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Awards and Projects Professional Development TAI Alumni TAI Students

Senior Luncheon and Awards Ceremony

This past Friday, we gathered together to honor the outstanding accomplishments of our seniors, graduate students, faculty, and staff at the 2025 Senior Luncheon and Awards Ceremony.

2025 Student Award Winners

We’re so proud to celebrate these students who exemplified excellence in their fields and made a lasting impact on the TAI community:

Outstanding TAI Senior Award – Sydney Strollo

Outstanding Creative Student Award – Ethan Jones

Outstanding DMS Student Award – Shivani Kosuri

Outstanding SBM Student Award – Boxiong Cao

Outstanding Graduate Student Award – Liby Navarro

Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award – Morgan Heinig

TAI Team Player Award – Brady Bagwell

TAI Leadership Award – Emma Clarke

TAI Optimizer Award – Spencer Hogan

TAI Anchor Award – Athena Mamatas

TAI Social Impact Award – Ross Yenerich

TAI Resilience Award – Emma Georghakis

Face of TAI Award – Shivani Kosuri

Faculty & Staff Award Winners

We also honored the faculty and staff who go above and beyond to support and inspire our students every day:

Scholar of the Year – Sidharth Muralidharan

Student Support Super Star – Andrew Elliott

Student Support Super Star – Tami Fowler

Service Exemplar Award – Alice Kendrick

Service Exemplar Award – Carrie La Ferle

Marketing Assistant Award – Isabella Cox

Adjunct Professor Award – Maddy Kulkarni

Professor Inspiring Excellence – Gordon Law

We’re so grateful to everyone who made this event possible and to all who continue to shape the TAI experience into something truly special.

Here’s to the Class of 2025—we can’t wait to see what you do next! 

#SeniorLuncheon #Graduates #TemerlinAdvertisingInstitute #SMUAdvertising #TAI2025

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AAA Awards and Projects Conference

Shaping the Future of Advertising: TAI’s Success at the 2025 AAA Conference

The 2025 American Academy of Advertising (AAA) Annual Meeting brought together educators, students, and professionals from around the world, all dedicated to advancing advertising knowledge and education. Held at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA from March 6 to 9, this year’s conference was an incredible opportunity for members of the advertising community to share research, gain new insights, and celebrate achievements within the field.

“I am consistently honored to work at TAI, a thriving department with incredible colleagues who are passionate about teaching, research, and the future growth of the industry.” – Dr. Carrie La Ferle

The Temerlin Advertising Institute (TAI) had a standout presence this year, with several prestigious awards and paper presentations that showcased the impactful work of our faculty and student. Here’s a recap of the honors and papers presented at the conference:

Awards:

  1. Best “Journal of Interactive Advertising” Reviewer Award
    Dr. Quan Xie was recognized for his exceptional contributions to the Journal of Interactive Advertising as a reviewer. Her dedication to providing insightful feedback and advancing the field through peer review is truly commendable.
  2. Best “Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising” Article Award
    Dr. Carrie La Ferle and Dr. Steve Edwards alongside Dr. Pam Richardson-Greenfield and Dr. Yashar Dehdashti were awarded for their article, “Addressing the Damage of Deception: Determining Effective Crisis Response Strategies Following Allegations of Deceptive Advertising.” This important work delves into how brands can manage crises related to deceptive advertising and the strategies that can rebuild consumer trust.
  3. Best DEI Advertising Conference Paper Award
    Dr. Quan Xie, Dr. Sidharth Muralidharan, Dr. Joe Phua, and Shivani Kosuri, TAI student, received the DEI Advertising Conference Paper Award for their paper, “How Women Respond to Computer-Generated Inclusive Advertising: Advocating for Body Positivity in the Age of AI.” This paper explores the intersection of diversity, equity, inclusion, and AI-generated advertising, with a focus on body positivity and its impact on women’s perceptions.
  4. Best “Journal of Interactive Advertising” Article Award
    Dr. Quan Xie, Dr. Yang Feng, and Dr. Huan Chenwere awarded for their article, “AI Influencers in Advertising: The Role of AI Influencer-related Attributes in Shaping Consumer Attitudes, Consumer Trust and Perceived Influencer-Product Fit.” This cutting-edge research examines the role of AI influencers in modern advertising and how their attributes influence consumer behavior and trust.

