Category: Professional Development

On February 29th, the creative talent of Southern Methodist University (SMU) students was once again in the spotlight at the 2024 Dallas ADDY Awards, held at the On the Levee event center. Hosted by AAF Dallas President and TAI Adjunct Professor, Deja Sanders, the night was a celebration of creativity, hard work, and academic excellence. SMU students took home an impressive 20 awards, including 7 Gold, 10 Silver, 2 Judge’s Choice, and the coveted Student Best of Show. This marks the fifth consecutive year—and sixth in the last seven years—that SMU has won Best of Show, a testament to the continued excellence and consistent growth of Temerlin Advertising Institute.

“I can’t stop beaming after the 2024 Addy awards. So proud of our students and all of their hard work. I HAVE THE BEST JOB ON THE PLANET. (caps Willie’s)” – Professor Willie Baronet

The range of work presented at the awards was broad and innovative, spanning ad campaign projects for existing companies across many different media forms. Since all the work received Silver and above, they will now move forward to compete in the District 10 competition, one of the most competitive districts in the country.

Professor Mark Allen noted that, “the work our students produced this year is truly impressive, and Temerlin’s reputation for creative excellence was on full display in front of the entire DFW advertising community.”

However, the evening was not just about accolades, it was a testament to the student’s dedication and commitment to quality work. Professor Cheryl Mendenhall expressed immense pride, noting, “The Addys give us an opportunity to celebrate all of their hard work and show off their talents to the industry.” The event also facilitated valuable connections between students and industry professionals. Mendenhall noted that several agency professionals congratulated and introduced themselves to TAI’s students, which in the past, has led to the potential for internships and job opportunities.

In addition to the many student awards, Gordon Law, TAI’s own Executive in Residence, was honored as the Educator of the Year. This award was not only well-deserved, but it also underscored the high-caliber mentorship and education provided by SMU’s faculty across the board.

However, the TAI student’s work and awards does not end here. Allen said that, “as great as this night was for us, it’s just the beginning because we had so much good work that didn’t make it into the show. So stay tuned because there’s a lot more where this came from!”

This semester TAI will also be hosting their annual student Portfolio Night on March 27^th.  Keep an eye on our social media pages to see more of the winning work and stay up to date on future events.

 The Temerlin School is very proud of the work of all their students and congratulations to all the ADDY winners listed below:

DALLAS ADDYs (20)

SILVER

Drunk Elephant / Out-Of-Home / Kaitlyn Blan & Caroline Davis

Fender / Magazine / Kailyn Sawhny & Helena Hargraves

Replica / Magazine / Morgan Martinez & Delaney Gendron

Mountain House / Integrated / Emma Clarke

Insomnia Cookies / Out-Of-Home / Ross Yenerich

Amtrak / Integrated / Timmy Chae & Blake Lyster

QuietOn / Television / Ethan Jones & Atenas Vijil

KILZ Primer / Integrated / Spencer Hogan

Seedlip / Integrated / Emma Clarke & Callie Oden

Acorns / Integrated / Maddie Otero & Morgan Martinez

GOLD

Truth Anti-Vaping / Art Direction / Spencer Hogan, Bella Mac, Allie Weinstein

Fight the New Drug / Cinematography /Tyler Chapman

Skout’s Honor / Magazine / Helena Hargraves

Venmo / Integrated /Juan Silva & Kaitlyn Blan

Dixie Ultra / Out-Of-Home / Kaitlyn Blan & Caroline Davis

Fight the New Drug / Television / Tyler Chapman

Truth Anti-Vaping / Out-Of-Home / Spencer Hogan, Bella Mac, Allie Weinstein

JUDGE’S CHOICE

Alzheimer’s Association / Television / Maddie Otero

QuietOn / Television / Ethan Jones & Atenas Vijil

BEST OF SHOW

Truth Anti-Vaping / Art Direction / Spencer Hogan, Bella Mac, Allie Weinstein

Written By: Amber Bormann (Graduate Student)

In the ever-evolving world of advertising, staying up-to-date with the latest research and insights is crucial for professionals seeking to create impactful campaigns.

Recently, two esteemed professors, Dr. Carrie La Ferle and Dr. Sid Muralidharan, from the Temerlin Advertising Institute (TAI), alongside Dr. Roth-Cohen, presented their groundbreaking research at the American Academy of Advertising’s annual National Conference in Clearwater, Florida.

