From left to right: advertising professor Mark Bazil, advertising student Sarah Throne, graphic design student Rachel Kalagher, advertising student Laura Foster, advertising student Kathryn Clendenin and advertising professor Arlene Distel.Photo by Emory Dunn[Byline fname=”Susan” lname=”Kemp”]
Friday night the SCAD department of advertising recognized 75 students with SCADDY Awards, for students’ efforts in more than 25 categories ranging from logo design, to television commercials, to copywriting.
This year, more than 1,700 pieces were submitted from students in 12 different majors. Some students opted to work with their peers across several majors, as was the case with Sewang Kim, Jinchul Jung, Yossanun Sangpattharamatee and Thaned Piyadarakorn, whose “Colorful Bumper,” an imaginative TV commercial spotlighting this year’s Savannah Film Festival, won three categories, including Best in Show.
The annual ceremony held at Trustees Theater is a precursor to the ADDY Awards, a national awards ceremony that showcases the top achievements in student-produced work in advertising each year.
“Three (SCADDY) winners last year went on to the national event,” said Steve Hall, chair of the department of advertising. These students went on to receive two silver awards and one gold award.
The 75 students recognized this year produced another strong offering. Many of this year’s student artists used their pieces as a conduit not just for compelling advertising, but as a medium for communicating powerful messages. As was the case with Susan Murphy and Stephen Philpott, whose piece “Texting While Driving” won Gold in the
Advertising Typography category.
The team of advertising majors paired graphics with type to propose outrageous scenarios in order to bring light to a relevant cultural issue: self-imposed impairment while driving. In one set of frames, the ad asks, “Would you really go into a duel, while wielding a knife, blindfolded, and wearing earplugs?”
The creatives’ point is drilled home in the last frame: “Texting while driving is simply ridiculous.”
Similarly, Sarah Throne won the Judge’s Choice honor for her poignant poster speaking out against the slaughter of dolphins. The judges were impressed by its ability to evoke emotion within a 2D medium. Laura Foster and Kelley Davis also won Gold for the Not-for-Profit category for their poster “Colorful NYC,” encouraging park restoration in New York City. The students felt supporting a strong message helped produce a compelling concept.
“It was such an interesting and important organization,” said Foster, a fourth-year advertising major. “Your ad can have beautiful art direction, but if you’re not in love with the concept, you won’t even end up with something to put in your portfolio.”
Students and faculty alike praise the SCADDY Awards for the ability to build upon their portfolio. Arlene Distel, professor of advertising, suggested underclassmen begin getting ready for next year.
“Students can start by going to see the finalists’ work. By looking at what’s good, you can begin to understand how we interpret standards and quality,” she said.
The winning work will be displayed at the Gutstein Gallery until Feb. 4.
[Contact fname=”Susan” lname=”Kemp” email=”sukemp20@student.scad.edu”]