How mark-making* built a shared AI language across their whole team

6 Jul

mark-making* is an independent strategic and creative agency specialising in financial services. Their work spans brand strategy and positioning, visual and verbal identity, campaigns and content. As a small, close-knit team, they joined the Spark AI Accelerator programme to invest in building real AI capability across the business.

The challenge

The agency wanted AI to work across the whole business, not just where people were already experimenting. The goal was a shared foundation, with a common language and standards, and the confidence to use AI well regardless of role.

How Spark AI helped

Spark AI delivered a high-impact, 3-month AI Accelerator programme, tailored to mark-making*’s strategy-led culture and highly regulated client base, enabling the agency to move forward with clarity and confidence.

The programme built AI literacy across the team, helping everyone understand how models and tools work and why preparation and briefing matter so much to the quality of output.

A key shift in thinking came from treating AI as a collaborator that needs proper context to deliver useful results – much like briefing an intern. That framing changed how the team approached AI across every discipline, from strategic planning and research to sense-checking work and supporting brief writing.

What changed?

Confidence with AI increased significantly across the team. Strategic thinking improved, with the team now able to explore more options faster and bring greater rigour to the work they present to clients. AI has become a natural part of how mark-making* thinks – a supportive presence in brainstorming and planning rather than a separate step.

To sustain that progress, mark-making* introduced an internal training programme dedicated to experimental challenges. With AI constantly evolving, the protected time ensures they keep building on what they have learned.

The return on investment

The whole team is aligned on AI, with shared language and shared confidence.

Strategic thinking is sharper, with more options explored and stronger client output.

An internal training programme means the capability built keeps developing long after the programme ends.

“Strategic thinking improved so we can explore more options faster. It helps us ask better questions, not just deliver better answers.” – Steve Turner, Managing Director, mark-making*

Could this work for your team?

Whether you lead an agency, brand team or consultancy, Spark AI helps you build capability where it matters.

Download the AI Accelerator Brochure or book a call to start your transformation.

Emma Wharton

I began my design career by winning a scholarship to study at Shillington College on their famous graphic design course. My aesthetic is fresh, sophisticated and clean. I work as a freelance designer and have helped numerous companies express themselves visually through brand guidelines, web design, print layout, logos and brand assets.

Before following my dream to be a designer I worked for several years in architecture, strategy consultancy and running major historic building renovation programmes. This background supports my design career enormously - it means I understand the drivers behind my clients needs and I ask the right questions to help understand the design brief. Having managed large architectural design projects I’m also a project management aficionado, and providing great customer service comes second nature to me.

https://www.wharton.studio/