Review of year 2008/09

As the start of the new 2009/10 academic year begins, I thought it would be useful to have a quick review of last year. It'll also provide me with closure and allow me to get on with this year!

Last year was a great one for the course. The presentation of the third year degree show was, by far, the best ever. The theme, photos, poster, invite, music, film, Private View - all fantastic and the course team were VERY proud to be associated with it. Not only was it a nice, simple (and dark!) theme, but it was implemented so well across different media.

As you can see here, great costumes, great art direction and great copywriting. Well done all of you who created such a high quality event (click on images to see larger version):

This academic year was also the MOST SUCCESSFUL EVER for results in national/international student competitions. Here is the full list of honours:-

D&AD Student Awards 2009
Johnny Frayne (Level 3) & Michelle Little (CLM level 2)


Commendation / client: Grazia magazine

Catherine Shippey & Susannah Sullivan Level 3

In Book / client: PJ's Smoothies



Anys Brown & Luke Buxton Level 3
In Book / client: Grazia magazine



D&AD New Blood 2009, Olympia, London

Best in Show: Anys Brown & Luke Buxton



YCN Awards 2009 (Commendations)

Terri Coates & Lucy Kenyon / Level 3 / client: asos.com


Selina Kaur / Level 3 / client: O2

Anys Brown & Luke Buxton / Level 3 / client: Visit Wales


Selina Kaur & Nicole Marshall / Level 3 / client: Visit Wales


Steven Dodd & Joshua Dando / Level 2 / client: O2


Peter Ioulianou & Ollie Agius / Level 2 / client: Prudential



MPA Roses Student Creativity Awards 2009
Category winners: Joshua Dando & Steven Dodd / Level 2 / client: Rosetta Stone



Brahm Sh! Awards 2009
 - Advertising category
First place: Joshua Dando & Steven Dodd / Level 2


Second place: Terri Coates & Lucy Kenyon / Level 3

Shortlisted:

Terri Coates & Lucy Kenyon / Level 3
Catherine Shippey / Level 3

Johny Frayne / Level 3
Neil Ritson & Stefan Van Zoggel / Level 2


Josh Dando & Steven Dodd / Level 2

Ruby Rosamund / Level 2


Brooke Cutmore & Ruud Kool / Level 2

The Shelf Awards 2009

Shortlisted: Joe Knight / Level 3

I'm sure you'll agree, this is very impressive indeed. Well done to all of you listed above. You've done us all proud and the reputation of the course continues to grow thanks to you. Bravo!

Other highlights include:

- being the highest ranked course in the University in the National Student Survey 2008

- the trip to New York with Gyles, Mike B, Mike M and Philippa from Graphics – geeze, that was cold!

- level 2 London agency visits to Saatchi & Saatchi X; BBH; Karmarama; CDP; Ogilvy; Agency.com

- level 3 London agency visit to Saatchi & Saatchi X and brief/crit at Wieden+Kennedy

- the innovative parties (with brilliant posters) organised by the second year Dutch students

- the major Hoover project for the second years resulting in stress, very late nights, more stress and presentations of a very high standard

- guest lecture from Justine at The Advertising Standards Authority
- guest lecture on colour management from Terry at Iridius

- guest lecture from Alastair at NABS

- guest lecture from Dan at MajorPlayers

- 2 guest lectures from Dave Morris
- guest lecture from Tom & Darren (previous year's graduates now employed at Ogilvy)

Phew! Done it. What a great year. Now let's concentrate on this one...

Level One fashion show

Today saw the much anticipated annual level one fashion show. The new Creative Advertising first years were set a project over the summer to create a t-shirt that had their name on and that communicated something about them to their new student colleagues and tutors.

We now go over to our on-the-runway reporter....

Alice, Charley and James as judges (level 3)
The catwalk between the sofas
The judges showed level one how to strut their stuff
James on clipboard taking notes
DJ Alice
Charley as lead judge
Students in pairs cruising the catwalk > up to the judges and back again
Some rather excellent tees
Everyone got into the spirit - some serious showmen/women
Music pumping (kind of)
MC Belton timing and sending students through
Judges narrowed down to the top six
In a huddle - nervous tension
And the winners are...

Sorry we seem to have lost our reporter amidst all the excitement. Big round of applause for judges, participants and a big cheer for MC Belton (God knows why).

Awesome.

Get better at words - FreeRice

Check out the website FreeRice.
"Learning new vocabulary has tremendous benefits. It can help you:

• Formulate your ideas better
• Write better papers, emails and business letters
• Speak more precisely and persuasively
• Comprehend more of what you read
• Read faster because you comprehend better
• Get better grades in high school, college and graduate school
• Score higher on tests like the SAT, GRE, LSAT and GMAT
• Perform better at job interviews and conferences
• Sell yourself, your services, and your products better
• Be more effective and successful at your job

After you have done FreeRice for a while, you may notice an odd phenomenon. Words that you have never consciously used before will begin to pop into your head while you are speaking or writing. You will feel yourself using and knowing more words."

Oh, and it's all for a good cause too. You can have your cake AND eat it!!

Any colour as long as it's red.

Over the past month some very helpful Level 3 students have worked tirelessly to make the Creative Advertising Studio a better environment to work in. Despite a few hurdles along the way and with a little creative problem solving applied we've managed to make the place quite groovy, with this seasons colour being red.

You'll find comfy seating and a new desk arrangement for your delectation as well as a few other surprises, so enjoy.

Worthy of an honourable mention for their hard work are: Pieter Konickx, Bart Niel, Stevie Zoggel (ex Liverpool FC), Ruud Kool, Brittony Collins and James Hobbsy Wobbsy, apologies if I have missed anyone out.

We will be inviting Princess Anne to formally open the studio on Monday the 28th of September but should she be unavailable for any reason then we'll get Gyles to do it instead.

Hello there!

A new academic year starts today on the University of Lincoln's BA (Hons) Creative Advertising course and so we have a new course blog. So welcome to the new digital era (it'll never catch on!).

The blog is designed to keep current, prospective and past UL CA students up to date with the news and views of the course. It might be serious, fun, flippant or provocative. But, hopefully, always worth a read.

Today, we meet the new first years. About 40 of them. We hope you guys are getting to know Lincoln and will settle into University life quickly. The staff team have got a great year planned and we hope you produce some great work and enjoy doing so! Again, welcome!