Advertising Unlocked aims to provide untapped talent with a hands-on experience of the world of advertising by inviting schools and colleges across the UK to participate in a national, industry-wide “Open Day”.
Last year, Poppy Pressland attended the Advertising Unlocked event at Bicycle in London and is now a Search Executive at the agency. Here’s what she took away from the day.
Creativity has always been a core part of who I am, and I’ve always been drawn to how advertising combines creativity, strategy, and storytelling to connect with people and drive meaningful change. I love the idea of creating something that grabs attention and leaves a lasting impact. For me, advertising is the perfect space to blend my passion for creativity with my drive to make a difference in the world.
IPA Advertising Unlocked has a real impact - this year, we even managed to find someone to hire. Poppy showed genuine interest during the day, and we made sure to jump on a call with her afterwards to better understand how she could potentially join our team.
After university, many people feel uncertain about their next steps I certainly did. I found myself trying to grab every opportunity I could, just in case the right one came along. That’s when I heard about Advertising Unlocked from my Careers Leader, Judith Crimes, at my old secondary school, Birchwood High School. Judith knew this would be a valuable workshop for me to attend, so I went along with the Year 12 students at the time.
On 13 November 2024, Bicycle London hosted the IPA Advertising Unlocked event at their agency. The event started with a deep dive into strategy, followed by an introduction to the different media types the agency works with. Later, they spoke about career opportunities, and this was my moment to take a chance. The agency immediately felt like the perfect place for me—the energy was vibrant, and everyone was so welcoming. I asked if there were any job opportunities available, and they provided me with the right contacts to reach out to.
Fast forward two months, and I am now a Search Executive at Bicycle London! I can’t thank Advertising Unlocked enough for the opportunity. I’m truly grateful to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to inspire young people like me. It was a chance to ask questions, seek advice, and learn in an environment that was both welcoming and motivating. I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to attend and can wholeheartedly say it set me on the path to my current role.
Looking back, I never would have imagined that a school event could open such doors for me. It’s a reminder of how important it is to embrace every opportunity and take chances when they arise. This experience has not only deepened my passion for the industry but also fuelled my excitement for the future. I’m looking forward to continuing my journey in advertising, learning more, and growing within this amazing, dynamic world of opportunities.
Poppy Pressland, Search Executive, Bicycle
Lucas Miracca was one of the Bicycle team that hosted Advertising Unlocked in 2025. This is what Advertising Unlocked means to them, and why they believe it is the perfect introduction to agency life.
Bicycle has been taking part in the IPA Advertising Unlocked for three years now. It’s a fantastic initiative that opens our doors to students and gives them a behind-the-scenes look at what it is to work in a fast-growing independent agency. We have a full day with various sessions where we get people from different teams to talk about what they do, run interactive tasks, and get to know the students and their plans for the future. We like to give students a very well-rounded experience that starts with an intro to Bicycle and the agency world from our CEO Henry, all the way to a Q&A session with our new junior members of the team.
This event isn’t just beneficial for the students though - it’s also incredibly rewarding for our team. It gives employees the chance to step away from their day-to-day roles and engage in something different, whether that’s mentoring, presenting, or simply sharing their passion for the industry. It’s a great reminder of why we do what we do, forcing us to go back to the basics and reflect on the impact of our work. We’ve also found that this is a great opportunity to get junior members of the team involved in something special, as they are the ones the students can relate the most to.
Hosting a school for the day also strengthens our agency culture. It encourages collaboration across teams and allows us to showcase the breadth of roles within advertising—from strategy and creative to client services and media planning. Seeing the students' curiosity and enthusiasm makes us appreciate our own journeys even more.
And, beyond the inspiration and reflection, IPA Advertising Unlocked has a real impact - this year, we even managed to find someone to hire. Poppy showed genuine interest during the day, and we made sure to jump on a call with her afterwards to better understand how she could potentially join our team. Two months later she joined our performance team and has been a very important part of the Bicycle family ever since. This proves the importance of initiatives like these in shaping the future of our industry and ensuring we continue to attract fresh, diverse talent.
We’re proud to have been part of this event again and look forward to making it even bigger next year.
Lucas Miracca, Account Manager, Bicycle
Advertising Unlocked 2025 will take place on Wednesday 12 November. Agencies and schools can register to take part before Friday 2 May.
For full details and highlights, feedback and testimonials from 2024 as well as resources for schools and agencies visit our Advertising Unlocked hub.
The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and were submitted in accordance with the IPA terms and conditions regarding the uploading and contribution of content to the IPA newsletters, IPA website, or other IPA media, and should not be interpreted as representing the opinion of the IPA.