Collaborating with Israeli Professor Dr. Roth-Cohen from Ariel University, their study explored the impact of religiosity and spirituality on subjective well-being (SWB) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the distance and time differences they produced a successful study titled, “Exploring the Differential Effects of Religious and Spiritual Advertising Cues on Religious Jews and the Non-Religious: A Replication Study in Israel.”

Research Importance: Exploring Religiosity, Spirituality, and SWB

The study conducted by Drs. La Ferle, Muralidharan, and Roth-Cohen aimed to understand the role of religiosity and spirituality in enhancing SWB during the challenging times of the pandemic. While previous studies have emphasized the significance of religiosity in promoting well-being, the impact of spirituality remains underexplored. The researchers sought to fill this gap by examining the mediating role of spirituality in the relationship between religiosity and SWB.

By focusing on Israel, a country where Jewish spirituality is on the rise, the study explored the unique dynamics within this specific context. The findings not only shed light on the importance of religiosity in enhancing SWB but also highlighted the critical role of spirituality, particularly among low religious Jews.

There were challenges however. Dr. La Ferle noted that, “working with religious and spiritual ideas can be difficult due to the sensitive nature of these constructs, so you need to be extra careful in your writing. This is even more true when bringing religion and spirituality together with advertising.” There were also difficulties in translating the English survey to Hebrew and gathering funding. They are grateful to Ariel University, Meadows School of the Arts, TAI, and the Marriott Family Endowment for there generosity towards this project.

Key Findings and Implications for Health Messaging

The results of the study demonstrated that religiosity played a significant role in enhancing SWB, providing individuals with a sense of certainty and happiness, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, spirituality was found to mediate the effect of religiosity on SWB, suggesting that it holds particular importance for low religious Jews.

These findings have crucial implications for health messaging in advertising, especially during global crises like the pandemic. Advertisers can leverage religious goals in their campaigns to effectively communicate with highly religious Jews, acknowledging the role of faith in providing comfort and coping mechanisms. Conversely, for individuals with low religious affiliations, focusing on spiritual goals in advertising can facilitate more effective health messaging.

Value for TAI Students and the Advertising Industry

The published research by Drs. La Ferle, Muralidharan, and Roth-Cohen holds significant value for students studying advertising at TAI. It demonstrates how theoretical knowledge is put into ‘academic’ practice and how advertising research can inform both academia and the industry while benefiting society and the marketplace. By understanding the practical applications of research findings, students can enhance their understanding of consumer behavior and develop more effective advertising strategies.

Moreover, this research keeps professors at the cutting edge of the advertising field, allowing them to bring fresh insights and excitement to their courses and students.

Additional Studies

In addition to this study, Drs. La Ferle, Muralidharan, and Roth-Cohen collaborated on a research paper on green advertising in the International Journal of Advertising that can be found here: “Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who is the greenest of them all?” the impact of green advertising cues on generational cohorts

Written By: Amber Bormann

 

 

 

 

 

 

On March 1st, SMU students took home 26 awards: 9 Gold, 16 Silver, and the Student Best of Show.

This is the fourth year in a row that SMU has won Best of Show at the American Advertising Federation Dallas ADDY awards (and the fifth out of the last six years). Pictured here are this year’s Best of Show Winners Roshan Gupta & Kayla Hanrahan accepting their award at the show.

“We’ve had an incredible run over the past few years. In 2021 and 2022 we broke records (that we set) for the overall number of ADDY wins in this competition (30). But this year we took home more Gold ADDYs than ever (9),” advertising professor, Mark Allen, noted. “And I think this is telling because, not only are we producing a lot of great work from year to year, but the amount of truly exceptional work coming out of our program seems to be increasing.”

The work presented ranged from designs of students’ personal business cards to ad campaign projects for existing companies with creative projects across different forms of media.

