DataFest 2026 Campaign: Session Summary for Article Redrafting

Date: 14 January 2026
Purpose: Reference document capturing the full conversation for Applied Comms AI article development

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The Brief

Create a complete campaign pitch for DataFest 2026, but with a meta twist: use the campaign creation process itself as the basis for an Applied Comms AI article demonstrating Claude Skills and Projects for rapid asset development.

Target event: DataFest 2026 (Scotland's premier data and AI conference), 12-13 May, Assembly Rooms Edinburgh, hosted by The Data Lab, 700+ delegates

Strategic angle: The article ABOUT creating the assets IS the pitch content—demonstrating practical AI implementation for communications in real-time.

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Setup Used

Claude Project contents:

• Faur-Brand-Kit-v2.docx (brand guidelines with colours, typography, voice)
• Custom Faur brand skill (encoding Pink #EEC2DF, Dark Pink #E25967, Navy #293C82, Green #B9D45F; Inter/Lora fonts; voice principles)
• Project instructions maintaining context

Key insight: The brand skill means every asset is automatically consistent—colours, fonts, voice—without manual checking per output.

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Deliverables Created

Total time: To be confirmed after timing the actual session (placeholder: 53 minutes)

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The Process: Three Phases

Phase 1: Research

• AI searched web for DataFest details
• Compiled event brief: dates, venue, speakers, themes, partnership options
• Gathered The Data Lab positioning and ecosystem context
• Why it matters: Manual research = 1+ hours of tab-hopping. AI-assisted = faster, better organised.

Phase 2: Strategy

Before jumping to assets, developed strategic rationale:

• Why should Faur be at DataFest?
• What's the unique positioning angle?
• What participation options make sense?
• What are the risks?

Strategic insight: DataFest audiences understand AI technically but haven't considered communications applications. Faur's angle: not another vendor pitch, but practical insight on transforming a function every organisation has.

Recommendation: Pursue speaking slot. Low cost, high visibility. Content serves multiple purposes regardless of outcome.

Phase 3: Asset Creation

With strategy established, asset creation moved quickly:

• Each output built on the research and strategic foundation
• Brand skill ensured consistency across all deliverables
• Iteration was creative refinement, not tedious rework

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Key Messages for Article

The Problem

• Most teams try AI for communications, hit inconsistent results, abandon it
• AI tools are powerful but context-free—every conversation starts from zero
• The gap isn't capability—it's setup

The Solution: Project-Based AI

1. Persistent context: Upload brand guidelines, project briefs, reference materials. AI remembers across sessions.
2. Custom skills: Build reusable instructions that encode standards—colours, fonts, voice, formatting.
3. Structured workflow: Research → Strategy → Assets. Each phase builds on the last. Quality compounds.

What Still Required Human Judgment

• Strategic decisions: what to create, why it matters, how to position
• Quality control: every output reviewed and refined
• Creative direction: the meta angle was a human call

Key quote: "AI replaced the mechanical translation of decisions into polished deliverables. Not the decisions themselves."

The Real Shift

Traditional pitches are one-shot efforts. Win or lose, the work evaporates.

This approach produces content with multiple uses:

• Article serves Applied Comms AI regardless of DataFest outcome
• Deck adapts for other speaking opportunities
• Calendar templates future campaigns

The pitch becomes inventory, not overhead.

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Honest Caveats (for article authenticity)

1. Brand familiarity: The skill drew on guidelines Michael wrote himself. Creating that skill was a separate investment.
2. Clear brief: DataFest is a specific event with specific requirements. Vaguer briefs would require more iteration.
3. Quality control still matters: AI-generated doesn't mean AI-approved. Everything was reviewed.
4. Real stakes: The project was genuine (actually wanting to speak at DataFest), which focused the effort.

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Clarifying Decisions Made

Before creating assets, these questions were addressed:

• Timing: DataFest 2026 (not 2025)
• Time claim: "Under one hour" to be verified by actual timing
• Article tone: Blend of tutorial, case study, and thought leadership
• Screenshots: Yes, to be added
• Session format: Breakout session preferred (30-40 mins), with optional live demo
• Live demo comfort: Yes, could be fun
• Social handle: @faursite across all platforms
• Posting cadence: ~3 posts/week across channels is realistic
• Brand separation: Assets are for Faur; article is for Applied Comms AI (noting Michael created both)
• One-pager purpose: Template demonstrating what a client pitch would look like
• Budget/partnerships: Present options rather than recommend specific tiers
• Client credentials: No specific names to emphasise or avoid

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Credentials to Reference

Michael MacLennan:

• Imperial College London ML/AI certificate (top-quartile performance, 2025)
• ScotlandIS board member (2024–present)
• Founded Applied Comms AI
• Brunswick Group – Director, Digital & Communications (double-digit growth contribution)
• Red Bull – Global digital editorial, VR channel launch, 1B+ views
• BBC, Barclaycard experience
• Founded Covid Aid (2021) – 385,000+ supported, £250k raised
• Oxford Executive Leadership, CIM Diploma Digital Strategy (Distinction), MLitt Journalism, MA (Hons) Philosophy

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Article Structure Suggestion

1. Hook: The challenge—create complete campaign pitch in under an hour
2. Setup: What was in the project (brand guidelines, skill, instructions)
3. Process: Three phases with time breakdown
4. The meta twist: The article you're reading is part of the toolkit
5. What actually happened: Honest account including iteration
6. Why this matters: Implications for new business, client work, positioning
7. Honest caveats: What made this work that won't apply everywhere
8. What's next: Submitting the proposal, content serves multiple purposes regardless

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Files Available

All deliverables saved and available:

• faur-datafest-one-pager-pitch-v1.md
• faur-datafest-applied-comms-article-v1.md
• faur-datafest-speaking-proposal-v1.docx
• faur-datafest-presentation-v1.pptx
• faur-datafest-content-calendar-v1.md
• faur-datafest-outreach-email-v1.md

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Next Steps

1. Time the session: Update article with actual duration
2. Publish article: Week of 13 January to align with content calendar
3. Submit proposal: Email to datafest@thedatalab.com this week
4. Begin content cadence: Follow calendar from Week 1
5. Add screenshots: Capture project setup, skill structure, sample outputs for article visuals

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Summary created 14 January 2026. Use as reference for article redrafting and further development.