How can building societies and specialist lenders stay human in an AI-shaped market?
Alastair Williams ◦ June 19, 2026AI will make financial services marketing faster. But more content doesn’t equal a stronger brand. If every lender and building society uses the same tools trained on the same category language, the sector’s sameness problem only gets worse. Here’s how to use AI without losing the human voice that makes you worth choosing.Why can’t brokers explain why they choose certain insurers?
Alastair Williams ◦ June 19, 2026Your brokers like you. But can they explain why? In a crowded panel, vague goodwill isn’t enough to win the business. We look at why broker-facing insurance brands struggle to stand out, and how to give intermediaries a story they can understand, remember and repeat to their clients.How can financial services brands communicate value more clearly?
Alastair Williams ◦ June 19, 2026You’ve defined your fair value. You’ve workshopped the frameworks. So why is it still trapped inside a governance document? Here’s how to release it, in language customers, brokers and advisers actually use.Consumer Duty: Don’t stop at compliance. It’s the best brand brief the insurance sector has ever seen
Alastair Williams ◦ April 10, 2026Most insurance firms have done the Consumer Duty work. The frameworks are in place. The regulator is satisfied. But something more interesting happened along the way — and most firms haven’t noticed yet. Buried inside that compliance documentation is the best brand brief the sector has ever seen.Three years on: why our B Corp recertification matters more than our score
Steve Turner ◦ March 4, 2026mark-making* has completed its first B Corp recertification with a score of 113.2. Our MD Steve Turner reflects on a challenging three years, what the process actually involves, and why the score is only part of the story.Impact Report 2023–24: reflecting honestly on a testing period
Steve Turner ◦ January 28, 2026Our 2023–24 Impact Report is an honest reflection on resilience, learning, and what we’re building for the future. Impact isn’t always linear.Walking the walk
Steve Turner ◦ October 28, 2025Armed with hiking boots and empty bellies, the mark-makers set off to “walk the walk” for our belated summer social. The day started at FarmEd, a pioneering regenerative farm , before a trek back to Chippy that took us right through Diddly Squat Farm. It was a fantastic afternoon of sustainable food, scenic views, and wandering conversations.What the Green Cross Code Man taught us about making cyber security human
Steve Turner ◦ October 13, 2025Stop, look, listen before you click. Steve argues cyber security needs a human-centred national campaign, making online safety as memorable as the Green Cross Code Man’s road safety lessons.A B2B lesson in rocket science
markmaking* ◦ October 6, 2025“I worry that B2B marketing is a glorified extension of the sales team. That’s not where the value is.” Rory …Read MoreWinning the British Bank Awards, again – and why it matters
Alastair Williams ◦ September 9, 2025Celebrating our 30th anniversary with a third British Bank Awards win feels like more than recognition. It’s proof that consistency, creativity and genuine partnership aren’t just buzzwords – they’re what keep us thriving in financial services.Decomplexify B2B with simplicity
markmaking* ◦ August 11, 2025Less really is more “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” Hans …Read MoreHi-ho! It’s back to Hidcote we go.
Steve Turner ◦ June 23, 2025The mark-makers were back in action at Hidcote Gardens, getting stuck in as part of our goodmarks* initiative. With sleeves rolled up and wheelbarrows at the ready, we revisited one of our favourite volunteering spots to support their brilliant biodiversity work. From rock borders to pollinator prep, it was a day of sunshine, soil, and shared purpose.