Papers Presented:

In addition to these impressive awards, TAI researchers shared their latest findings through two notable presentations:

  1. “Is this Real or Fake? Examining the Effects of Disclosure of AI-Generated Content and Source Type in Instagram-based Travel Destination Marketing on Consumer Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions”
    Dr. Joe Phua and his co-author, Dr. Delia Balaban from Babes-Bolyai University, Romania, presented this paper. They investigated how the disclosure of AI-generated content and the source type (e.g., influencer vs. brand) affects consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions in the context of Instagram-based travel marketing.
  2. “How Women Respond to Computer-Generated Inclusive Advertising: Advocating for Body Positivity in the Age of AI”
    Dr. Quan Xie, Dr. Sidharth Muralidharan, Dr. Joe Phua, and Shivani Kosuri presented this important work on how women engage with AI-generated, inclusive advertising that advocates for body positivity.

Dr. Alice Kendrick was part of a Special Topics panel discussion titled “The Exhausted Educator 101” at the 2025 AAA annual conference.  The 2025 AAA Annual Meeting was a remarkable success, highlighting the incredible work being done in the field of advertising and celebrating the strides TAI faculty and students have made in advancing knowledge and research. Congratulations to all award winners and presenters—your work is shaping the future of advertising in powerful ways.

“I am so proud of our faculty who won major awards at this year’s American Academy of Advertising (AAA) annual conference! We won Best Article awards from 2 of the 3 AAA academic journals: Journal of Interactive Advertising (JIA) and Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising (JCIRA)! Kudos to Quan Xie, Carrie La Ferle, Steve Edwards, and their respective co-authors for this amazing achievement. Also, Quan Xie, Sid Muralidharan and DMS student Shivani Kosuri were part of a paper presentation which won the Top DEI Advertising Conference Paper Award. Quan also won the Best Reviewer award from the Journal of Interactive Advertising. These accolades plus the research productivity of our faculty testify to the strength and excellence of the Temerlin Advertising Institute in advertising academic research and helps SMU continue to be one of the premier research universities for Advertising in the United States and abroad. Congratulations to our amazing team!” – Dr. Joe Phua

We look forward to next year’s conference and to continuing to contribute to the academic community’s understanding of the ever-evolving world of advertising.

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AAF AAF Dallas Awards and Projects Better Advertising. Better World. Competitions Professional Development Professional Organizations SMU Creative TAI Students

National Addy’s Awards brought to SMU!

Helena & Kailyn with their National ADDY Award

The American Advertising Federation (AAF) hosts the annual ADDY Awards, which are the biggest and most prestigious competition in the advertising business. The competition is divided into three levels: local, district, and national. The District 10 competition took place in Dallas, Texas, back in March. Acorns campaign by Maddie Otero and Morgan Martinez won SILVER; Fender had Helena Hargraves and Kailyn Sawhny win SILVER; Skout’s Honor Pet Odor Eliminator campaign earned Helena Hargraves win GOLD; and Truth Initiative’s campaign led by Spencer Hogan, Bella Mac and Allie Weinstein win GOLD. Every student who placed Gold or Silver in the district level advances to the national competition.

Early in May, the national competition winners were revealed, and later that month, in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the AAF ADMERICA Conference, awards were presented.

At the National ADDY Awards, Truth Initiative campaign by Spencer Hogan, Bella Mac and Allie Weinstein was recognized with a SILVER ADDY. Acorns by Maddie Otero and Morgan Martinez earned a SILVER National ADDY. Helena’s campaign for Skout’s Honor Pet Odor Eliminator took home the SILVER , while Helena’s and Kailyn’s campaign for Fender took home the GOLD National ADDY Award.

We are beyond thrilled that Spencer, Bella, Allie, Morgan, Maddie, Helena and Kailyn’s campaigns received national recognition and brought four National ADDY Awards to SMU!

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AAF Dallas Awards and Projects Competitions TAI Classes TAI Students

Spotlight on Success: Recap of SMU’s Hosting of The NSAC Competition.

On April 17-19, Southern Methodist University had the honor of hosting the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) for the first time on campus in 41 years. NSAC is a collegiate advertising competition sponsored by the American Advertising Federation (AAF). Two hundred seventy-five students participated in this year’s competition, representing 21 universities from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.  These talented students developed a campaign for Proctor & Gamble’s Tide for this year’s competition and presented it to a panel of judges.

Temerlin Advertising Institute Professor Nicole Haddad directed and led this year’s team. The SMU team showcased its skills and creativity and secured a commendable fourth-place finish. Ben Perry, a student on SMU’s team, earned the impressive title of best presenter in the competition. 