Since all of the awards received were Silver and above, every entry will move forward to compete in the District 10 competition, which is one of the most competitive districts in the country. There they will compete against Gold and Silver winners from other schools in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

The Dallas Addys is a highly competitive competition, which means that a lot of other impressive work from students didn’t get in. Allen noted that “several campaigns that didn’t get into the ADDYs won in other prominent competitions like the Graphis International New Talent Annual and the DSVC National Student Show.” Keep an eye on our social media pages to see more of the winning work. The Temerlin School is very proud of the work of all their students and congratulations to all the ADDY winners listed below:

WINNING WORK

BEST OF SHOW / Smart Sweets / Roshan Gupta & Kayla Hanrahan

GOLD / Light Phone / Television / Tessa Conti & Natalie Castillo

GOLD / Band-Aid / Social Media / Tessa Conti & Avery LeVoyer

GOLD / Letterboxd / Magazine / Alexa May & Anika Crouser

GOLD / Grammarly / Cross-Platform / Hernandez & Meriel Upton

GOLD / Smart Sweets / Cross-Platform / Roshan Gupta & Kayla Hanrahan

GOLD / Pretty Litter / Out Of Home Poster / Brooke Betik & Megan Ferm

GOLD / Smart Sweets / Copywriting / Roshan Gupta & Kayla Hanrahan

GOLD / Future of Sex Ed / Out-Of-Home / Natalie Castillo & Olivia Porsch

GOLD / Heidenreich Business Card / Stationery / Sophie Heidenreich

SILVER / Marek Business Card / Stationery / Siena Marek

SILVER / Neuro / Social Media / Avery LeVoyer & Olivia Porsch

SILVER / Neuro / Online/Interactive / Avery LeVoyer & Olivia Porsch

SILVER / Sriracha / Cross-Platform / Daniela Villegas & Timmy Chae

SILVER / Uptown Cheapskate / Cross-Platform / Juan Silva & Blake Lyster

SILVER / IcyHot PRO / Cross-Platform / Tessa Conti & Anika Crouser

SILVER / Light Phone / Cinematography / Tessa Conti & Natalie Castillo

SILVER / Tile / Magazine / Sophie Heidenreich & Natalie Castillo

SILVER / Tile / Art Direction / Sophie Heidenreich & Natalie Castillo

SILVER / Tile / Cross-Platform / Sophie Heidenreich & Natalie Castillo

SILVER / Peko / Integrated Brand Identity Campaign / Siena Marek

SILVER / Hawkers / Logo Design / Delaney Gendron

SILVER / Miralax / Cross-Platform / Sophie Heidenreich & Emily Elhilow

SILVER / Lumē / Cross-Platform / Alexa May & Megan Ferm

SILVER / Dramamine / Outdoor & Transit / Olivia Hernandez & Meriel Upton

SILVER / Miralax / Outdoor & Transit / Sophie Heidenreich & Emily Elhilow

SMU Advertising Seniors: Hallie Noland and Bella Pinera

Event marketing is valuable for creating buzz, gaining brand awareness, and building relationships between brands and consumers. This past weekend, various brands took the initiative to capitalize on this at SXSW by hosting brand activations. At many of these activations, brands gave away merchandise, provided photo opportunities, drinks, food, samples and more. These events are uniquely valuable as consumers get to see the brand come to life by experiencing all their interactive offerings, fostering a true connection with the brand. Because attendees can easily connect with the brand on a personal level, they find it easy and almost organic to post their experiences on social media promoting the brand maximizing their reach to not just SXSW but to all attendees’ followers as well.

Throughout the weekend, we attended events hosted by Lush, Paramount +, Dolby, Roku, UT Austin, and more. The most exciting event that we attended was Roku. The purple logo up and coming TV brand rented a multi-story building and turned the space into “Roku City.” Each room had a different theme, making us feel like we were experiencing Roku City in a modern, magical version of real time. The actors in each room were highly animated and unbelievably engaging, never breaking character. Overall, the event was incredibly captivating and has even remained a topic of conversation throughout the weekend because of how unexpected and whimsical the experience was.

Although the Roku event was exciting and unique, the user experience before the event could have been better. The bouncers outside the venue were aggressive, creating negative energy while waiting to attend the event. Additionally, the event only allowed four people in at once to make the experience feel personal. While the intimate numbered group received lots of one one attention inside, it created a long waiting time for people outside in the middle of the street causing traffic, ultimately taking away from the user experience.

