Advertising students attended the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Greater Flint American Advertising Awards (AAA) 2024 Student ADDY Awards on Friday, February 23, 2024.

Senior Conner Japikse and Junior Savannah Hall received Best of Show and a Gold ADDY awards for their Trader Joes 鈥淎n Orange Odyssey鈥� brands for good, branded entertainment commercial for video and sound animation. Judge鈥檚 Choice Awards and Gold Awards were received by seniors Sydney Lane, Conner Japikse, Norino Maltese and junior Savannah Hall for Ole Smoky 鈥淧ride of the Mountains鈥�; and Kayla Matthews, Kiki Farrar, and alumni Owen Drawbaugh (2023) for Peta 鈥淣o Escape.鈥� Judge鈥檚 Choice Awards and Silver Awards were received by juniors CJ Villaflor and Luke Schock for Lego 鈥淟ego-fy鈥�. Seniors Juliana Rabban, Sophie Steinborn, Kayla Matthews and Kiki Farrar also won Gold Awards. 2023 graduates Madison McCabe and Emily Mata; seniors Kayla Matthews, Juliana Rabban, Sophie Steinborn and Hannah Zimmerman; and sophomores Julia Hosang and Natalie Bazydlo received silver awards. For the second year in a row, senior Kayla Matthews was awarded one of three 2024 AAF Greater Flint Student Scholarship Awards sponsored by Dort Financial Credit Union.

All Gold submissions will now move forward to regional judging. The Addy鈥檚 three-tiered local, regional, and national level award shows are one of the toughest and most entered industry competitions in the country.

2024 黑料专区 Student ADDY Award Winners

2024 AAF Greater Flint Student Scholarship Award
Kayla Matthews

Student Best of Show ADDY Award

Advertising > Film, Video & Sound – Animation or Special Effects
Trader Joes: An Orange Odyssey
Art Director: Conner Japikse & Savannah Hall
Professor/Instructor: Philip McAvoy

Judges Choice Awards

Film, Video & Sound > Television Advertising – Television Advertising – Campaign
Ole Smoky – Pride of The Mountains
Art Director, Copywriter: Sydney Lane
Art Director: Conner Japikse & Savannah Hall
Filmographer: Norino Maltese
Professor/Instructor: Philip McAvoy

Cross-Platform > Integrated Campaigns > Integrated Advertising Campaign – Consumer Campaign
The Lego-fy It Campaign
Art Director: CJ Villaflor & Luke Schock
Professor/Instructor: Philip McAvoy

Film, Video & Sound > Television Advertising – Television Advertising – Single
No Escape
Art Director, Sound Designer: Kayla Matthews
Copywriter, Editor: Kiki Farrar
Cinematographer: Owen Drawbaugh
Professor/Instructor: Sam Sefton

Student Gold ADDY Awards

Advertising > Film, Video & Sound – Animation or Special Effects
Trader Joes: An Orange Odyssey
Art Director: Conner Japikse & Savannah Hall
Professor/Instructor: Philip McAvoy

Film, Video & Sound > Television Advertising – Television Advertising – Campaign
Ole Smoky – Pride of The Mountains
Art Director, Copywriter: Sydney Lane
Art Director: Conner Japikse & Savannah Hall
Filmographer: Norino Maltese
Professor/Instructor: Philip McAvoy

Film, Video & Sound > Television Advertising – Television Advertising – Single
No Escape
Art Director, Sound Designer: Kayla Matthews
Copywriter, Editor: Kiki Farrar
Cinematographer: Owen Drawbaugh
Professor/Instructor: Sam Sefton

Film, Video & Sound > Television Advertising – Television Advertising 鈥� Single
Girls are PlayHers Too 鈥� Case Study
Art Director: Juliana Rabban
Copywriter: Sophie Steinborn
Professor/Instructor: Sam Sefton

Cross-Platform > Integrated Campaigns > Integrated Advertising Campaign – Consumer Campaign
NonCrowded
Art Director & Copywriter: Kayla Matthews
Art Director: Kiki Farrar
Professor/Instructor: Sam Sefton

Student Silver ADDY Award

Online/Interactive > Social Media – Social Media – Campaign
In Her Head
Art Director & Copywriter: Kayla Matthews
Cinematographer: Juliana Rabban
Professor/Instructor: Philip McAvoy

Cross-Platform > Integrated Campaigns > Integrated Advertising Campaign – Consumer Campaign
The Lego-fy It Campaign
Art Director & Copywriter: CJ Villaflor & Luke Schock
Professor/Instructor: Philip McAvoy