“Seeing myself and others be recognized for the hard work we put in not only this year but throughout our academic careers was truly invigorating. Winning best presenter was an honor that reflected not just my own efforts but especially those of my classmates and team in our pursuit of great work and determination to make each other better every day. Being a Temerlin student is a true blessing.” – Ben Perry

In conjunction with NSAC, Southern Methodist University hosted the AAF’s Mosaic Awards. Companies, agencies, and individuals from District 10 (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas) were recognized. Twenty-one awards were given for their commitment and work to diversity and inclusion. Our Endowed Distinguished Chair and Director of the Temerlin Advertising Institute, Joe Phua, spoke at the ceremony.

Additionally, the American Advertising Federation hosted an awards ceremony for District 10, where students and faculty members were recognized. Dr. Mark Allen was awarded the “Outstanding Educator of the Year” award, which you can read more about [here]. Scholarships, a symbol of academic excellence, were also awarded to students. We are delighted to acknowledge three of our creative students who were among the recipients. These students include Spencer Hogan who was awarded the Jim Goodnight AAF scholarship, Ethan Jones who was awarded the June Cerrato AAF scholarship, and Kailyn Sawhny who was awarded the Harry Ottman AAF scholarship.

“I’m honored and excited to receive this award! Thank you to all the people who have guided me through this journey. I am so excited to further my advertising experience!”  – Kailyn Sawhny

We were thrilled to host this year’s AAF National Student Advertising Competition and are incredibly proud of the SMU’s Tide team and faculty for all their recognitions and accomplishments.

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Awards and Projects Better Advertising. Better World. Faculty Research International Advertising News Research

Dr. Joe Phua Publishes New Research on the Power of Emotional Messaging in Vaccine Communications

By Bella Cox and Liby Navarro

Dr. Joe Phua is a Professor and the Endowed Distinguished Chair at the Temerlin Advertising Institute at Southern Methodist University.  In 2011, he earned his Ph.D. from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. Throughout his career, Dr. Phua has worked with over $4.5 million in external research funded by distinguished organizations.  His research has explored new communication technologies, their impact on advertising and branding, and their application in sports marketing and health communications and have been featured in significant media outlets such as ABC News and National Public Radio (NPR).

Through his published work in some of the utmost journals, including the Journal of Advertising and Journal of Consumer Behavior, Dr. Phua has won awards from the International Communication Association (ICA), American Academy of Academy (AAA), and the International Communication Association (ICA), among many others.   

His most recent research titled, “Encouraging Positive Dialog Toward COVID-19 Vaccines on Social Media Using Hope Appeals, Celebrity Types, and Emoticons” was published in the journal,  Mass Communication & Society, and was conducted in conjunction with an international team of colleagues from Washington State University, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, and the University of Melbourne. This study evaluates how utilizing hope appeals, celebrity endorsements, and value emoticons shaped attitudes about COVID-19 vaccinations.  In addition, it discusses ongoing research to refine messaging strategies and improve the effectiveness of public health campaigns.  

For this research, Dr. Phua and his colleagues were interested in examining how social media posts by celebrity endorsers can influence their followers’ attitudes towards the COVID vaccine. Two experiments were conducted in the study:

In experiment one, they tested three celebrity endorser types (politician, scientist, athlete) and two message types (high and low relevance hope appeal). This experiment revealed that politicians posting low relevance hope appeal messages had the strongest effect on changing attitudes towards the COVID vaccine.

In experiment two, three emoticon types (positive, neutral, negative) and the same two message types (high and low relevance hope appeal) were used. It was concluded that neutral emoticons (wow, haha), rather than positive (like, love, hug) or negative (sad, angry) emoticons, had the strongest effect on changing attitudes towards the COVID vaccine.

For both experiments, it was concluded that the more someone strongly identified with the celebrity endorser posting the message, the more strongly their attitudes towards the COVID vaccine were changed.

Dr. Phua emphasized that “through examining COVID vaccine messages, this study was helpful to healthcare organizations who can be better prepared to use the most effective social media-based message strategies to combat and mitigate any major health pandemics that may arise in the future in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic.”

In addition, Dr. Phua recently visited Nanyang Technological University in Singapore to initiate research and teaching collaborations. 

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AAF AAF Dallas Awards and Projects Competitions Professional Organizations Scholarship SMU Creative TAI Students Undergraduate Students

Another Big Win at the 2024 District 10 ADDY Awards!

Our amazing creative students have won 14 ADDY Awards at the 2024 AAF District 10 competition. This is more awards than any other school in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana has won!

What’s even more impressive is that our students won as many awards as all the students from the University of Texas system, Texas A&M system, University of North Texas, Texas Tech University, and Texas Christian University put together!

