In Conversation with Brave Bison CEO Oli Green: “marketing today is like flying a spaceship”
Oli Green has been CEO of Brave Bison since 2019, leading the business through one of the most dynamic transformations in the marketing industry. Under his leadership, the company has evolved from a digital media player into a global marketing, media, and technology group that owns, operates, and partners with brands to help them thrive in the digital era. Brave Bison now spans consultancy, creative and media services, influencer marketing, social publishing, SaaS technology, and even marketing education through its acquisition of the Mini MBA in Marketing.
In 2025, Brave Bison snapped up the influencer-marketing agency The Fifth from News UK for up to £7.6 million, folding it into its SocialChain arm and making News UK a top-10 shareholder. Later in the year, the firm acquired strategy consultancy MTM for £12 million to launch a new insights division that retains MTM’s brand and leadership under Brave Bison’s tech and AI service.
In this conversation, Green explains how Brave Bison is redefining what it means to be a marketing partner, how brands can navigate an era of “maximum complexity,” and why creativity and human understanding still matter more than ever.
How do you define what Brave Bison actually is today?
The first thing to say is that we definitely don’t view ourselves as an agency. I don’t think we even look or feel like one. What we are is the ultimate marketing and technology partner to global businesses and brands.
Yes, we deliver campaigns and services like influencer marketing, media buying, and platform design, but that’s just one part of what we do. We also consult, helping clients find white space, evolve business models, and do things differently. Then there’s our technology side, where we sell access to our platforms and audiences. We also train and upskill marketing teams. So, in short, Brave Bison is a partner that combines consultancy, marketing execution, technology, audiences, and skills development.
You mentioned owning your own audiences. What does that mean in practice?
We actually own and operate a number of digital communities across different platforms. We manage around 550 YouTube channels, 35 Facebook pages, and a roster of shows on Snapchat. That gives us real insight into how communities are built and grown.
We also sell media for those communities, giving brands direct access to highly engaged audiences. This part of the business helps us understand what works on social, how culture shifts, and how to build influence authentically. So, when we advise clients, we’re doing it from experience, not theory.
How do you describe Brave Bison to a new client or even a friend in the pub?
I’d say Brave Bison is a media, marketing, and technology company that helps global businesses grow and thrive in the digital world.
To explain what I mean, I often use a bit of an analogy. Back in the 1990s, running a marketing department was like driving a horse and cart. Things were relatively simple – you had your creative, your strategy, your media planning. Then digital arrived, and suddenly it was like driving a Formula 1 car – faster, more complex, and with a whole team behind you. Today, with AI, new regulations, and fragmented culture, marketing is more like flying a spaceship. There are controls everywhere, hundreds of channels, and constant change.
That’s where we come in. Brands need partners who are specialists across all these areas and can help them navigate this era of maximum complexity. That’s what Brave Bison is built for.
Who are some of the clients you work with across the business?
We work with a really wide range of brands. New Balance is a flagship customer, and so is Primark. We also work with YouTube, Amazon, and Google, as well as businesses in travel, financial services, and retail.
Another growing part of the business is sport. We work with rights holders like the US Open, the Australian Open, Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur, Formula 1, and Formula E. These organisations are all trying to reinvent themselves as media companies. They’ve seen the success of things like Drive to Survive on Netflix and want to get closer to their audiences and own those relationships directly.
What are the biggest challenges brands are facing right now?
Staying up to speed with technology is definitely one. There are so many tools, platforms, and channels that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Brands need to invest in understanding what’s worth their time, and partners like us help them make those decisions.
But I also think creativity remains critical. It sounds cliché, but marketing still needs great ideas and strategic thinking. You can have all the data and tech in the world, but without creativity, your campaigns won’t connect. Especially in social and influencer marketing, where culture, subcultures, and niche audiences matter so much, creativity and authenticity make the difference.
Social commerce has exploded globally. What are you seeing in that space?
There are some very sophisticated creator-led strategies driving real performance in social commerce. People want shopping to feel like an experience, not just a transaction. Live streaming, creators, and seamless checkout experiences all add to that.
Since COVID, e-commerce has become almost commoditised. The bar has been raised. If you’re a big brand, you need to deliver a brand experience through commerce. It’s not just about convenience anymore, it’s about creating something distinctive that reflects your brand’s values.
Brave Bison has made some interesting acquisitions recently. How do you decide what’s next?
The digital ecosystem is vast and constantly changing, so there will always be gaps somewhere. We spend a lot of time talking to clients, platforms, and entrepreneurs to understand where the market’s heading.
We’re lucky to count YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest as clients. That gives us an inside track on how the industry is evolving. We also make a point of speaking to people around the world – in the US, Southeast Asia, and beyond – because trends often start there before reaching Europe.
So it’s a mix of research, relationships, and intuition. We look for areas where we can add value and where the industry is moving next.
With so much change happening across marketing and technology, can CMOs and CEOs really keep up?
It’s a challenge, for sure. Marketers today have to balance the short, medium, and long term all at once. In the short term, you might be dealing with tariffs or supply chain issues. Medium term, you’re thinking about your tech platform or creator programmes. Long term, it’s about skills development and training your teams.
The pace of technological change is huge, but it’s not the only thing on marketers’ minds. They’re juggling economic pressures, global events, and cultural shifts too. The key is balance – focusing on today while staying ready for tomorrow.
Brave Bison’s ambition to redefine what a marketing partner looks like is clear. In an industry where lines between media, technology, and creativity are blurring, Oli Green’s vision of a company that brings it all together might just be what the modern marketer needs most.
