Ferris State University’s Design Project Center students have learned that their work
on behalf of Ferris Outfitters won a Gold ADDY award from the American Advertising Federation-West Michigan.
Alison Popp, an associate professor of Design, said the four-person student team topped the field in the Student Integrated Identity Brand category.
“A full brand guide was produced for Ferris Outfitters, which is a university-run outlet replacing retail chain operations previously occupying that space in the David L. Eisler Center,” Popp said. “This is a facility that speaks to our students and alumni, and Design Project Center teams receive a great opportunity in experiential learning with each assignment.”
Rilee Greene, of Sault Ste. Marie, rose into a leadership role with her project team during the two semesters of Design Project Center involvement. Greene focused on setting a timeline for accomplishing the objectives in brand development.
“Starting from scratch on a retail brand is difficult. Adding the Bulldog Service Center operation to that effort was an interesting experience,” Greene said. “There were diverse elements to address, and each one needed to line up with our branding. But, at the end of our experience in the Design Project Center, we all felt we had done that work successfully.”
Greene is a graphic design coordinator with the Bissell Pet Foundation in Walker.
She noted that hearing about the entry’s Gold ADDY from AAF-West Michigan gave her
a great feeling.
“It is a real boost to my confidence since we had difficult decisions over two semesters,” Greene said. “Being able to create branding that professionals in the industry found to be excellent makes us so proud of the local award and gives us hope for more success in the AAF regional competition.”
Popp said Ferris has offered the Design Project Center course for nearly 30 years. She noted that while an award-winning entry is significant, the participation and collaboration benefits are a constant for this College of Business program.
“Time after time, I hear from industry professionals and our alumni that the Design Project Center experience allowed them to hit the ground running,” Popp said. “We are proud to offer learning that strives for excellence and significantly contributes to the industry.”
The local AAF, or AdFed West Michigan, held its ADDYS event on Thursday, March 2,
at the Goei Center in Grand Rapids. Several weeks later, a Gold ADDY was awarded to
this project by the AAF District 6 judges, as part of a virtual competition receiving
entries from Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. This qualifies the work for consideration
at the AAF National Awards Competition.