Cross-Platform > Integrated Campaigns > Integrated Advertising Campaign – Consumer Campaign
Get A Head
Art Director: Madison McCabe
Copywriter: Emily Mata
Professor/Instructor: Philip McAvoy

Print Advertising > Magazine Advertising – Magazine Advertising – Campaign
Fight the Freeze – Hot Hands
Art Director, Copywriter: Julia Hosang & Natalie Bazydlo
Professor/Instructor: Greg Moy

Print Advertising > Magazine Advertising – Magazine Advertising – Campaign
Make it Pop
Art Director: Juliana Rabban
Copywriter: Sophie Steinborn
Director of Photography: Hannah Zimmerman
Professor/Instructor: Sam Sefton

Film, Video & Sound > Television Advertising – Television Advertising – Single
Girls Are PlayHers Too
Art Director & Cinematographer: Juliana Rabban
Copywriter & Editor: Sophie Steinborn
Professor/Instructor: Sam Sefton

Cross-Platform > Integrated Campaigns > Integrated Advertising Campaign – Consumer Campaign
Your Cheese
Art Director & Copywriter: Kayla Matthews
Professor/Instructor: Sam Sefton

People who say that the journey is more important than the destination haven鈥檛 met Megan Shellenbarger (Graphic Design 鈥�09).

She鈥檚 managed to make the most out of both.

鈥満诹献�区 prepared me for the world more than I ever knew,鈥� Shellenbarger said. 鈥淭he bar was so high, and the knowledge base was so broad, that I felt like I really was set up to graduate and stand on my own two legs.鈥�

Currently, that would be in Denmark, where she鈥檚 a senior design manager at The LEGO Group.

But before venturing across the Atlantic Ocean, Shellenbarger moved to Phoenix with her then-boyfriend and fellow 黑料专区 alum. 鈥淥nce I graduated, I was convinced, 鈥業鈥檓 done with snow, I鈥檓 done with the north, I鈥檓 going somewhere warm.鈥欌��

She鈥檇 settled into a job designing software for a company offering online learning for high school students when she saw that The LEGO Group was recruiting for digital art directors. Her dad encouraged her to take a leap, telling her: 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have a house, you don鈥檛 have kids. You鈥檙e young. If you鈥檙e going to try something, go now. Worst case scenario you go over and you don鈥檛 like it, then you come home, and if you do, you stay.鈥�

The LEGO Group鈥檚 digital organization has over 1,800 digital colleagues and more than 120 digital designers, and is spread out across four locations: Billund, Copenhagen, London and Shanghai. Shellenbarger is situated at The LEGO Group鈥檚 new campus in the town of Billund, where the family-owned company was founded in 1932.

Starting out as a contract designer, Shellenbarger worked on mobile apps, web design and other digital user interface (UI) experiences. Thirteen years later, she leads a 16-member team across multiple product areas as part of the organization that supports what most people think of when they hear the word 鈥淟EGO庐鈥� 鈥� children playing with plastic bricks.

鈥淥ur area develops consumer-facing experiences, which are intended to be engagement experiences that provide added play value to our physical toys,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he LEGO Group鈥檚 core values of imagination, fun, caring, creativity, learning and quality strive to foster the most out play time for kids, be it with physical or digital play.鈥�

Shellenbarger鈥檚 team finds ways to digitally aid and enhance 鈥渢he core play experience.鈥� For example, they produce a website exclusively for kids where they can learn about their favorite characters and get tips and tricks from master model designers.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about creating these digital touch points that can make the physical play experience a bit richer or more personalized,鈥� she said.

Although LEGO bricks seem like the perfect non-screen time play, Shellenbarger explained that digital experiences can aid the building experience, particularly with young children.

鈥淲e had an observation in user testing that found some young builders were ignoring the left page in our building instructions,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n our building instructions, the left page contains important information 鈥� get this brick 鈥� and the right can be where you see the really cool model that you鈥檙e supposed to put the brick on. This resulted in kids sometimes missing the bricks they were supposed to use or steps in the building process because they were concentrating on the right page.鈥�

That鈥檚 where the screen comes in, Shellenbarger said. 鈥淪tarting with user problems is where we as digital creatives can experiment with technology to find new solutions. Today, we have an app called LEGO庐 Builder, where we can enable a special mode within our 3D building instructions that breaks the left and right page experience down for young builders into two steps, find the bricks, place the bricks, 鈥極K, find these.鈥� They hit the next button, and then they can see on the screen where to place them on the model. If they’re in doubt, they can zoom in and rotate the model for a better view.鈥�

Although Shellenbarger may not be as digitally native as the children she works to help entertain through The LEGO Group, she showed a strong inclination in high school, where she learned computer-aided design and Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator through Lynda tutorials (now LinkedIn Learning). Recognizing her natural abilities, her art teacher helped her become a member of the Business Professionals of America so she could enter design competitions.