This weekend we saw first-hand that in advertising sometimes wait times are unavoidable due to the personable connection we are trying to build with the consumer, however failing to provide an enjoyable captivating experience from start to finish is avoidable. The sound software system Dolby also struggled with this issue of extreme wait times however by the second day the brand had developed a quicker line system showing the importance of editing and being flexible with events in order to satisfy the consumer. Apart from making real time event changes, the Dolby event allowed attendees to sit inside a luxury car inviting them to sit back, relax, and imagine themselves driving with the surreal surround sound. Representatives from the Dolby team were in the vehicle to explain the engineering and technology behind the system to groups of threes. This was a very unique, personal, and exciting experience for both the brand and the consumer. Despite the wait times, Dolby welcomed consumers into various other rooms and even had a chicken and waffle car while consumers were waiting. Dolby provided a seamless, engaging experience start to finish as they interacted with the consumer before, during, and even after the event completing the entire consumer journey positively. The way to truly captivate the consumer is to establish a level of connection from the very first minute you reach them to the very end.

Finally, Paramount + hosted a fantastic event throughout the weekend. Paramount + rented a large venue with multiple floors and various activities. This event was the best because there were many options of things to do, thus creating a more manageable flow throughout the experience. Each section of the event promoted a different show or movie on Paramount +. There were many photo opportunities, and fabulous specialty cocktails that matched the themes of the promoted films. Also, the Paramount experience was outstanding as they had fun activities that were not strictly related to any movie or show in specific as well. These activities included basketball, painting vinyl records, henna tattoos, and more. This created a fun and uplifting atmosphere and encouraged attendees to stay at the Paramount event for a long time.

Overall, this weekend was filled with fun and exciting brand activations. It was great to participate in these activations and see how event marketing can be utilized. We thoroughly enjoyed learning about these brands, bonding with one another, and learning more about the world of advertising and brand activations.

The week of October 24, 2022, over 150 CMOs and business leaders joined together in Orlando, Florida, as a force for growth and good. This is the first time the entire council has met in person in three years.

Dr. Carrie La Ferle of the Temerlin Advertising Institute (sitting first row 2nd from right) and an expert in Culture & Ethics was in attendance helping to shape initiatives for the year ahead.

Below are the actions agreed to be taken in 2023 by the ANA’s Global CMO Growth Council.

SUSTAINABILITY: When we focus on driving growth in ways that are good for the environment, consumers will reward us, which will drive the economy.

TALENT: Our goal is to affect 50,000 marketers and 50,000 students in 2023.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB): Multicultural market growth represents the single most significant opportunity for business growth today.

Humanized Brand Growth: A shift from referencing B2C or B2B with a preference for B4H (Brands for Humans). Growth comes from brands acting in a human-centric way – creating real value to address human needs in innovative ways for the people they serve.

These initiatives will help the industry work together to change habits and systems that limit market growth, including those damaging our planet. As many on the council believe, advertisers and marketers have the power to reach a lot of people, but with power comes responsibility. As La Ferle sums it up “we have a responsibility to use our tools over the people we serve and the environment we live in for growth and good, resulting in a win for all.”

By: Sarah Jane Eckelkamp

Professor Dr. Joe Phua appointed as Endowed Distinguished Chair and Director of the nationally ranked Temerlin Advertising Institute at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Please join the Temerlin Advertising Institute in welcoming Dr. Joe Phua to the Meadows School of the Arts leadership team. 

Dr. Joe Phua’s past experiences include work in the advertising industry and academia. Before earning his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California (2011), where years earlier he earned his undergraduate degree in Cinema-Television, he worked for several major media companies, including MTV Networks, Viacom, IPG, and Paramount Pictures. He said this experience in Hollywood and Los Angeles gave him a “strong understanding of the international media industries and the role of marketing communications within the global economy and in major multinational corporations.”

After earning his Ph.D., Dr. Phua entered the world of academia. He spent over a decade at the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, where he taught classes in digital advertising, strategic planning, social media branding, and others. He simultaneously conducted research focused on using digital media technologies for effective persuasive interventions in health contexts, such as obesity, healthy eating, vaccines, and e-cigarettes, with major externally-funded grants in these areas.

Dr. Phua said he plans to use his past experiences to “help TAI continue to build its stellar reputation as a major center in the United States and internationally for advertising education and research.” As well as to “give SMU advertising students a strong and well-rounded education, so they have the necessary tools and knowledge to become future leaders in advertising.”

