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BCI House – A peek behind the curtain: What it takes to succeed at some of the world’s most creative companies

BCI Talk

8th Oct 2025

1.30pm

-

2.30pm

Unit 11, Temple Studios, Temple Campus Lower Approach Road, BS1 6QA

An interview with Sam Oliver; a BCI House event as part of BTF+

Having worked inside some of the world’s most creative marketing departments (DDB, BBH, Wieden+Kennedy, Uncommon Creative Studio, and Apple), Sam shares a behind-the-scenes look at the strategies and approaches that make them thrive.

This talk lifts the lid on how these companies develop powerful creative processes, generate breakthrough ideas, and lead teams to deliver exceptional work at pace. From embracing new technologies to rethinking team dynamics, Sam will share his firsthand experience on it takes to succeed creatively at the very highest level.

About Sam

Sam Oliver is a creative director with over 25 years experience in leading marketing for some of the world’s most famous brands.

As well as working at London’s top advertising agencies ( Uncommon, BBH, Wieden&Kennedy…), Sam was Group Creative Director at Apple in Cupertino for six years. There he led the iPhone and iPad accounts and oversaw over forty new product launches. Sam has won over a hundred industry awards, including the Grand Prix at Cannes. He now divides his time between creative direction and coaching the next generation of creative leaders.

About BCI House

Taking place 6-11 October, BTF+ is the Bristol Festival of Tech, Creativity + Culture; a six-day citywide festival brought to you by TechSPARK, Bristol Creative Industries and MyWorld.

BCI House, powered by not-for-profit membership organisation Bristol Creative Industries, is a dedicated hub at BTF+ where creative, media and tech come together for four days of events – from workshops and talks to panel discussions and networking – all designed to spark collaboration and amplify the festival experience.

The venue is Unit 11, Temple Studios, Temple Campus Lower Approach Road, BS1 6QA.

Book your tickets

To register for this event, you first need to register for the festival here.

Once registered, go to the confirmation email you’ve received, click the link and log in to the attendee portal using your email address and the password provided. Go to ‘schedule selection’ in the left hand side menu and sign up to the events you’d like to attend. 

Almost everything on the Community, Live and Showcase track is free. All BCI House events are free. 

The Summit track is one of the few paid elements at BTF+ but BCI members can take advantage of a 25% discount on Summit track tickets – email [email protected] for your exclusive code.

Member

About Bristol Creative Industries

Bristol Creative Industries is the membership network that supports the region's creative sector to learn, grow and connect, driven by the common belief that we can achieve more collectively than alone. 

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