The ADDY Awards are organized each year by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and is the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition. There are three tiers to the competition: local, district, and national. Each student who won Gold or Silver at the district level is now moving on to compete at the national level.

The winners of the national competition will be announced in early May and awards will be distributed at the AAF ADMERICA Conference in Salt Lake City later that month.

We’re so proud of our students and can’t wait to see how they do in the next round!

 The full list of Student AAF District 10 Winners can be found here.

 

SMU AAF DISTRICT 10 ADDY WINNERS:

SPECIAL JUDGE’S AWARDS

Acorns (Special Judge’s Award in Copywriting) Maddie Otero & Morgan Martinez

Amtrak (Special Judge’s Award in Video) Timothy Chae and Blake Lyster

 

GOLD 

Skout’s Honor Pet Odor Eliminator / Helena Hargraves

Truth Initiative / Spencer Hogan, Bella Mac and Allie Weinstein (Art Direction)

Truth Initiative / Spencer Hogan, Bella Mac and Allie Weinstein (Poster Campaign)

Amtrak / Timothy Chae and Blake Lyster

 

SILVER

Mountain House Camping Meals / Emma Clarke

Fender / Kailyn Sawhny and Helena Hargraves

Insomnia Cookies / Ross Yenerich

Seedlip / Callie Oden and Emma Clarke

FTND Pull Back From Porn / Tyler Chapman (Cinematography)

KILZ Primer / Spencer Hogan

Acorns / Maddie Otero & Morgan Martinez

 

HONORABLE MENTION

Venmo /Juan Silva & Kaitlyn Blan

FTND Pull Back from Porn (TV Advertising) / Tyler Chapman

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Awards and Projects Faculty News Professional Development Scholarship SMU Creative Student Perspectives TAI Students

Willie Baronet Wins HOPE Professor of the Year Award

The Honoring Our Professors’ Excellence (HOPE) Banquet, organized by Southern Methodist University’s Residence Life and Student Housing (RLSH), serves as a symbol of appreciation for faculty excellence. It’s an annual event where students and educators come together to highlight the extraordinary efforts of professors who have gone above and beyond in enriching the educational journey of their students. This year, the spotlight was on Professor Willie Baronet, the Stan Richards Professor in Creative Advertising at SMU, who was honored with the prestigious HOPE Professor of the Year Award for his commitment to his students and his innovative teaching methods. This award aims to recognize his lasting impact at the Temerlin Advertising Institute and SMU community as a whole.

Creative student Roshan Gupta, a senior studying under Baronet, had the honor of delivering the speech that announced his professor as the HOPE Professor of the Year. Gupta’s words further emphasized Baronet’s influence on his students, saying,

“Willie has been by my side my entire college career…I can confidently say that Willie has had a tremendous impact on who I am today.”

Baronet’s approach to teaching is anything but conventional. His classes are a journey into the depths of creativity and self-exploration, pushing students to unveil parts of themselves and their imaginations they never knew existed. Gupta eloquently shared his transformative experience, stating,

“His classes are not for the faint of heart, and you are pushed to explore vulnerable parts of yourself and your imagination to create work that is fulfilling, meaningful, and intelligent.”

What sets Baronet apart is not just his ability to teach but to inspire. His dedication to cultivating an environment of diverse perspectives allows students to gain a deeper understanding of concepts and themselves.

“Willie transcends traditional teaching methods and implores us to dig as deep as we can into ourselves to find what drives us and gives us purpose.”  – Roshan Gupta

Beyond the classroom, Baronet’s commitment to his students is unparalleled. Whether it is driving to a photo shoot in the middle of the day, hopping on a Zoom call in the midst of his busy schedule, or spending hours just talking, his devotion knows no bounds. As Gupta aptly put it, “I don’t know a single other professor who devotes the same level of care and attention to detail that Willie does for his students inside and outside of the classroom.”

Before joining the academic world, Baronet was the creative director for GroupBaronet (now known as MasonBaronet). His work has also been featured in prestigious publications such as Communication Arts, Graphis, and AIGA Graphic Design Annual, among others. Baronet’s creativity has been recognized with numerous awards from respected organizations, including the Dallas Advertising League and the Dallas Society of Visual Communications, and he has shared his insights on creativity, leadership, and social responsibility with audiences nationwide, including TEDx, Creative Mornings, and more.

Beyond his professional achievements, Willie Baronet has engaged in impactful artistic endeavors, notably his long-term project titled “WE ARE ALL HOMELESS.” Since 1993, Baronet has been collecting signs from homeless individuals, transforming these artifacts into powerful narratives that challenge perceptions and foster empathy. This project has not only been featured across various media platforms but has also been showcased in exhibitions both in the U.S. and the UK.

