About Laurence
Laurence Cornwall-Watkins is Managing Director at Bright Blue Day, a leading creative and digital agency based in Bournemouth. With more than 20 years of experience in brand, marketing, and digital strategy, he has worked with a wide range of organisations to sharpen their message and reach audiences with confidence.
Laurence joined XP in 2024 to share how hospitality can learn from other sectors about brand clarity and digital relevance. His talk highlighted the importance of clear storytelling and consistent branding. It also showed how operators can benefit from thinking more like consumer-facing brands while staying authentic to their own story.
At XP Dorset 2025, Laurence Cornwall-Watkins returns to continue that conversation. By looking back at what he got right last year, and what he would now approach differently, he offers a rare chance to see strategy in action.
Session focus at HXP Dorset 2025
This year’s session will be both reflective and forward-looking. Laurence will share what worked from his 2024 talk, where the gaps were, and what lessons he has taken into 2025. As a result, you will hear a candid view of how brand and digital strategy plays out in practice, not just in theory.
He will also introduce new examples drawn from outside hospitality, showing how other industries respond to rapid change. These comparisons will give operators practical ideas they can take back to their own teams. In addition, Laurence Cornwall-Watkins at XP Dorset 2025 will explore how brand strategy connects directly to guest experience, making it easier to see the link between marketing decisions and business outcomes.
Daniel Strugnell, Senior Account Manager, Bright Blue Day
Joining Laurence Cornwall-Watkins at XP Hospitality, Daniel works with leading leisure and tourism brands to shape digital campaigns that connect strategy with guest experience.
As part of the Bright Blue Day team, he helps clients translate creative ideas into measurable outcomes across web, content, and brand channels.
He’ll be part of the conversation exploring how creative and digital thinking can drive real growth in hospitality.
Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn.