Then, when Shellenbarger鈥檚 parents pushed her toward business school, that same art teacher sat them down and told them, 鈥淟isten, you need to let your daughter pursue this. She鈥檚 got a knack for computers and for design. You should really support her going to school for this.鈥�

They relented, and Shellenbarger was accepted to the honors program at Ferris State University, where her stepfather was an adjunct professor. After earning her associate degree in Visual Design and Web Media at Ferris, she decided that a 鈥渉ardcore art school鈥� was the best next step for her.

鈥淚 remember being really motivated by hearing about all of the career opportunities 黑料专区 students had, that they were going to work in other states and for big companies,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I applied and was accepted, I couldn鈥檛 have been more excited.鈥�

And once she arrived on the 黑料专区 campus? It was, in a word, 鈥渋ntense.鈥�

鈥淭here was a steep learning curve, of course,鈥� Shellenbarger said. 鈥淵ou had to know all the tools really well. You had teachers who didn鈥檛 mind pointing at your work on the wall and telling you, 鈥楾his is just not good enough.鈥� That was a shock to me. I think I had been quite coddled up until that point.鈥�

She also found herself challenged in ways she鈥檇 never been before 鈥� like for a project in a class co-created by Susan LaPorte (DGD 412), the project was around social sustainability, where she and a classmate observed and searched the streets of Detroit for items that 鈥渞epresented isolation.鈥� They collected an assortment of tires, chairs and other abandoned things, spray-painted them neon yellow and then hosted an installation in front of the historic Highland Park Ford Plant to invite people to meet and engage in an otherwise isolated space.

In the end, she and her partner returned the objects to where they鈥檇 been found. 鈥淭hey all disappeared within a week,鈥� Shellenbarger said.

Although her career at The LEGO Group involves far less spray paint, Shellenbarger still leans into much of what she learned at 黑料专区, especially the ability to work with others and pool the hive mind, speak about a design in an informed way, and give and receive feedback.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not a skillset everybody comes with,鈥� she said. 鈥淲orking in the digital product design industry, I鈥檓 not making art pieces anymore. I do make beautiful things, but they serve a concrete purpose, and they have a customer at the end of the day, so you need to be able to let go of some things and accept that, sometimes, you must go against even what feels right. 黑料专区 gave me a bit of grit and robustness that prepared me for that.鈥�

Also, the multitude of classes and briefs she worked on as a student prepared her for the opposite end of the spectrum 鈥� to just 鈥渞un with it鈥� at times and trust her instincts. Reactive change is a learned behavior, she noted, and many creatives are more used to spending time with their ideas and investing in their thoughts and visions.

鈥淟ife is often one of circumstance 鈥� who you meet and how you react,鈥� said Shellenbarger, who now has a Danish partner and is raising a family in her adopted homeland. 鈥淚n my experience, it鈥檚 some of the best in class, most talented individuals. I definitely have 黑料专区 to thank for being where I am today.鈥�

听announced the expansion of its Motor City Marketing and Communications Fellowship, a jobs program exclusively associated with IPG鈥檚 Detroit-based communications and marketing companies supporting client General Motors. This includes Weber Shandwick, MRM, McCann, Jack Morton Worldwide, and Commonwealth//McCann.

Cultivating Local Talent
Now in its third year, the Motor City Marketing and Communications Fellowship will continue to recruit applicants specifically from Detroit-based institutions, including Wayne State University and the 黑料专区. Dedicated to growing relationships with educational institutions across Detroit, the program plays a key role in engaging local talent, facilitating career development, and cultivating collaborative learning.

听Unlike traditional internships, the two-year rotational program offers comprehensive and in-depth experiences across various disciplines, providing recruits with a holistic understanding of the communications, marketing, creative, experiential, and relationship marketing landscape. Fellowship candidates will also have the opportunity to support multiple vehicle brands including Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac, as well as adjacencies like GM Customer Care and Aftersales, CarBravo and OnStar.

