SMU Meadows School of the Arts Students Win Local American Advertising Awards

Students at the Temerlin Advertising Institute (TAI) at SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts won multiple honors in the Student category of the 55th annual American Advertising Federation (AAF) American Advertising Awards local competition, hosted by AAF-Dallas on February 23 at The Bomb Factory in Dallas. The trophies are known as the ADDYs.

SMU students won four awards in four categories, including two of the four gold awards presented to student entries, as well as two silver awards. All silver- and gold-winning submissions are eligible to advance to the district-level competition in Fort Worth, April 6-8.

The SMU winning entries were as follows:

Gold Award

Client: Hypnotic Donuts
Category: Illustration
Credits: Tiffany Giraudon and Helen Rieger
Client: Charity Navigator
Category: Integrated Campaigns
Credits: Helen Rieger and Jackson Foley

Silver Award

Client: Zero Gravity
Category: Logo Design
Credits: Samantha Butz ’17
Client: Bands in Town
Category: Magazine Advertising
Credits: Morgan Hoff and Liz Martinelli

“I am thrilled with the culture of creativity that has formed in Temerlin Advertising Institute,” said Steven Edwards, TAI director. “With the addition of Mark Allen to the faculty, along with Willie Baronet and Cheryl Mendenhall, we have a team of experts who push students to push themselves creatively. The results are students winning a greater number of awards, and more prestigious awards, each year. We are especially proud that these students are competing successfully for professional opportunities at the hottest advertising agencies in the country.

“We also applaud the efforts of AAF Dallas to identify, recognize and promote our young talent,” said Edwards. “Without their support and the hours put in by volunteer judges, none of this would have been possible. We look forward to seeing Sam, Morgan, Liz, Jackson, Helen and Tiffany bring home awards from the regional and national competitions.”

“It’s always great to see the faces of our students at big events like the ADDYs because it serves as a terrific reward for all the hard work and sleepless nights,” said Mark Allen, lecturer in TAI. “We actually had several professionals approach us for student names after seeing the work projected up on the big screen. I am so proud of all of our students for how well they represent our program. I’m sure this is not the last time we’ll hear about their accomplishments. It was also great to see so many former students winning awards in the professional competition as they advance their careers into significant leadership roles within the advertising industry. Our alumni are now working in entry-level creative positions all the way up to group creative directors – in Dallas and other major markets across the country.”

“I was so honored to be at the ADDYs on Thursday,” said student Helen Rieger. “It was wonderful to connect with leaders in the advertising industry and some of the top agencies in the country. I was even more excited when I found out I had won two gold awards! The creative specialization track at TAI has been a great starting point for my career in art direction and design. I have learned so much from all my advertising professors, especially Mark Allen and Willie Baronet. They pushed me to make my work the best it can be, and it shows. I can’t wait to see all the future awards that will be won with the great work that comes out of the SMU program!”

Over 500 entries were submitted in the local competition this year from area advertising agencies and universities. Judges were Brandon Rochon, chief creative officer at Kastner & Partners, Los Angeles; Colleen Stubbs, creative director at Altman-Hall Advertising, Erie, Penn.; and Beatriz Torres, associate creative director at Alma DDB, Miami, Fla.

The local American Advertising Awards are the first level of a three-tier national competition. Local winners may advance to the district level, and district winners compete in the national American Advertising Awards in New Orleans on June 10. At the national level, student entries are eligible for a finalist certificate, a national Student American Advertising Award for first-place winners, and a $1,000 cash prize for the national Best of Show winner.

The American Advertising Awards are the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition, recognizing and rewarding creative excellence in the art of advertising. Every year more than 40,000 entries are submitted in local American Advertising Awards competitions. The Student American Advertising Awards, sponsored by the American Advertising Federation and National Ad 2, are a sub-category designed especially for college students. Applicants must be enrolled full- or part-time in an accredited U.S. educational institution.

Established in 2001 in the Meadows School of the Arts at SMU, the Temerlin Advertising Institute for Education and Research is the country’s first endowed institute for the study of advertising. The Institute is named in honor of Liener Temerlin, who was a respected humanitarian and leader in the advertising industry. Offering both B.A. and M.A. degrees, TAI trains students to search for unique solutions in advertising, preparing them for work in advertising agencies, media firms, corporate marketing departments and design studios. In addition to opportunities for a 15-week executive internship, M.A. candidates also study advertising outside the U.S. to further develop global perspective. TAI has established an award-winning track record. Students have earned numerous honors, including two national and four district championships in the AAF National Student Advertising Competition and dozens of creative awards in prestigious regional, national and international competitions including The One Show, CMYK Magazine and The Art Directors Club of New York. In addition, the Temerlin Institute was named one of 10 leaders in advertising education among colleges and universities in the U.S. by Stuart Elliott, former advertising critic for The New York Times.