He believes that “in order to create great advertising, we need to first experience and know the world around us.” One of the tools the new Director plans to utilize for TAI is Dallas’ status as a major media and arts hub. The strong and emerging tech and innovation scenes increase the attractiveness of the metroplex in which SMU is located, and Dr. Phua “sees many opportunities for TAI moving forward in terms of jobs and internships for advertising students, corporate partnerships for undergrad and graduate programs, and harnessing the location to play a leadership role in nurturing and educating the next generation of advertising and marketing professionals, leaders and innovators.”

His ultimate goals include “making the Temerlin Advertising Institute an International hub for world-class advertising education and research” and he desires to “shape the next generation of leaders in the field” through “training and educating the best students who will go on to change the world through their work.” All while “nurturing research that can exert a positive impact in the world,” as Dr. Phua’s priorities for research include “more varied research opportunities for students and faculty, such as in the areas of data science and artificial intelligence.”

Temerlin’s motto “Better Advertising. Better World” embodies, for Dr. Phua, how “advertisements tell stories and reflect the world around us.” He believes “ads are pieces of art that educate and inform us, while also serving as “mirrors” reflecting who we are as a culture, a country, a world. Advertisements have the ability to persuade and change how people perceive brands, products, and companies. Additionally, advertisements can shape how people think about important social, political, and environmental issues.” Dr. Phua believes “that we can create a better world with better advertising. We can use advertising to create awareness for, advocate, shape ideas, tell stories, and seed conversations around issues of concern in our world, thereby helping to change the world, a little at a time.” SMU’s motto “World changers shaped here” is also meaningful to TAI’s new Chair as he believes “that is exactly what we do at Temerlin. We educate advertising students who will go on to create better advertising and thus change the world. Our responsibility as educators at Temerlin is, therefore, to shape future leaders in advertising who are creative, curious, tenacious, and passionate about the world around them, and who will go on to become world changers.” says Dr. Phua.

We are thrilled to have Dr. Joe Phua joining the Meadows leadership team as Professor and Endowed Distinguished Director and Chair. Please give him a warm Mustang welcome!

A Word From the Director and Chair…

“I would like to tell current, future, and past students to always remember to think big and dream big. Believe in yourself. You have the power and ability to change the world.” -Dr. Joe Phua

Another record-breaking year for SMU Advertising!

Written By: Sarah Jane Eckelkamp

We are only halfway through 2022, and TAI students have already doubled the accomplishments of the previous year. Throughout the semester, Temerlin Advertising Institute students enter their campaigns into various local and national competitions. TAI is celebrating several students who have been recognized by prestigious advertising competitions like Graphis, the American Advertising Federation Student Competition, the National Student Advertising Competition, Young Ones, and more. Even though the past two years were characterized by irregularity due to COVID, this awards season was inspiring and unprecedented. Creative Program Director and Senior Lecturer Mark Allen believes that this year’s success was “built on a long tradition of artistic and strategic excellence within Temerlin’s creative program, resulting in the most successful year we’ve ever had when it comes to student competitions.”

The Student One Show:

Young Ones, aka the Student One Show, is organized by The One Club for Creativity and is the world’s premier creative competition for advertising students. 

Last month, our Young Ones winners took home 24 Shortlists, 3 Merit Awards, and 4 ADC Cubes (2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze), earning SMU Temerlin Advertising Institute a Top 5 ranking in the United States and Top 10 in the world.

TAI students represented and were recognized across over a dozen categories, including art direction, copywriting, integrated campaigns, animation, sound design, narrative, film craft, and advertising/design for good. Our creatives cleaned up! Despite only competing in the ADC category, which recognizes campaigns created as coursework during the school year, SMU still obtained extraordinary rankings—which speaks highly of the level and quality of work produced by students through their mentorship from professors in the classroom. Because this category does not assign a particular client or brief, students are able to showcase the exemplary work they produce in the ordinary course of each semester within the Temerlin Advertising Institute. Professor Allen noted that “while it’s fun to win trophies as a reward for all our hard work, awards are really more about verifying (externally) what we already know about our program (internally) through an independent, internationally-renowned group of creative professionals—namely, that TAI  is one of the best advertising programs in the country.” The Student One Show truly recognizes the dedication of our students and faculty to positively shaping the future of the advertising industry. 

