DECATUR, Ill. – Millikin University Creative Media students were recognized for the seventh consecutive year at the region-level American Advertising Awards (ADDY) from the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Northern Illinois chapter.
Millikin students submitted their work in the American Advertising Federation Northern Illinois Regional competition this year and received two Gold ADDYs, three Silver, and four Bronze. A Gold ADDY recognizes the highest level of creative excellence and moves on to compete at the District level. Entries also considered outstanding and worthy of recognition receive a Silver ADDY.
In addition to individual student honors, the student-run venture 1901 Productions, which creates films for groups and organizations around Millikin's campus and the surrounding Decatur area, received Gold Awards in the categories of Cinematography and Art Director for the trailer for their feature-length film “Sonder: An Anthology of Loss.”
“Prestigious awards like these are a testament to the amazing quality of work produced by Millikin’s School of Art and Creative Media students. These awards also reflect Millikin’s unparalleled commitment to hands-on Performance Learning, showing how our students’ work compares to that of their peers in a real-world professional forum,” Millikin Arts Tech Instructor Eric Hector said. “I’m so proud of our 1901 students' remarkable achievements as everyone in the venture can now say they have credits on a profitable, award-winning feature film.”
The American Advertising Awards is one of the industry's most significant creative competitions, attracting nearly 35,000 professional and student entries annually through local club competitions. The American Advertising Awards aims to recognize and reward the spirit of creative excellence in advertising.
Arts Technology major Katie Kocan was awarded a Silver ADDY in the Packaging category for her package design and branding for her piece “Sup?.”
Arts Technology major Julia Mlynowski received a Silver ADDY in the Digital Creative Technology category for her Invented City Interactive Mobile App prototype. Julia also received a Silver ADDY in the Campaign Art Direction category for the Pretty in Pink campaign and a Bronze Honorable Mention ADDY in Illustration for the Invented Children’s Mobile Game App.
Arts Technology major Samantha Keza won Bronze Honorable Mention honors in the Digital Color Photo category for a sports media photoshoot and a Bronze Honorable Mention for Mobile or Web-Based App Design for the Relax Mobile App.
Graphic Design and Art Education double major Jackson Harmon was awarded a Bronze Honorable Mention ADDY for his poster for the Willow’s Emoji Guessing Game.
“This is the seventh year in a row that Arts Technology and Graphic Design students have earned Addy awards. We are proud to have a culture in the School of Art and Creative Media of engaged students who compete in industry competitions and are recognized for their creative and marketing works in areas such as editorial design, branding, cinematography, storytelling, photography, interactive media, animation, and digital illustration,” Director and Associate Professor of the School of Art & Creative Media Jessa Wilcoxen said. “It is confirmation of the high quality of programs we offer when professionals in the advertising field consistently recognize our student’s works as extraordinary.”
The Millikin School of Art & Creative Media's multidisciplinary approach gives students the benefits of traditional artistic practice across several mediums and the skills to craft creative media projects using innovative technologies. Students use creative skills and technical knowledge to explore exciting and innovative career paths. From art therapy and arts management to creative media communication and intermedia studio art, Millikin's School of Art & Creative Media has the tools students need to succeed in this rapidly evolving industry.
