, laughed, and swapped numbers. It didn’t feel like a conference - it felt like a movement.
As the lights went down and the room buzzed with post-event energy, one thing was obvious - we have to do more of these. The energy, the honesty, the ideas… it just worked.
Marketing in the Madness LIVE proved that the future of marketing belongs to those who dare to make it human - who trade polish for honesty, data for meaning, and automation for genuine connection.
Whether you couldn’t make it or just want to relive the magic, you can catch every talk from Marketing in the Madness LIVE on the Marketing in the Madness Podcast.
We’re releasing each talk weekly so you don’t miss any of the insights, ideas, or inspiration that made the day unforgettable.
Subscribe to the podcast here.
A big thank you to BCP Media Group for providing such great assets for the event, and to the Ministry of Fun for bringing the energy that made the day unforgettable.
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