Congratulations to those identified below and all who mentored them along the way! And thank you to The One Club for Creativity for supporting students worldwide. 

2022 YOUNG ONES // WINNERS + SHORTLIST

See the winning work here. 

CUBE / LEGO: When did you stop building? > Film Craft: Animation / Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios

CUBE / LEGO: When did you stop building? > Film Craft: Narrative / Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios 

CUBE / LEGO: When did you stop building? > Television / Film / Online Video / Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios 

CUBE / LEGO: When did you stop building? > Advertising: Craft in Video – Visual / Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios 

MERIT / Half Price Books > Integrated Campaign / Sarah Scambray, Palmer Beldy and Sam Zimmerman 

MERIT / Band-Aid > Advertising: Television / Film / Online Video / Tessa Conti and Avery Levoyer 

MERIT / Band-Aid > Advertising: Direct / Tessa Conti and Avery Levoyer

SHORTLIST / Inkbox Temporary Tattoos > Magazine Advertising / Anika Crouser and Sophie Heidenreich

SHORTLIST / Rent the Runway: In Every Season > Out of Home / Sophie Heidenreich

SHORTLIST / The One Club: Pay Your Interns >Design for Good: Advertising / Grace Peek and Palmer Beldy

SHORTLIST / The One Club: Pay Your Interns > TV / Film / Online Video / Grace Peek and Palmer Beldy

SHORTLIST / Ring Video Doorbell > Integrated Campaign / Ra Kazadi

SHORTLIST / Temerlin Advertising Institute > Out-Of-Home / Posters / Tessa Conti

SHORTLIST / Lodge Cast-Iron Skillets > Integrated Campaign / Caroline Soja and Ceci Luther

SHORTLIST / Gabb Wireless Phones for Kids > Copywriting / Helen Cheever

SHORTLIST / Dad Grass: Low Dose Hemp Joints > Integrated Campaign / Sarah Scambray and Sam Zimmerman

SHORTLIST / Waffle House > Out-of-Home Poster / Megan Ferm and Brooke Betik

SHORTLIST / Story Corps / NPR Podcast > Out-Of-Home / Brittany Cooksey and Grace Peek 

SHORTLIST / Band-Aid > Motion / Film Craft: Short Video / Tessa Conti and Avery Levoyer

SHORTLIST / Band-Aid > Advertising: Craft in Video / Audio: Sound / Tessa Conti and Avery Levoyer 

SHORTLIST / Dungeons & Dragons > Out of Home Poster / Siena Marek and Olivia Porsch

SHORTLIST / US Postal Service > Out of Home Print / Ethan Rios and Palmer Beldy

SHORTLIST / US Postal Service > Copywriting / Ethan Rios and Palmer Beldy

SHORTLIST / Netflix > Design for Good: Advertising / Mariana Midolo

Graphis New Talent Annual: 

It doesn’t stop there…The Graphis New Talent Annual is a competition that showcases some of the most talented industry newcomers. Since 1944, Graphis has awarded some of the most influential work in the communication arts and, through the New Talent Annual, recognizes “rising stars.” The recognized students come from around the world, and the awarded work is published in a printed hardback volume each spring. 

One of TAI’s rising stars was Sarah Scambray (’22), now Junior Art Director at Slingshot agency, who had five campaigns recognized in the Graphis competition. Scambray said, “It was a huge honor to have work selected from such a wide pool of talented people – especially considering the fact that the judging for these competitions can feel so subjective, and each project is so unique.” Students Ethan Rios, Grace Peek, Palmer Beldy, Sam Zimmerman, Meriel Upton, Helen Cheever, and Elizabeth Skrmetta also placed in several divisions or with more than one campaign. They were alongside Scambray, who said, “Sometimes pieces that win gold in one competition won’t even place in another, so it was encouraging to see work do well across the board.”

SMU Advertising won in multiple categories across both Advertising and Graphic Design this year, taking home 25 awards in the 2022 Graphis New Talent Annual: 7 Golds, 10 Silvers, and 8 Honorable Mentions — the awardees are listed below. Congratulations to all the rising stars! A title which, according to Scambray, “encourages students not to become complacent, but to keep pushing to create better and better work.” Thank you, Graphis!