Willie Baronet’s recognition of the 2024 HOPE Undergrad Professor of the Year Award is a testament to his exceptional role not only as an educator but as a mentor, guide, and inspiration to his students. His innovative teaching methods, coupled with his unwavering dedication, exemplify the best of academic leadership and the impact a passionate professor can have on the lives of their students.

Congratulations, Professor Baronet, on this well-deserved honor. The HOPE Professor of the Year Award is a fitting recognition of your tireless devotion to your students.

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AAF Dallas Awards and Projects Competitions News TAI Students Undergraduate Students

TAI TAKES HOME 30 AWARDS AT THE DALLAS ADDYS

Written by: Stella Cofoid

“The weight and distinction of these awards are marked not only by the talents of the students, but also by the win over many large and world-renowned agencies that were also in direct competition” 

Amongst the extraordinary, with an extravaganza to match, the annual ADDY’s was held on February 26, 2022. An exuberant and staggering 30 of the 38 student awards were awarded to Temerlin Advertising Institutes undergraduates at the annual symposium. Students took home twelve bronze awards, twelve silver, five gold, and the “Best of Show” award. TAI’s students, amongst professionals and other institutes of higher enrollment, was the only undergraduate program to take home a gold award. The weight and distinction of these awards are marked not only by the talents of the students, but also by the win over many large and world-renowned agencies that were also in direct competition from the Dallas-Ft-Worth metroplex.

When asked about the distinction and rigor of this competition, undergraduate professor Dr. Mark Allen stated that he was “very proud of this group of students and my TAI colleagues who have helped nurture our small-but-mighty program.” Dr. Allen pays special tribute to Willie Baronet and Cheryl Mendenhall, as it is through their creative guidance that “Temerlin continues to punch in a much heavier weight class than our size would typically allow. What other universities attempt to do with hundreds of students and dozens of faculty, we’ve been able to accomplish with a highly-skilled “special ops” group,” Dr. Allen states.

The praise won’t stop here. The winners of these awards will move to the District Ten competition, of which include all finalists from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. From there, Nationals will follow suit showcasing the best talent from across the United States on both the undergraduate and professional level. 

Congratulations to the following Dallas ADDY Winners for 2022. You are a part of what gives Temerlin its astute distinction and credibility in such a subjective field. 

Bravo! 

 

