Welcome to Performance MCR

The North’s biggest day out for PPCers who are sick to death of London prices, vague AI panels, and events where everyone pretends they don’t check LinkedIn 12 times a day.

Built by practitioners, run in Manchester, no blaggers allowed

This isn’t another corporate conference

This is a Mancunian-built, practitioner-led, community-powered day of actual lessons, proper case studies, and a room full of people who genuinely love ads (god help us all).

Wednesday 24 June 2026 · Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

Days

Year 1 proved the appetite. Year 2 turns the screws.

Built by practitioners

not professional keynoters.

Case-study first

show the numbers, not the sizzle

Honesty over hype

ban on sales pitches, messy middle and proof only

Northern, accessible, welcoming

great content without the £££

Performance MCR is a performance marketing conference built by northerners, for anyone running paid ads who simply wants to get better at the job.

We bring together the people who actually make it happen – from hands-on practitioners to team leads and founders. It’s about practical solutions, real case studies and candid conversations about what works (and what doesn’t).

what people loved about 2025

The fact that it was in Manchester!!! It's great to have a conference on our doorstep that delivers great content without having to travel 3.5 hours and spend £100s on trains

The people - some honest sharing from speakers.

Everything. The fact that everyone in paid marketing is out to help each other.

EVERYTHING. Great vibes, so much expertise on show, fab venue and super convenient for transport. Really nice variety of talk topics! Vendors were lovely and had some engaging stands.

I really loved the community feel and it was nice to see people who I've only ever seen on my LinkedIn feed in-person, there was a real sense of collaboration. I also thought all of the talks were really relevant, and there was something for everyone.

Seeing so many friendly and familiar faces, all buzzing to support the Manchester digital marketing scene

The quality of talks. So much to be learnt in so little time

Really liked the headphones setup on the top floor stage for ease of listening in. Stage 1 was also super comfortable and good for taking notes.

Pick and mix is always a winner, but genuinely was great for an afternoon sugar hit. I came away feeling very energised and with lots of insights to share with the team!

I learned more in 20 minutes than I usually do in a whole day at other events

The friendliest room of PPCers I’ve ever met

Proper case studies, none of that fluffy stuff

Thank You to Our 2025 Partners

Why we exist

Because the North deserved an affordable, accessible event that wasn’t a generic ‘marketing week’ with a side of confusion. And because PPCers wanted a space where real stories and real examples came first.

WHAT YOU’LL GET

Talks from the people actually running PPC accounts
Case studies from brands doing the graft
Panels with people who aren’t afraid to say ‘it depends’
A day where you’ll meet clients, collaborators, and mates for life
A conference that doesn’t cost the same as your monthly rent

What’s new for 2026

Staggered ticket releases
More structured networking
Proper breaks so you’re not sprinting between floors
Better signage so nobody ends up on the wrong stage
A line-up with more brand speakers, practitioner sessions, and rising stars

Get your ticket. Tell your boss it’s ‘training’. We won’t snitch.

Join Us in Manchester

40+ talks, two stages, proper networking + afterparty.

We won’t spam you - we don’t have the energy.

WHO’S BEHIND IT

(cred without the corporate)

Performance MCR is led by Charley Brennand, Founder & CEO an active PPC practitioner with over 10 years’ experience.

Charley’s worked with leading brands including JD Sports, O2, webuyanycar, Domino’s, and REFY covering:

Search
Shopping
Paid Social
Programmatic
YouTube
Display

Translation: built by the exact audience it serves.

Speakers

Bring the proof - real practitioners, real case studies, zero pitch.

Want first dibs on tickets + speaker drops?

Powered by practitioners, built in Manchester.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!

Early Bird

Back the conference that backs you - grab your spot early.

Coming Soon

£96

Full-day access to Performance MCR. 9:00 – 17:00 at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
40+ practitioner-led talks. Real case studies, zero sales pitches
All stages + live Q&A. Dip in, take notes, get answers
Networking built in. Meet partners, peers, and future collaborators
Afterparty entry. Keep the conversations (and the momentum) going

First Release

Coming Soon

£115

Full-day access to Performance MCR. 9:00 – 17:00 at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
40+ practitioner-led talks. Real case studies, zero sales pitches
All stages + live Q&A. Dip in, take notes, get answers
Networking built in. Meet partners, peers, and future collaborators
Afterparty entry. Keep the conversations (and the momentum) going

Final Release

Coming Soon

£135

Full-day access to Performance MCR. 9:00 – 17:00 at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
40+ practitioner-led talks. Real case studies, zero sales pitches
All stages + live Q&A. Dip in, take notes, get answers
Networking built in. Meet partners, peers, and future collaborators
Afterparty entry. Keep the conversations (and the momentum) going

Join Us in Manchester

40+ talks, two stages, proper networking + afterparty.

Become a Sponsor

Put your brand at the heart of the North’s performance scene.

Become a Speaker

Got a story that helps people do the job better?

Send your talk idea

Our Northern World-Class Stage

The Bridgewater Hall

An icon in the heart of the city. Think world-class stage, soaring glass, canals a stroll away, and a buzz you can feel from Deansgate to the Northern Quarter – the perfect backdrop for performance marketing’s most grounded, get-stuff-done gathering.