Building Brands Exeter 2026

Your complete day guide to Building Brands Plymouth 2026—sessions, speakers and venues. Plan your path from doors open to after dark.

8:30
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Foyer

Networking, tea/coffee

Grab a hot drink, say hi to all the nice people

Speaker(s):
Timing:
8:30
-
9:30
9:30
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 1

Welcome to Building Brands

Starting the day with a smile and a welcome from the best people in the world!

Speaker(s):
Chris Bentley
Ali Newton-Temperley
Steve Manser
Timing:
9:30
-
9:45
9:50
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 3

Is paying for SEO actually worth it?

With AI content and search on the rise, is SEO still the best investment for online visibility? Ben explores the answer.

Speaker(s):
Ben Barnes
Timing:
9:50
-
10:20
9:50
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 1

To Be Confirmed

To be confirmed

Speaker(s):
Mark Girvan
Timing:
9:50
-
10:20
9:50
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 2

Why the Creative Sector matters right now - and how it will benefit you!

Discover why the creative sector is a national growth priority, what it means for you, and how collaboration creates opportunity.

Speaker(s):
Simon Beer
Timing:
9:50
-
10:20
10:35
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 1

AI on Trial: Can It Really Benefit Your Paid Ads?

Can AI speed up ad creation? Launch reviews the evidence across paid search and social, sharing the hacks that worked... and didn’t.

Speaker(s):
Harry Dunn
Alice-Rae Pringle
Timing:
10:35
-
11:05
10:35
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 2

Your Next Customer Won't Google You

Learn how AI chooses which brands to recommend, and how to improve your visibility in ChatGPT, Perplexity and beyond.

Speaker(s):
Phil Maddick
Timing:
10:35
-
11:05
10:35
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 3

You're wagging your tail at clients who don't even like dogs

Stop chasing the wrong clients. Learn how a clear ideal client profile improves your marketing, positioning and business growth.

Speaker(s):
Nigel Wilkinson
Timing:
10:35
-
11:05
11:20
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 2

AI Won’t Replace Email Marketers. But Marketers Using Connected AI Might.

Most marketers use AI to create content faster, but the real shift isn't content generation. It's AI-connected context.

Speaker(s):
James Ollerhead
Timing:
11:20
-
11:50
11:20
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 1

How Design Will Build Trust in the AI Era

Trust isn't designed, it's built through consistency & connection. AI has made branding a luxury but in reality, it's the strategic glue.

Speaker(s):
Amy Walker
Timing:
11:20
-
11:50
11:20
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 3

Building a Brand People Remember: Why TV Still Matters in a Scroll-First World

Discover how memorable brands cut through the noise, earn attention and use TV to build lasting awareness and growth.

Speaker(s):
Kayleigh Savva
Timing:
11:20
-
11:50
12:05
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 2

How to maximise your impact on social media in an AI world (without posting a gazillion times a day or trying every new ‘hack’.)

Social media is awash with AI content & run by inexplicable algorithms. But you can still stand out & connect with the right people to grow.

Speaker(s):
Julia Bramble
Timing:
12:05
-
12:35
12:05
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 1

You can’t force good ideas (but here are a few tricks to encourage them)

Creative and occasionally silly ideation and writing techniques to help you think differently and bring more originality to your content.

Speaker(s):
Katy Eddy
Timing:
12:05
-
12:35
12:05
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 3

Employer Branding – The marketing channel most businesses ignore

The best candidates are already researching you. Learn how to attract, engage, and retain great people through employer branding.

Speaker(s):
Maddi Cadman
Timing:
12:05
-
12:35
12:30
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Foyer

Lunch

Eat your own weight in conference food and brownies!

Speaker(s):
Timing:
12:30
-
13:30
13:30
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 1

Welcome back to Building Brands

Kicking off the afternoon with the sexiest hosts in all of Devon!

Speaker(s):
Chris Bentley
Ali Newton-Temperley
Steve Manser
Timing:
13:30
-
13:40
13:45
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 1

Keynote 1

TBC

Speaker(s):
Timing:
13:45
-
14:30
14:35
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 1

Keynote 2

TBC

Speaker(s):
Timing:
14:35
-
15:10
15:15
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Foyer

Afternoon (Cake!) Break

We're the only conference we know of that stops for cake in the afternoon!

Speaker(s):
Timing:
15:15
-
15:45
15:45
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 1

Keynote 3

TBC

Speaker(s):
Timing:
15:45
-
16:30
16:30
Keynote Session
Guest Speaker
Room 1

Thank you for coming to Building Brands!

Thanks for coming, we hope you enjoyed it, and look forward to seeing you again soon!

Speaker(s):
Chris Bentley
Ali Newton-Temperley
Steve Manser
Dave Briggs
Timing:
16:30
-
16:35