DALLAS ADDY WINNERS 2022

BRONZE / Dallas Ballet Academy > Out-Of-Home Campaign

Ceci Luther and Thida Sok

 BRONZE / Hearing Loss Association of America > Integrated Campaign

Ethan Rios, Ra Kazadi, and Thida Sok

 BRONZE / Inkbox Temporary Tattoos > Magazine Advertising

Anika Crouser and Sophie Heidenreich

BRONZE / Temerlin Advertising Institute > Out-Of-Home Poster Campaign

Tessa Conti

 BRONZE / Lodge Cast-Iron Skillets > Integrated Campaign

Caroline Soja and Ceci Luther

 BRONZE / QuadPay: Indulge Yourself > Art Direction

Natalie Castillo

 BRONZE / Story Corps / NPR Podcast > Out-Of-Home

Brittany Cooksey and Grace Peek

 BRONZE / Temerlin Advertising Institute > Art Direction

Tessa Conti

 BRONZE / Divorced Beheaded Died Survived > Book Design

Sarah Scambray

 BRONZE / US Postal Service: Through it All > Magazine Advertising 

Ethan Rios and Palmer Beldy

 BRONZE / Ring Video Doorbell > Integrated Campaign

Ra Kazadi

 BRONZE / Sabrina Handal Business Card > Stationery 

Sabrina Handal

 SILVER / Trust & Will Online Estate Planning > Integrated Campaigns 

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Charlotte Jernigan

 SILVER / Apartments.com > Out-Of-Home

Maggie Daly and Wolffe Bonewell

 SILVER / Obsessed with the Beard Feature > Publication Design

Sarah Scambray

 SILVER / Protect Your Hearing PSA > Out-Of-Home

Ethan Rios, Ra Kazadi, and Thida Sok

 SILVER / Protect Your Hearing PSA  > Magazine Advertising

Ethan Rios, Ra Kazadi, and Thida Sok

 SILVER / Trust & Will Online Estate Planning > Copywriting 

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Charlotte Jernigan

 SILVER / Angi’s List > Magazine Advertising

Alexa May

 SILVER / Apartments.com > Copywriting

Maggie Daly and Wolffe Bonewell

 SILVER / Dad Grass: Low Dose Hemp Joints > Integrated Campaign

Sarah Scambray and Sam Zimmerman

 SILVER / Gabb Wireless Phones for Kids > Copywriting

Helen Cheever

 SILVER / Girl Scouts > Magazine Advertising 

Meriel Upton and Olivia Hernandez

 SILVER / Half Price Books > Integrated Campaign 

Sarah Scambray, Palmer Beldy and Sam Zimmerman

 GOLD / LEGO: When did you stop building? > Animation or Special Effects 

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios

 GOLD / LEGO: When did you stop building? > Television Advertising 

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios

 GOLD / LEGO: When did you stop building? > Art Direction

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios

 GOLD / The One Club: Pay Your Interns PSA > Integrated Campaigns

Grace Peek and Palmer Beldy

 GOLD / Waffle House: Your House Away From Home > Integrated Campaigns 

Megan Ferm and Brooke Betik

 BEST OF SHOW / LEGO: When did you stop building? 

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios

Best of Show winners Ethan Rios and Elizabeth Skrmetta with professors Willie Baronet and Mark Allen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch the ‘Best of Show’ ad here: https://vimeo.com/654037863

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Awards and Projects

TEMERLIN STUDENTS WIN RECOGNITION IN PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS

By Caroline Pritchard

The Temerlin Advertising Institute is celebrating numerous students who have been recognized by prestigious advertising competitions such as the Dallas Society of Visual Communications National Student Show & Conference, the Society of Publication Design Student Competition, the American Advertising Federation Student Awards and more.

Some ceremonies remain online this year, but it has nevertheless been a successful awards season, proving that Temerlin students continue to stand apart. “We are tied with last year in terms of the number of awards that we’ve won, but we’re not even halfway through the year yet,” says Senior Lecturer Mark Allen.

Allen attributes the success to Temerlin’s exceptionally smart students, as well as the program’s balanced approach. “We focus first and foremost on the concept. The work we are looking for isn’t just eye candy,” he says. “It has to have something smart and strategic behind it, and we also push our students in the area of craftsmanship.”

Students are still waiting to hear back on some competitions, including the Communication Arts Advertising Annual Competition. Several Temerlin students have already made the shortlist of that organization’s Design Annual Competition. Overall, Allen is very optimistic. “I fully expect that this will be our most successful year ever in the awards space,” he says.

This year’s successes also include four wins at the American Advertising Federation Student Awards — the national ADDY Awards — which will be covered in a separate blog post. But continue reading to learn more about some of the student work that caught judges’ eyes at other top competitions this year.

Big Wins at the DSVC National Student Show & Conference

Five Temerlin students had work accepted into this year’s National Student Show & Conference, hosted online in April. “That’s a big deal on its own,” says Allen.

The results were even more remarkable. Temerlin nearly swept the “best of” advertising categories, won two special awards, and took home a total of $1,600 in prize money.

“Even though everything was virtual this year, the show was incredible,” Allen says. “In fact, it didn’t feel like a student show at all—a sentiment that was echoed by several professionals on the jury this year.”

Tupperware Logo — Maria Archundia

Accepted Into Show

Maria Archundia was recognized for her smart and simple Tupperware logo. “The National Student Show is a fiercely competitive, design-centric venue that attracts top four-year graphic design programs from across the country,” Allen says. “The fact that Maria got her Tupperware logo into one of the most difficult categories in the entire show as a graphic design minor speaks volumes about her and our small-but-mighty program.” Archundia was recently hired as an art director at Dieste, an agency in Dallas.

Nair for Men Campaign — Ethan Rios

Accepted Into Show

Rios entered Temerlin last year as an aspiring art director, but recently it’s his copywriting that has made waves. When Allen saw Rios’ campaign for Nair for Men, he immediately knew the headlines were what made it special. “I told him, ‘I know you think of yourself as an art director, but I really think you should enter this in more than one category,’” Allen recalls. “It’s so funny and well written.”

            Gabb Wireless Campaign — Helen Cheever

            Best of Category: Copywriting ($200 Prize)

Helen Cheever’s campaign for Gabb Wireless’ streamlined, kid-friendly phones speaks powerfully to protective parents with headlines like “Sometimes, parents want less for their kids.” What makes it even more impressive is that it’s the first campaign she ever produced. “Copywriting is a specialized skill that usually takes several semesters to hone,” Allen says.

