The fifth edition of AADC Talks brought together some of the industry's brightest creative minds, leaders and innovative thinkers on Wednesday 21 October, for a full day of insights and inspiration across four iconic Adelaide venues.

Featuring speakers from Canva, Boost Juice, Wavemaker, BMF, Splash, Ogilvy, KWP+Partners, ERA-co and oOh!media, alongside musicians, artists and independent designers, this year's event explored the ideas, challenges and opportunities shaping the future of creativity, marketing and communications.

Kicking off at the historic Adelaide Town Hall Meeting Hall, Sarah-Jane Finlayson (Boost Juice International), Kevin Kivi (Wavemaker Adelaide), and Josh Gurgiel and Ally Henthorn (oOh!media) shared perspectives on building better brands through customer insights, navigating an ever-changing industry and the disruptive power of challenger brands.

From there, attendees made their way to the Adelaide Rowing Club, where Lindsey Cummings (Canva), Travis Demsey (professional drummer and public speaker) and Mollie Starr (brand and packaging designer) explored the emotional side of big ideas, the creative possibilities of working within constraints and finding originality in an increasingly AI-driven world.

The afternoon continued at the SAHMRI Auditorium, with Anna Bollinger (BMF), Sam Davies (KWP+Partners) and Matt Richards (Ogilvy) examining the soft skills behind effectiveness, the enduring power of big ideas and why embracing failure can be one of the most valuable tools for creative growth.

The fourth and final session saw everyone head to The Cumby in Adelaide's West End, where Tom Opie and Phil van Bruchem (Splash, Treasury Wine Estates), Sarah Owen (ERA-co) and artist Thomas Readett rounded out the day with insights into the evolving role of in-house agencies, future thinking and the importance of mental health and wellbeing.

With live music and networking drinks to close out the afternoon, AADC Talks once again provided a platform for South Australia's creative community to come together, exchange ideas and learn from some of the best minds in the business.

A big thank you to all our speakers for sharing their knowledge, experiences and perspectives, and to everyone who joined us for the fifth edition of AADC Talks. See you next year!

AADC Talks 2026 was brought to you by oOh!media, with the support of AEDA, Merlin, NATION and Stickbird.

AADC Talks is an initiative of the Adelaide Advertising and Design Club.