With a partnership spanning nearly a century, General Motors and IPG recognize the significant impact of younger generations on today’s global economy. By investing in emerging talent, IPG is nurturing the growth and success of the next generation, providing them with the resources to thrive and flourish in the advertising and marketing industry.

“There has never been a more critical moment to find ways to integrate the perspectives and creative insights of emerging talent into the work we produce for our clients. This program signifies our commitment not only to the Detroit community but to creating work that reaches and impacts the full range of consumers, so as to ultimately drive business impact,鈥� commented IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky.

鈥淥ur goal is to build teams that authentically mirror the diversity of our daily customer base, ensuring our approach remains dynamic and innovative, in step with the ever-evolving landscape of the automotive industry,” noted Grant Theron, IPG鈥檚 Global Client Lead for General Motors.

鈥淭his fellowship provides Wayne State University students with the opportunity to launch a meaningful career. We are delighted to partner with a program that is thoughtfully constructed to accelerate a student鈥檚 career with a wide range of real-world experience. The fellowship also allows our students to invest their talent back into the Motor City, where they received their degree. This is the best possible outcome for our students and community, and we鈥檙e thrilled to continue our partnership in such a valuable program,鈥� said Hasan Elahi, Dean at Wayne State University, College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts.

“We value partnerships like the Motor City Marketing and Communications Fellowship by IPG, which supports recent graduates and the industry alike, facilitating collaborative efforts to amplify diverse voices within the communication and advertising design profession,” commented听Susan LaPorte,听Chair and Professor of Communication Design + Advertising Departments.

The Motor City Marketing and Communications Fellowship welcomes both soon-to-be graduates and recent graduates, and the application process is ongoing. For more details about the program and how to apply, please visit .

About Interpublic
Interpublic (NYSE: IPG) () is a values-based, data-fueled, and creatively-driven provider of marketing solutions. Home to some of the world鈥檚 best-known and most innovative communications specialists, IPG global brands include Acxiom, Craft, FCB, FutureBrand, Golin, Huge, Initiative, IPG Health, IPG Mediabrands, Jack Morton, KINESSO, MAGNA, McCann, Mediahub, Momentum, MRM, MullenLowe Global, Octagon, R/GA, UM, Weber Shandwick and more. IPG is an S&P 500 company with total revenue of $10.93 billion in 2022.

About Commonwealth//McCann
Commonwealth//McCann () is an award-winning global advertising agency founded in 2012 as a division of McCann Worldgroup. Headquartered in Detroit, CW has offices across 16 countries around the world. We’re creatively led and operationally managed, which means everything we do is in support of stronger, smarter ideas that work for our client. Like handling the basics brilliantly, taking care of the simple things every day. Planning for the future and exceeding client expectations.

About Jack Morton
Jack Morton () is an award-winning global brand experience agency. We鈥檙e driven by the fact that the world鈥檚 most successful brands deliver proof on their brand promise at every touchpoint. It鈥檚 what inspires our team each day to help clients 鈥淏e extraordinary.鈥� For over 80 years, we鈥檝e strengthened the relationships between brands and the people who matter most to them, through live, virtual and hybrid experiences, brand acts, integrated campaigns, sponsorship marketing and employee engagement.

About McCann Worldgroup
McCann Worldgroup () is a leading global marketing solutions network whose professionals are united across 100+ countries by a single vision: To help brands earn a meaningful role in people’s lives. McCann Worldgroup was named “Global Agency of the Year” by Adweek magazine, 鈥淣etwork of the Year鈥� by the Cannes Lions, the world’s most creatively effective marketing services company by the Effie Awards (for three consecutive years), “Global Network of the Year” by Campaign magazine and 鈥淣etwork of the Year鈥� by The Webby Awards. Fast Company named McCann Worldgroup to its list of The World鈥檚 Most Innovative Companies. The network comprises McCann (advertising), MRM (science/technology/relationship marketing), Momentum Worldwide (total brand experience), McCann Health (professional/dtc communications), CRAFT (production), Weber Shandwick (public relations) and FutureBrand (consulting/design).

