By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
LINCOLN – University of Nebraska at Kearney visual communication and design students earned eight awards, including best of show, at the annual Nebraska American Advertising Awards, also known as the ADDYs.
For the second consecutive year, UNK senior Jase Hueser claimed the top honor in the competition’s student division.
Hueser, of Papillion, won best of show for a brand identity campaign featuring the Salina Saints professional basketball team. That entry also received a gold award.
“It’s an honor to receive recognition at this event,” said Hueser, who earned a total of three gold awards in the brand identity and packaging design categories. “The competition is incredibly skilled, and we all put in a significant amount of work. To have that work validated is encouraging.”
Maggie Pierson, a senior from Omaha, claimed UNK’s other gold award with her packaging design for Embark, a fictional apparel company. Pierson also earned silver in the category with a second entry.
UNK seniors Lauren Reichardt of Aurora and Maekayla Ward of Nelson won silver awards for their brand identity campaigns.
“One of the strengths of UNK’s design program is you get to know your classmates so well,” Pierson said. “I don’t think any of us would be as strong of designers if we didn’t have amazing classmates to learn from and the opportunity to grow as a team.”
The Nebraska American Advertising Awards, sponsored by the American Advertising Federations of Lincoln and Omaha, are open to student designers from across the state, as well as professional designers and faculty competing in a separate division. Awards were presented Saturday during a ceremony at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln.
UNK’s gold and silver award winners advance to a district competition judged in St. Louis.
UNK winners from the Nebraska ADDY awards
Jase Hueser of Papillion
Best of show and gold – cross-platform brand identity campaign – Salina Saints basketball team
Gold – cross-platform brand identity campaign – Tammany Hall Brewing Co.
Gold – packaging design – Sourlocks board game
Maggie Pierson of Omaha
Gold – packaging design – Embark apparel company
Silver – packaging design – Divine Brewing Co.
Maekayla Ward of Nelson
Silver – cross-platform brand identity campaign – Chicago Wolves hockey team
Lauren Reichardt of Aurora
Silver – cross-platform brand identity campaign – Safehouse restaurant
