Rising Stars Help Raise £50k for NABS as Fast Forward Programme Concludes for 2022

NABS’ 2022 pitch training programme Fast Forward has concluded, raising £50k for the industry charity while crowning six rising stars overall winners of this year’s course. 

In total 48 delegates participated in Fast Forward, which is designed to help delegates improve their creative and pitching skills. The course also creates communities and connections across the industry, enabling delegates to build their networks. 

By training up a wide range of junior adlanders, Fast Forward helps to improve diversity in adland as well as building up the confidence and skills of those taking part. 

Organised into eight teams, the delegates’ brief was to pitch a campaign for The Big Issue Group.  

The winning team was Team Pembrokeshire, comprised of delegates Anna Mere (Zenith), Eve Flynn (WM), Finn Shepherd (ddbremedy), Lizzie Garcia (Spark 44), Charis Wong (Starcom) and Charlie Northern (Finecast).  

Competition judges were Zoe Hayward, CMO, The Big Issue; Paul Cheal, group CEO, The Big Issue; Sue Todd, CEO, NABS; Rachel Peace, MD, Hearts & Science and Ray Shaughnessy and Dan Norris, founders at All You Can Eat. Fast Forward was chaired by James Appleby, head of client success at Tailify.  

James said: “This year’s Fast Forward saw us come back together in person for the first time in three years. We designed it to reflect the way we all have come to work and the effect was a positive blend of congregation and recuperation.  

“I was moved by the dedication, team spirit and sheer quality of work. Slick delivery of an amazing diversity of ideas made me feel very good about the future of our industry. When you consider we deliberately gave them little budget to play with in the brief, their sense of creativity shone through. We can all take a lesson from that when looking at client briefs.” 

Sue Todd, CEO, NABS, said, “The heart of NABS is about community and last night, as the culmination of seven fantastic weeks, demonstrates perfectly the role we play in guiding change and growing people together.”