When it comes to creative work, Columbus College of Art & Design students, faculty, staff, and alumni are among the very best. The most recent evidence of that came at the Creative Best Awards Nov. 19, 2020. Hosted by the nonprofit Columbus Society of Communicating Arts, the annual fundraiser and awards ceremony celebrates outstanding student and professional creative works from around central Ohio.
This year’s Creative Best winners from CCAD included Sidney Gale (Animation, 2020), whose senior film Duo was picked as Judge’s Choice by Milan, Italy-based creative strategist Peter John Comber, one of this year’s judges. Comber wrote that Duo “succeeds through symbolism, minimalism, and warmth. … The absence of dialogue and the simple human truth at the heart of this video make Duo a piece that can communicate effectively all around the world.”
Gale also took home the Creative Best 2020 Student Video Award of Excellence for the work.
The 2020 CSCA honorees also included Advertising & Graphic Design Adjunct Faculty Oscar Fernández, who was recognized with the Ed Grauer Award, named for one of CSCA’s founders and the organization’s highest recognition for someone who has demonstrated an ongoing commitment of service and support to CSCA’s mission and members.
Fernández also won an Award of Merit in the category of Greater Good for his campaign Last Words.
Professional category award-winners
The CCAD Student Agency picked up a Award of Excellence in the Copywriting category for its COVID-19 campus signage; those involved in the project included Lead Designer Katie Ooten (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2021); Designers Atlas Biro (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2021), Madi Moroi (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2021), Emma Stephens (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2021), and Jaye Willis (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2021). Full-time CCAD staff working on the project included Art Director Ryan Feeney (as art director), Vice President for Marketing & Communications Jill Moorhead (as creative director), and Editor Jennifer Wray (as co-writer, along with freelance writer Brad Keefe).
The CCAD Student Agency received another Award of Excellence, in the Interactive category, for its Chroma: The Best of CCAD microsite, created after the all-campus exhibition went online in spring 2020. Among those recognized for their work on the project were: Content Creator Taylor Preston (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2020); as well as the following full-time members of CCAD’s staff: Marketing Project Manager Andrea Jimenez and Marketing & Communications Assistant Jenna Lee (as project managers and content creators), Web Developers Perry Brown and Steve LeFevre (as web developers), Digital Analyst Lisa Steward (as content manager), and Feeney (as art director).
The Student Agency also was awarded an Award of Merit in the Interactive category for its CCAD Welcome Week Instagram Activation. Those recognized for their work on the project were Illustrator Emily Sirota (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2022) and CCAD staff Steward (concept author and content manager) and Feeney (art director).
Student category award-winners Gale’s winning animation was one of several awards CCAD took home in the Student section of the Creative Best Awards. Other Creative Best 2020 wins included:
- Student Digital Best of Category Award to a metric system website design by Arianna Ross (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2022).
- Student Photography Best of Category Award to Ethan Benavidez (Photography, 2020) for URGE.
- Student Print Award of Excellence to Taylor Scalzo (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2021) for a mock-up of a Nike materials guide. Scalzo also received a Student Campaign Award of Merit for a mock advertising campaign for KIND Snacks.
- Student Print Award of Excellence to Alan Alanis (Illustration, 2020) for printed work on behalf of Keep Ohio Beautiful.
- Student Print Award of Excellence to Alyssa Maul (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2022) for a Netherlands factbook.
- Student Identity Award of Merit to Designer Lili Aileen (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2021) for a mock campaign for Porter’s Coffee House & Bakery. Aileen also won a Award of Merit in the category of Student Photography for “Elly’s Missy Terrific.”
- Student Video Award of Merit to Pika, by Alayna Fogle (Animation, 2020).
CCAD alumni also brought home a number of awards for their creative works; in addition, Kendra Bosse (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2018) was one of the people recognized as a CSCA Volunteer of the Year. CSCA’s Co-President is Jeremy Rosario (Advertising & Graphic Design, 2000).
Check out a digital version of the awards book here. See video from the virtual ceremony here.
Learn more about the Advertising & Graphic Design, Animation, and Photography programs at CCAD or apply here.