Cholula Hot Sauce Campaign — Sam Zimmerman

            Best of Category: Out of Home ($200 Prize)

Zimmerman had a simple but intriguing idea for a Cholula campaign: Bold flavor stands out. Intriguing enough that commercial photographer Stewart Cohen offered to shoot it for him. “This campaign pushed me out of my stock photo comfort zone and allowed me the experience of the planning and work that goes into executing and producing a campaign,” Zimmerman says, calling it his best experience at Temerlin to date. Cohen later invited him to work as his photography assistant, giving Zimmerman a taste of what it’s like to work for real clients.

23andMe Digital Campaign — Meredith Welborn and Luke Lockwood

Best of Category: Video/Commercial ($200 Prize)

Best Use of Paper sponsored by Lindenmeyer Monroe Paper ($500 Prize)

Colossal Innovation Award ($500 Prize)

This creative digital commercial campaign used strips of paper and stop motion animation to illustrate how DNA testing reveals personal history. The creators are art director Meredith Welborn and copywriter Luke Lockwood, who were both advanced portfolio students.

“It’s the first time I’m aware of that an advertising campaign has won Best Use of Paper,” Allen says. “This was the award we went nuts over. We just couldn’t believe it because that award always goes to a really high-end graphic design piece like a packaging or book design project.”

While the concept for the 23andMe campaign took months to refine, the actual commercials came together in just a few weeks. “It was a Hail Mary,” Welborn says. “I shot all the photos on the ground with a makeshift tripod and backdrop made from a Post-it easel over Thanksgiving break while I was in California. It really showed me that you don’t need a studio or fancy equipment to create a great ad. It’s all about the idea.

“I feel extremely grateful to have gone through the creative program at SMU,” she continues. “Most people have to go to a separate portfolio school to learn what we learn during undergrad.”

Welborn and Lockwood graduated in May; Welborn is currently interning at BBDO New York, and Lockwood is returning to SMU in the fall to pursue a graduate degree in finance.

See both commercials here and here.

Communication Arts Design Annual Competition: Three Temerlin Students Make the Shortlist

Current Temerlin student Sarah Scambray and recent graduates Anna Rose Corell, Rani Vestal and Maria Archundia made the shortlist for the Communication Arts Design Annual Competition. “This is one of the premier award venues for design,” Allen says.

Archundia once again received recognition for her sleek Tupperware logo, while the other students were acknowledged for book designs. Scambray’s design was for DIVORCED BEHEADED DIED DIVORCED BEHEADED SURVIVED: The Truth About the Wives of King Henry VIII, and Corell and Vestal collaborated on a design for Darkness. Finalists will be announced at the end of this year.

After graduating in May, Corell was hired as a copywriter at The Richards Group in Dallas. Vestal, who graduated in 2020, recently accepted a position as a designer at Paperwhite-Studio in New York.

Applied Arts Magazine Student Awards Competition: Temerlin Breaks Into Publication

For the first time, Temerlin students will be published in Applied Arts magazine. Anna Rose Corell, Rani Vestal and Sarah Scambray received awards for publication design, while Meredith Welborn and Luke Lockwood won for their 23andMe digital campaign. The annual competition is based in Canada and the magazine will come out in November or December.

Allen explains one of the things that makes this honor so special. “Back when I graduated, one of the coolest things was that a lot of award-winning work still got printed in magazines that people could buy,” he says. “There are so few print magazines anymore, but Applied Arts is one of the hold-outs.”

Publication Design Student Competition: Sarah Scambray Takes Third Place

In another Temerlin first, a student has placed in the winner’s circle of this highly competitive international contest judged by representatives of esteemed publications such as The New York Times Magazine, Variety, Fast Company and Cosmopolitan. Graphic design minor Sarah Scambray won third place for her spread featuring professional basketball player James Harden and his signature beard—it’s the same one that will appear in Applied Arts magazine later this year.

“This was one of my favorite projects, mostly because the subject matter presented so many fun possibilities,” Scambray says. “When I found out I received third place I was very surprised and ecstatic—it’s always an honor to have your work validated, especially in a creative industry where everything is so subjective.” Scambray is currently interning as an art director at Slingshot in Dallas.

One Club for Creativity Young Ones Competition: Temerlin Well Represented on Jury, and 23andMe Wins Merit Award

In March, the One Club for Creativity announced the jury for its student Young Ones competition. The jury included Allen, as well as Temerlin alumni Morgan Hoff, Greg Peterson, Helen Rieger, Sofia Rosell, Tanner Thompson and Gabe Towles. Allen points out that these graduates are all under 30 years old, but have already won awards for their work for major brands.

