Not all ex-agency professionals go on to launch a creative agency indie. Former TBWA, Wieden+Kenndy, 180 and GUT Amsterdam executive, Natalia Forster, launched “business therapy lab”, VOICE, in 2025. Now she is expanding it into the sports sector with the launch of VOICE X SPORT.
VOICE X SPORT aims to help athletes articulate their identity, positioning and purpose – turning what makes them different into a genuine competitive advantage.
After more than a decade building global campaigns for adidas, Forster saw first-hand how the industry has perfected athlete marketing – but often falls short in helping athletes define who they are beyond competition. Today’s elite athletes are more than competitors. They are founders, commentators and cultural platforms in their own right, expected to stand for something as much as they are expected to win. VOICE X SPORT is a personalised blueprint for athletes, sports professionals, brand teams and businesses that strengthens performance and nurtures personal identity.
Both VOICE and the new extension, VOICE x SPORT, draw on Forster’s extensive sports marketing experience – including 12 years working on the global adidas account at some of the world’s leading ad agencies. VOICE x SPORT offers an alternative to one-size-fits-all performance models, rooted in the belief that no two athletes experience pressure the same way.
It recognises the unrelenting challenges that modern athletes face. Increased social media scrutiny and sponsorship demands, coupled with calls from fans, partners, and organisations for authenticity, purpose, and individuality have transformed sportspeople into cultural platforms – laden with responsibilities and pressure.
Natalia Forster commented, “Athletes are wired differently. There’s a hunger and a drive that I haven’t witnessed before. The question is how do we protect that long term? Our work supports them in the present, fostering a deep sense of self, community, and equity that help shape how sport is experienced and sustained at every level, helping them perform at their best under pressure, while also preparing them for what comes next. From career transitions to business and brand building, VOICE helps athletes answer critical questions: How can I protect my performance? What can I build when the game changes? Every strategic and performance decision within VOICE is anchored in the one thing that never changes: their essence.”
Marta García Alonso, pro athlete, added, “No one has ever approached a conversation about my future from such a personal place, and in the end it’s true that you create from who you are. The VOICE workshop is as unexpected as it is special.”