2022 GRAPHIS NEW TALENT ANNUAL WINNERS

See the winning work here.

GOLD (7)

Sarah Scambray / Divorced Beheaded / Publication

Sharese Rivait / Milkbone Minty Brushing Chews / Integrated 

Sarah Scambray / Rod the Father / Poster

Ethan Rios and Elizabeth Skrmetta / LEGO / Commercial

Sarah Scambray / Huggies / Logo

Grace Peek and Palmer Beldy / Pay Your Interns / Social Video

Sarah Scambray and Sam Zimmerman / Dad Grass / Integrated

SILVER (10)

Emily Elhilow / Krylon High Heat / Integrated

Grace Peek / All Terrain Poison Ivy Cream / Out-of-Home    

Ra Kazadi / Ring Video Doorbell / Integrated   

Ethan Rios / Nair for Men / Out-of-Home

Palmer Beldy, Sarah Scambray & Sam Zimmerman / Half-Priced Books Integrated

Megan Ferm and Brooke Betik / Waffle House / Integrated

Natalie Castillo / Quadpay / Integrated 

Meriel Upton / Fight the New Drug/ Integrated 

Lodge Cast-Iron Skillets / Caroline Soda & Ceci Luther / Out-of-Home

Meriel Upton and Olivia Hernandez / Girl Scouts /  Print

HONORABLE MENTION (8)

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Charlotte Jernigan / Trust & Will / Integrated

Scarborough Renaissance Festival // Elizabeth Skrmetta / Out-of-Home

Wolffe Bonewell and Maggie Daly / Apartments.com / Out-of-Home

Helen Cheever and Palmer Beldy / Genesis Women’s Shelter / Poster

The Beard / Sarah Scambray / Publication

Gabb Wireless / Helen Cheever / Integrated

Meredith Welborn and Luke Lockwood / 23andMe / Commercial Campaign

Thida Sok / Purple Mattress / Logo

American Advertising Federation Student Competition (ADDYs):

The New Talent Annual wasn’t the final stage our students shined on. After winning 30 awards, more than any school in the history of the Dallas ADDY competition in February, dozens of our student campaigns moved onto the District and National levels. SMU competes in District 10, comprised of powerhouse schools from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana – including UT, Texas A&M, TCU, UNT, and LSU. 

Despite being significantly smaller than many competing schools, TAI brought home 21 awards from the District 10 competition: This includes the Overall Student Best of Show Award! The District level performance resulted in a dozen entries, Gold and Silver, qualifying to advance and represent SMU at the National level in Nashville.

At the beginning of June, several students journeyed to Nashville to accept 8National ADDYs – 3 Gold and 5 Silver! Setting a new Temerlin record and winning more than any other university in the country. Elizabeth Skrmetta was one of several students whose work made it to the final stage and said, “It has been beyond humbling to have had a campaign recognized by so many industry leaders across the competition circuit.” She and classmate Ethan Rios crafted a LEGO campaign that received a plethora of attention, ultimately receiving Gold at every level of the ADDYs and many other accolades. Skrmetta graduated in May and said she is “so grateful to the faculty and staff of Temerlin, and would not be the creative [she] is today without each and every one of them.” She feels the “When did you stop building?” campaign is a true culmination of all of the knowledge and skills learned from everyone in TAI, but especially Professor Mark Allen, who was a guiding light throughout the creation of this campaign.” 

Temerlin is grateful for the American Advertising Federation and its continued support for the next generation of advertising professionals. Listed below are the District and National ADDY Award Winners! Congratulations to all! 

National ADDY Winners List: 

GOLD / LEGO: Ethan Rios and Elizabeth Skrmetta

GOLD / Obsessed with the Beard Feature: Sarah Scambray

GOLD / Sooty Corps NPR Podcast: Grace Peek and Brittany Cooksey

SILVER / Lodge Cast-Iron Skillet: Caroline Soja and Ceci Luther 

SILVER / The One Club: Pay Your Interns PSA: Palmer Beldy and Grace Peek

SILVER / LEGO: When did you stop building?: Ethan Rios and Elizabeth Skrmetta 

SILVER / Angi’s List: Alexa May

AAF DISTRICT 10 WINNERS LIST: 

Watch the Best of Show Winner here.

