NABS’ annual flagship fundraising event Stranger Than Summer took place last week. Themed as Poseidon’s Playground, the industry event of the year wowed the audience with an entertaining line-up including a raucous host in the form of auctioneer supremo Jonny Gould, and a nostalgic and lively performance from noughties pop sensations Blue.
Providing an alternative to the usual introductory speech, Diana Tickell, CEO of NABS and committee chairs Jane Ratcliffe and Kathryn Jacob entered the stage, dressed in cloaks and miming ‘I Will Survive’ in a homage to Priscilla Queen of the Desert – welcoming all who came to Poseidon’s Playground. In amongst the event, various treats could be found as Poseidon’s Playground came to life in the form of mermaids, mermen, fantastical creatures and buried treasure.
Over 800 people from across the media and advertising industry gathered at The Artillery Garden at The HAC. The event is currently on target to beat last year’s total of £112k. Part of this money raised came from the Grand Auction, in which Jonny Gould excelled as host, whipping the audience into a bidding frenzy on top items such as:
· A seven night stay at a private family villa in Barbados
· An England World Cup Package to watch the squad train and play
· A private suite at the O2 arena for up to 24 people to watch U2 perform live
· A VIP box for 15 people at the O2 Arena to watch One Direction
Following dinner, guests were treated to an experimental in-camera visual centerpiece, created by Projection Artworks. The images, projected onto the vast HAC facade created a stunning art piece showing embroidery, stop-motion animations and hand-drawn illustrations turning the HAC into a giant fishbowl, a fiery torment and more.
NABS also announced its six NABS Centurions, the third year it has recognised the industry’s remarkable and unsung heroes. The Centurions were chosen by a judging panel of senior industry figures, which also included last year’s overall winner Rubbi Bhogal-Wood. The panel studied the nominations to find the industry’s most inspiring individuals; those who constantly go the extra mile, show an entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to giving back.
Named as NABS Centurions were:
· Mark Campion and Adam Collins, JWT
· Nick Entwistle, Bank of Creativity
· Matt Vickers, Ogilvy and Mather
· Sofia Sarkar, Leo Burnett
· Christina Loaiza, Freesat
J. Walter Thompson creative team Mark Campion and Adam Collins were named as the overall winners and received a grant of £2,000 from award sponsor dmg media to help further their career within the industry.
Diana Tickell, CEO of NABS, said: “This, our second year of the Stranger Than Summer format took entertainment to new levels, with a fun, inspiring approach that was in keeping with our most creative of industries. The event is our biggest fundraiser – and we know that without the generosity of those who attend the event, purchase tables and donate prizes, we wouldn’t be able to give the industry the support programmes it counts on us to provide. We’re also delighted that our Centurions initiative continues, and we’re able to identify and recognise younger industry workers who’ve inspired so many.”