We were proud to sponsor Prolific North’s Northern Marketing Festival as it came to Liverpool for the first time on the 10th June 2025. As a Liverpool-based agency, it was a privilege to support an event that celebrates the region’s creative energy.
Our MD Nicola Docking shared the strategy behind our Alder Hey ‘Put Children First’ campaign, and how we turned a complex issue into something creative, engaging and action-driving.
Prolific North captured it perfectly:
“Held at Liverpool’s iconic Royal Liver Building, the event opened with an engaging session from Nicola Docking, Managing Director at Poke Marketing. Nicola lifted the lid on the creative thinking behind Alder Hey’s Ignite the Sparks campaign, which used the universal language of play to tackle inequality in the UK. She showcased how a Top Trumps-inspired card game became a unique tool for children’s healthcare advocacy, positioning Alder Hey as a voice for policy change and equality.
“Being playful doesn’t mean being trivial,” Docking said. “With the right execution, it can be a serious catalyst for change.” Her talk provided behind-the-scenes insights into the creative journey, along with practical takeaways on emotional storytelling, iteration, and stakeholder engagement.
The campaign involved sending packs of cards to key stakeholders, cleverly reframing serious medical inequalities in an accessible, human way. Docking explained how the project avoided pity or sensationalism, instead centering young voices in the narrative.
She also shared earlier campaign iterations that were discarded, offering a rare glimpse into the thought process behind the final concept. “It’s important to look at what didn’t work,” she said. “Some earlier ideas were too focused on poverty, which felt too singular to capture the necessary nuance.”
Docking closed with advice for marketers tackling complex issues: keep the audience front and centre and use creative formats to reframe the conversation. A key campaign strength was the tangible physical cards, which despite being in a digital world acted as a ‘cornerstone’ of this groundbreaking initiative.”
We even got to introduce something a little different to the world… “Karapoke”! A playful challenge asking attendees to pick a karaoke song they felt best captured the personality of well-known Liverpool brands. It sparked some brilliant conversations (and some even better song choices). We loved watching attendees get stuck in and bring the energy.
Huge thanks to the Prolific North team for such a well organised and inspiring event.