“Morgan Hoff graduated in 2017. But she has already produced Super Bowl commercials for Snickers. Top commercials that everybody is talking about,” Allen says. “Some of these students have only been out of school three or four years, so it’s quite impressive that they were asked to be judges in a competition at this level.” Competition results were announced in June, and the 23andMe campaign by Meredith Welborn and Luke Lockwood won a “Merit” award.

Lürzer’s International Archive: Kong Dog Toys Campaign Nominated for Student of the Year Award

Temerlin alumni Kell Klopp ’20 and Megan Cruikshank ’19 were nominated for the Lürzer’s International Archive Student of the Year Award for their campaign for rubber dog toy manufacturer Kong. “There are tough questions in life that no one may ever be able to answer, which we connected to the durability of Kong toys,” Cruikshank says. The result is an illustrated campaign featuring philosophical dog-thoughts and the clever tagline “That’s a lot to chew on.” “It’s just a fun and light-hearted campaign that’s hard not to like,” Allen says.

2021 Temerlin Awards Honor Star Students

At the end of the school year, faculty gathered to vote on the students who stood out among all three Temerlin disciplines: Creative, Digital Media Strategy and Strategic Brand Management. One student whom Allen was particularly impressed by this year is Zainab Noshahi (creative), who received Temerlin’s Social Impact Award.

“This is an award that goes to somebody who, both on campus and off campus, makes a contribution from a social responsibility perspective,” he says. “Over the past year, Zainab started a group that helps students navigate the complexities of being a student of color at SMU, and specifically within the advertising industry.”

See the full list of winners honored at the May 5 ceremony below.

  • Outstanding Academic Achievement in Digital Media Strategy – Hannah Sung
  • Outstanding Academic Achievement in Creative Advertising – Sophie Vos
  • Outstanding Academic Achievement in Strategic Brand Management – Molly Mosby
  • Outstanding Graduate Student – Hillery Lemon
  • Outstanding Graphic Design Minor – Daniel Heard
  • Donald John Carty Leadership Award – Ankita Padarthy
    • The award and stipend are presented to a graduating student in recognition of leadership in the classroom, the Temerlin Advertising Institute, and beyond.
  • TAI Anchor Award – Anna Rose Corell
    • Given to a student who consistently “pulls more than his/her weight” in bringing projects to fruition.
  • TAI Optimizer Award – Abigail Norton
    • Given to a student who demonstrates a desire and aptitude to make work better through superior work strategies and iteration.
  • TAI Social Impact Award – Zainab Noshahi
    • Given to a student who exemplifies aspects of social responsibility in their advertising work and beyond.
  • TAI Resilience Award – Molly Mosby
    • Given to a student who deals effectively with project setbacks while maintaining a positive attitude and demonstrating a resolve to produce outstanding work.
  • TAI Service Award – Kathryn Chavez
    • Given to a student who renders substantial service to the campus at large as well as in the greater community.
  • TAI Team Player Award – Preston Riley
    • Given to a student in recognition of contributions to team projects and activities.
  • Face of TAI Award – Meredith Welborn
    • Given to a student who represents the best of what the Temerlin Advertising Institute is meant to be within Meadows, SMU and/or the advertising industry.
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Awards and Projects Competitions Engaged Learning Faculty TAI Students Undergraduate Students

Winning the Big iDea Takes More than Just a Great Idea!

A chance meeting while working in the hall at ULEE, SMU Psychology student and Neuroscience Lab Research Coordinator Madison McMahan met Advertising Professor Dr. Carrie La Ferle. After several conversations, they got to know each other. Recently, Madison shared her Big iDeas business idea: Panacea!

More than Instagram or Facebook. More than a dating app. Panacea helps people easily make friends based on shared interests and hobbies.

Taking cues from the world of advertising , Dr. La Ferle gave Madison some general ideas to consider for making a winning “pitch and presentation” on her Big iDeas Business Competition pitch.

After her Panacea idea won, Madison shared her enjoyment of the Big iDeas journey and learning how to start a business. “I had such wonderful encouragement from my family, friends, the Engaged Learning Team and SMU faculty Carrie La Ferle, Bruce Snider, and Carlos Martinez! This experience has given me huge insights into marketing, planning, advertising concepts, and the overall business world. The skills I have gained will help me in the future, especially with the things that I am super passionate about such as helping people find friends.”

Madison plans to launch the app in July and hopes everyone to be able to join Panacea to form new friendships.

To find out more about Panacea, or to be notified when the app is ready, please visit the website or email panaceaconnectionisgood@gmail.com.

Congratulations Madison and to the other 2021 Big iDeas Business Plan winners!

Find out more about Engaged Learning and Big iDeas at SMU.