Best of Show // LEGO: When did you stop building? / Ethan Rios & Elizabeth Skrmetta 

Student Special Judges Award // LEGO: When did you stop building? / Ethan Rios & Elizabeth Skrmetta

Gold / The One Club: Pay Your Interns PSA / Integrated Campaign / Palmer Beldy & Grace Peek

Gold / Temerlin Advertising Institute / Art Direction / Campaign Tessa Conti

Gold / LEGO: When did you stop building? / Animation or Special Effects / Ethan Rios & Elizabeth Skrmetta

Gold / Obsessed with the Beard / Publication Design / Sarah Scambray

Gold / LEGO: When did you stop building? / Art Direction / Ethan Rios & Elizabeth Skrmetta

Gold / Lodge Cast-Iron Skillets / Integrated Campaign / Caroline Soja & Ceci Luther

Silver / Your House Away From Home / Integrated Campaign / Megan Ferm & Brooke Betik

Silver / LEGO: When did you stop building? / Television Advertising / Ethan Rios & Elizabeth Skrmetta

Silver / Angi’s List / Magazine Campaign / Alexa May

Silver / Trust & Will Online Estate Planning / Copywriting / Elizabeth Skrmetta & Charlotte Jernigan

Silver / Gabb Wireless Phones for Kids / Copywriting / Helen Cheever

Silver / Story Corps / NPR Podcast / Out-of-Home Poster Campaign / Grace Peek & Brittany Cooksey

Bronze / Dad Grass: Low Dose Hemp Joints / Integrated Campaign / Sarah Scambray & Sam Zimmerman

Bronze / US Postal Service: Through it All / Magazine Campaign / Palmer Beldy & Ethan Rios

Bronze / Dallas Ballet Academy / Out-of-Home Campaign / Thida Sok & Ceci Luther

Bronze / Half Price Books / Integrated Campaign /Sarah Scambray, Sam Zimmerman, & Palmer Beldy

Bronze / QuadPay: Indulge Yourself / Art Direction / Natalie Castillo

Bronze / Apartments.com / Copywriting / Maggie Daly & Wolffe Bonewell

Bronze / Temerlin Advertising Institute / Out-of-Home Poster Campaign / Tessa Conti

National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC): 

The American Advertising Federation also supports the next generation of advertisers through the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC.) This year, Professor Nicole Haddad mentored a team of students from across all three advertising tracks – digital media strategy, strategic brand management, and creative – Cox School of Business, and Dedman College as they created a campaign for Meta Quest by Facebook. The 2022 SMU team members were Palmer Beldy, Amber Bormann, Rachael Briner, Helen Cheever, Grant De Paoli, Kalena Dorgan, Jackson Ferris, Emme Rothberg, Brendan Shelley, Bailey Sullivan, Meriel Upton, Brooke Weber, and Sophie Yuill.

For the first time since 2019, the competition occurred in person, and the team ventured to Houston, Texas, where they presented their semester of research, insights, and ideas to a panel of judges and the brand. Professor Haddad felt that “The team conducted powerful primary research to uncover unique insights while the creative team members brought it to life through digital advertising and media activations. The special sauce that made this team work so well together was the chemistry and bond that everyone had. So much fun was had together, and those bonds ultimately fueled incredible teamwork.”

This year, SMU won the District 10 Third Place prize and the Judge’s Special Award from Meta for the “Most Uncomfortable Truths.” The Judge’s Special Award was awarded for the boldest idea rooted in an insight that made the client the “most uncomfortable.” Professor Haddad claims the special award “illustrated how successful the team was in identifying and honing in on a key insight, and marrying that insight to create bold, truth-telling content.” 

A job well done…!

The success of Temerlin’s students this year was outstanding. Professor Mark Allen believes, “If we’re fortunate enough to keep this tradition going, it makes SMU a place that new students want to study and galvanizes our alumni base—and this keeps the whole cycle going.” 

Congratulations again to all, and thank you to all who made this year possible.Especially Mark Allen – Senior Lecturer and Creative Program Director, Willie Baronet – Stan Richards Professor in Creative Advertising, Cheryl Mendenhall – Senior Lecturer and Program Director for Graphic Design Minors, Tami Fowler – Senior Program Specialist, and Gordon Law – Executive in Residence and 2021-2022 Interim Chair. What a year!