Dotdigital hosted their annual summit on the 2nd of July 2026 to gather their community, including customers and partners, for a day of networking, learning, and insights.
The event came the day after Dotdigital launched the rebrand with a new colour palette, a new tagline and new logo. Despite the event focusing a significant amount on how Dotdigital is being driven by AI, the positioning was clear ‘Marketing made Human’.
Understanding human behaviour
The first keynote of the day was led by Phill Agnew, Founder and host of Nudge Podcast, he shared the results of 4 psychology studies and the impact they have on marketing. This included how people are willing to pay more for a product/service they feel involved in (the Ikea effect). Similarly, the reason the launch of the Dyson hoover was so successful was because people could see the effort that went into the process; they could see the dirt collecting in the hoover.
People also recognise brands who are willing to stand out. In one study, out of a line up of car brand logos and one fast food chain, people remembered the one that wasn’t in the obvious category. There were a few clear takeaways from these studies: understand what’s driving your audience’s behaviour, have clear positioning, and show proof of the value of your offerings.
AI is great, but it needs humans
Various members of the Dotdigital team then shared the latest features the platform has to offer. Dotdigital is making real strides as a platform that is helping marketers use AI and automation to drive connections with their audience. New features include prompts like asking a question in natural language, improved automated customer journeys, and AI driven insights. If you are considering Dotdigital as a platform we’d be happy to intro you to the team!
Katie King, Founder of AI in Business, then shared her guidance on how teams can adapt to using AI. She reinforced Dotdigital’s message, AI is there to help humans not replace them. One thing that was really clear from the event is that AI is brilliant at interpreting data, automating workflows, and identifying trends, but it cannot be relied up to provide an authentic brand voice, opinions or connections.
Before lunch there was another keynote with Stephen Libby, winner of The Traitors in 2026. What does a reality TV star have to add to a marketing conference? You might ask. Prior to starring on the show Stephen was a Customer Success Manager and he shared how his ability to connect with people was key to his success on the show. He also shared the importance of being authentic to his true self. He won’t work with brands that don’t align with his values and, as a consumer, he is conscious of brands changing their standpoints. This session really emphasised the value of human connections.
How are NFPs using Dotdigital
Post lunch, break out sessions took place which provided delegates the opportunity to choose from a range of content; from technical sessions to case studies, there was something for everyone.
Warner’s Group Publications shared how they provided a free trail to their content before promoting their membership offering. People who signed up were guided on an automated email journey and, after providing content and demonstrating value, they received higher conversions.
I also attended a panel discussion from leading charity marketers: Pádraig O’Halloran, Age UK
Nick Adie, Asthma + Lung UK, Lauren Kenny, Action for Children. As most charities and NFPs are experiencing, teams are being asked for higher outcomes with tighter budgets. Loyalty was a key theme across all three speakers, they needed to build connections and community with their audience before asking for donations.
In another session, CRM Executive, Maddy Carrol from the Royal Ballet School, shared how they have created a cohesive campaign to increase engagement during their centenary celebrations.
Meanwhile, Goodwood are heavily utilising dynamic content (content that varies dependent on the receiver) to promote content across 30 brands. They were segmenting based on interests to provide content that drove engagement. They saw a significant uplift in revenue and a clear reduction in unsubscribes as a result.
The last sessions of the day were 2 more keynotes. Michelle Corp, Ecommerce Director at Lily’s Kitchen, shared her key tips for building resilience. She emphasised the importance of compassion and teamwork in overcoming challenges. Before networking drinks on the sundrenched terrace, Dr Jo Salter MBE shared her inspiring keynote on breaking down barriers and challenging the status quo.
What should you takeaway from this event?
With the amount of content offered throughout the day, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by what the event means in reality. So, here are the key themes you should consider for your daily role:
- Personalisation: One thing that really stood out from the event was the effort being put into providing a personalised experience. This includes the automation journey someone is on to the content they read and the ads they receive: personalisation is getting more sophisticated.
- Data: Data is the key to all of the projects. Without the data, you cannot understand your audience, you can’t use AI for segmenting, and you can’t increase conversions. You need centralised data to make AI journeys possible.
- Authenticity: Make your messaging and value stand out. With so many people using AI, the importance of human connections are more important than ever.
- Leverage the tools and tech you have: Chances are you already have technology in place, many now with AI capabilities. Use the tools available to do the heavy lifting and cumbersome tasks for you.
This year’s Dotdigital Summit made one thing clear: the teams winning right now aren’t choosing between AI and authenticity, they’re using one to strengthen the other.
Are you a Membership body or NFP looking to implement Dotdigital?
Zentso is a partner of Dotdigital helping membership organisations, associations and unions implement and integrate Dotdigital with iMIS, Salesforce, and Fonteva.
Find out more here.
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