Marketing Specialists OWB Creative Explain How Business Get Value From AI At Tech Week Talk

Marketing specialists OWB Creative outlined how businesses can get full value from using artificial intelligence during a talk held to kick off Birmingham Tech Week.

Senior strategists Mitch Perry and Stephen Hartman from Birmingham-based OWB Creative joined agentic AI senior solution architect Jon Nish from KPMG to deliver the Fast Forward 2030 session, backed by Lloyds Banking Group, held at 125 Colmore Row.

With AI providing some of the most significant challenges and opportunities for businesses today, the speakers guided the audience on how to effectively use AI to drive growth, improve productivity and create competitive advantage.

In his talk AI & U, Mitch encouraged audience members to sharpen their mindset and skillset as AI is adopted to create efficiencies in business processes. In an audience question and answer session he also gave his thoughts on how AI learning can be shared across teams.

In a section entitled Seen, Heard & Understood Stephen explained how AI decides which businesses get recommended through online search engines like Google. He delivered a live test for a business showing its online search listings against a competitor and gave his views on the future of search engine optimisation.

Based in St Paul’s Square, OWB Creative is billed as “the brand craft agency” delivering award-winning marketing communications for international brands and market leading SMEs looking to grow. The agency services include creative, digital marketing and website designs.

Mitch Perry said: “Working with leading companies and ambitious SMEs looking to grow has given us a close view of the opportunities AI is opening up. In my talk, I encouraged the audience to be the person in their organisation who is ready to embrace it. You do not need to outrun AI. You just need to be the one who knows how to use it to make a real difference in your business.”

Stephen Hartman added: “Research shows that UK search engine users are increasingly using information provided in AI overviews and AI chatbot results, which provides a massive opportunity for businesses to ensure they can be found in web results.

“I shared an online tool we created to enable the audience to compare the AI overviews for their business versus a competitor. Businesses need to factor in how reviews, case studies, local press and profiles share insights about them as AI will prioritise this information.”

Andy Wilkinson, OWB Creative managing director and former Chair of the IoD West Midlands, said: “For 25 years, OWB Creative has been proving that Birmingham builds brands with real punch so we are delighted to play a leading part in Tech Week, sharing knowledge on the innovative marketing opportunities ahead.”

Promoted by organisers as the UK’s largest regional tech festival, Birmingham Tech Week ran from October 19 to 23 with more than 35 events.

At the Fast Forward 2030 session on Monday October 19, Jon Nish explained how to turn everyday AI into organisational advantage and outlined how Microsoft Copilot can scale knowledge across a business. Paul Warrington, West Midlands relationship director at Lloyds Bank, hosted the afternoon session, which also offered attendees the chance to network.

OWB Creative joined the DRPG Group in 2024. With more than 400 marketing experts, DRPG delivers outstanding creative solutions based on a philosophy of “anything’s possible”.