End of an era for the Newspaper Ad of the Year; MDS takes out 2016 Student News Media comp

After a ten-year reign News Works has announced the end of the Newspaper Ad of the Year along with the Newspaper Ad of the Month competition.

The creative emphasis for the future will be focused on the Student News Media competition where we recognise the emerging creative talent that’s coming through New Zealand’s universities and design schools.

With the Student News Media competition attracting over 90 entries across two categories, Diane Hannay, head of marketing for News Works, says it’s encouraging to see so many youth engaging with news media.

Says Hannay: “We have an important role to play in educating the next wave of creative and media talent about the role and value of news media. With digital and social grabbing so much of this generation’s attention, it’s important for them to release that not everybody has the same media consumption habits as they do.”

This year’s competition bought a new challenge for the students, with a real-life brief from JUCY. The campaign, targeting the over 45s, called for innovation and integration across both print and digital news media platforms and attracted entries from AUT, Media Design School and the University of Otago’s Brandbach.

A cheeky and risqué JUCY campaign ‘live like a person, not a parent’ by Stan Lee and Aiken Hutcheson from MDS, won the main brief category, taking home the cash prize and the kudos of being this year’s student winner.

The campaign was highly praised by the creative judging panel noting, “the over 45s will relate well to this campaign, it sells the emotion of the freedom. The ads were visually arresting, gave a smile and ticks all the boxes. Well done.”

‘Anywhere can be home’ by Peter Vulinovich and Jinah Song also from Media Design School was runner up. Judges said “nice use of newspaper medium, highlights the benefit in a way that still says luxury.”

The student competition also awards a winner in the 48-hour topical category, taken out this year by Josh Foley and Brooke Wiley from Media Design School for their Happy Socks execution. The judges said “this ad was cheeky, had great art direction and was super simple. Highly topical.” Special mention was also given to Stan Lee and Aiken Hutcheson for their ‘Happy 80th, Pine Tree’ topical ad.

2016 Student Newspaper Competition Winners

Client: JUCY – Live like a person, not a parent

Students: Stan Lee and Aiken Hutcheson School: Media Design School

Runners up

Client: JUCY – Anywhere can be home

Students: Peter Vulinovich and Jinah Song School: Media Design School

2016 Student Topical Award Winners

Client: Happy Socks

Students: Josh Foley and Brooke Wiley School: Media Design School

A collection of the work by the 2016 students is available to view at newsworksnz.co.nz/inspiration/student-awards.

The 2016 Student Awards judging panel

Bronwyn Retief – Chemistry Interaction

Kishan Chopra – Chemistry Interaction

Graeme Clarke – DDB

Ben Pegler – DDB

Danny Brown – Federation

Charles Godinet – Colenso

Scott Moyes – TRUE

Diane Hannay – News works NZ