From nibbles and tipples to the north’s biggest headlines as well as some friendly competition at our quick-fire quiz, attendees in Manchester got a taste of what makes news brands compelling for readers and advertisers alike
Newsworks’ two-day agenda at Manchester’s Aviva Studios offered a glimpse at the breadth of national news brands, with three panel sessions in the Newsworks Speakeasy area accompanied by a presentation on the main Factory Stage by research and insight director Heather Dansie.
Day one: culinary creations and quick-fire quizzes
Wednesday kicked off at lunchtime with a delicious food and wine tasting session. The Telegraph’s Manchester travel expert Cathy Toogood was joined by Metro drinks editor Rob Buckhaven, top restaurant critic and MasterChef judge Jimi Famurewa and chef and Eat Well MCR founder Mary-Ellen McTague.
McTague shared three culinary creations with attendees, with each recipe devised to tackle unsustainable food wastage. Wine expert Buckhaven stepped in with the perfect pairing for each taster, guiding the audience along the tasting process with white, orange and sparkling English wines.
Later that afternoon, Newsworks’ Niki West and Mel Leslie brought the Newsworks Generation Game to Manchester, with two teams of industry legends and rising stars battling it out to see which team truly knew their news.
Featuring rounds on Newsworks’ latest ‘Youth’ research as well as on the biggest and wackiest headlines of the last 12 months, the quiz was a tightly contested affair until the bitter end. However, it was the industry legends team that took home the glory (and the champagne) at the end of the quiz.
Day two: headline news and headline stage
Thursday morning at the Newsworks Speakeasy got underway with a fascinating news briefing session. Former Mirror editor Alison Phillips was joined by two northern correspondents (Steve Robson, The i Paper; Constance Kampfner, The Times) to give their perspectives on the headlines that matters to Manchester and the north.
They covered the vital role news brands play in ensuring public information around hard-hitting news events remains factual, accountable and trustworthy against a backdrop of online misinformation. Robson commented that “there is more and more pressure on us to be a solid, reliable source of information”, while Kampfner highlighted the “proactive” role journalists increasingly must take to ensure conspiracy theories remain discredited.
Finally, Newsworks research and insight director Heather Dansie took to the main Factory Stage just before lunchtime to deliver key insights for retailers from Newsworks latest research into young Brits’ news consumption. Dansie busted six key industry myths, demonstrating how advertisers can harness trusted news brands to engage with a diverse, switched-on audience.
Keep an eye out for more highlights from the Newsworks Speakeasy at MAD//UpNorth to come…
