Fast Forward
Run by NABS for over 20 years, Fast Forward has helped hundreds of future leaders find their voice and their path.
What is Fast Forward?
Fast Forward is a six-week pitch training course that helps you grow your skills, thinking, and network. You'll work in a team to tackle a live brief focused on a real-world social issue - building strategy, crafting ideas, and sharpening your storytelling as you go. With guidance from top industry voices and support from a team mentor, you'll bring everything together in a final pitch that puts your learning into action.
Register your interest for Fast Forward 2026
Who is Fast Forward for?
The Fast Forward programme will most benefit professionals from the advertising and media industry -whether from media owners, media agencies, tech companies, or creative agencies- who are junior to mid-level talent with one to five years’ experience.
What you'll learn
With guidance from top industry voices and support from a team mentor, you'll bring everything together in a final pitch that puts your learning into action
The Fast Forward programme
Week one: the brief & insights
Client presents the brief on launch night.
Speaker session: Learn how to analyse strategic insights to create the foundations of your pitch.
Week two: connections
Speaker session: Media channel planning, prioritising different channels to reach target audience from insights.
Week three: what makes a good idea?
Speaker session: Explore what makes a good idea and how to craft captivating presentations.
Week four: your tissue session & how to pitch
Tissue session with the client to check your ideas match their expectation.
Speaker session: Top tips on how to pitch – the little details that make all the difference.
Week five: your pitch
Pitch night! Present your pitch to the judging panel and fellow delegates.
Week six: winning (& losing) & why
Results night
Winners Announcement
After a final pitch judged by the client and senior industry figures, the winners are revealed
Watch highlights from Fast Forward
What delegates say about Fast Forward
I can't recommend it enough. It's more than a course; it's a transformative experience that creates lifelong friendships and growth Iman Sid, Fast Forward 2024 winner
Over 1,600 future leaders trained since launch in 1999
The opportunity to talk in front of such senior clients and senior judges was incredible. Oscar Beach, Fast Forward 2024 delegate
Benefits of Fast Forward:
- Reward or incentivise staff and increase retention.
- Delegates gain invaluable experience working on a live brief from a topical social issue client in a competitive pitch process.
- Delegates meet a new network from across the industry.
- The course includes vital content on supporting mental wellness, shaped by NABS’ unique insights.
- All profits go back to helping NABS support our community.
- IPA-accredited training time.