About MRM
MRM () creatively engineers total human experiences. Through purposeful, dynamic intersections between strategy, creative, technology and data sciences, MRM operates in a borderless, integrated way, to allow for greater collaboration and velocity鈥攁ll to the service of helping businesses grow meaningful relationships with people. MRM has 35-plus offices across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

About Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick () is a leading global communications network that delivers next-generation solutions to brands, businesses and organizations in major markets around the world. Led by world-class strategic and creative thinkers and activators, we have won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry. Weber Shandwick was named to Ad Age鈥檚 Agency A-List in 2020 and Best Places to Work in 2019. Weber Shandwick was also honored as 笔搁辞惫辞办别鈥檚 Global Agency of the Decade in 2020 and 笔搁奥别别办鈥檚 Global Agency of the Year in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The firm earned 25 Lions at the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Data-led, with earned ideas at the core, the agency deploys leading and emerging technologies to inform strategy, develop critical insights and heighten impact across sectors and specialty areas, including brand and B2B marketing, healthcare marketing, change management, employee engagement, corporate reputation, crisis management, data and analytics, technology, public affairs, social impact and financial communications. social impact and financial communications.

The 黑料专区 is pleased to introduce a remarkable group of new faculty members, each bringing their unique expertise and passion to our academic community.

In the Foundations Department, Michelle Lannoo has been promoted from visiting Assistant Professor to full-time Associate Professor. Her dedication and exceptional performance during her initial year have earned her this recognition. Joining her are two more distinguished educators: Joshua Mulligan, who takes on the role of a full-time Drawing Instructor, and Ben Rosales, an accomplished teacher with extensive experience in computer animation, who is joining as full-time Assistant Professor. Additionally, Peter Dunn will serve as the Foundations 3D Design Shop Manager and Assistant Professor, responsible for shop facilities, faculty and student training, and curriculum development.

In the Liberal Arts Department, the College welcomes Myrtle A. Brooks, a Lecturer in Business Studies who brings a wealth of experience and a background in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan Dearborn and MIT. Joining her is Laura Kovick, who assumes the role of a Lecturer in Composition with impressive credentials, including graduate degrees in literature and the teaching of writing and a diverse range of published works. Completing the department’s new additions is Caleb Lalinsky, a Visiting Assistant Professor with expertise in composition, rhetoric, literature, and writing instruction.

In the Art Education Department, Dr. Jhih-yin 鈥淒iane鈥� Lee joins 黑料专区 as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Lee’s extensive background in art education, teacher certification, and curriculum development, coupled with her Ph.D. in Art/Art Education from the University of Georgia, make her a valuable addition to the department.

Within the Studio Art & Craft Department, the College welcomes Lena Ellis-Boatman, who assumes the role of Visiting Assistant Professor and Section Lead in Printmaking. Ellis-Boatman鈥檚 diverse skill set encompasses various art forms and a deep commitment to collaboration, community, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Finally, in the Entertainment Arts Department, Dylan VanWormer joins 黑料专区 as a full-time Assistant Professor of Animation, specializing in 3D animation. VanWormer’s extensive experience, including work at Moonbot Studios and Walt Disney Studios, makes him a valuable asset to our animation emphasis.

黑料专区 extends a warm welcome to all these talented individuals and looks forward to the significant contributions they will bring to our creative and academic community.

Multiple 黑料专区 students and alumni were recognized in this year鈥檚 . More than 400 projects were submitted and 152 projects were selected by a panel of judges 鈥� including projects from 黑料专区 students and alumni.听

This competition was created to recognize the best in visual communications worldwide.

Communication Design Junior,, was awarded an Interaction Award for his 鈥� created in DGD 211: Intro to Communication Design with Susan LaPorte. Kare was best known for her work on the first Apple Macintosh computer, and worked to build technology that was friendlier 鈥� designing iconography, digital typefaces, and window panel designs.

Fabricatore studied her work across decades and composed it into a new format 鈥� designing a website that acts as a timeline. He designed the user interface, and coded the user experience. His project will be featured in the issue of Communication Arts, both digital and print.

Alumnus (鈥�22, Communication Design) was shortlisted for his project,McElmeel developed an interactive pathway for exploring and translating the Anishinaabemowin language through classic and contemporary Native stories. This was McElmeel鈥檚 student project, created in a Fall 2021 黑料专区 sponsored studio course that was then, among other projects, on display at the Detroit Historical Society.

Advertising Design alumni were awarded for their projects created in 黑料专区 courses 鈥斕� a digital campaign by Stephen Sinacori and Adam Dellavecchia, and a branded entertainment advertisement by Andrea Dunn and .听

Communications Arts was created to increase diversity in visual communications, and in its 56th year, it has posed as a premier source for graphic designers, art directors, design firms, corporate design departments, advertising agencies, interactive designers, illustrators and photographers.