Four students in Michigan State University’s Graphic Design program received American Advertising (ADDY) Awards at this year’s American Advertising Federation (AAF) Lansing Chapter ceremony, with two of those students earning a Gold ADDY, the highest award an entry can receive within a category, and one taking home the prestigious Judge’s Choice Award.
MSU’s College of Arts & Letters Marketing Team also received three ADDY Awards as well as the Mosaic Award, which honors a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through creative work that distinguishes itself by amplifying underrepresented communities with depth and authenticity.
In the student competition, Harlee Pohl, senior Graphic Deign major, received a Gold ADDY as well as a Judge’s Choice Award for her “Our Plastic. Their Predator.” poster. A Judge’s Choice Award is one of the highest awards an entry can receive all around with only three being awarded, one from each judge.
Tasked with creating a metaphorical poster using imagery to convey a message, Pohl focused on climate sustainability, centering her design on sea turtles and ocean pollution. For the background, she used recolored plastic to resemble the ocean and to reinforce the poster’s message.
“Seeing one of my designs reach this level of recognition is so humbling and so rewarding in all the best ways.”
Harlee Pohl
“I am most proud of the simplicity that the poster conveys,” she said. “To me, it looks so simple but it’s extremely effective. Seeing one of my designs reach this level of recognition is so humbling and so rewarding in all the best ways.”
McKenna Long, senior Graphic Deign major, also received a Gold ADDY in the Brand Identity Campaign category for her “Maison” entry. The project originated during a semester abroad at Paris College of Art, where Long developed a comprehensive visual identity for a bistro café. Drawing from her personal analog photography archive and collaborating closely with an interior designer, Long built a brand rooted in the intersection of seasonality, craft, and community.
“This recognition celebrates the space design holds when it’s deeply human and rooted in intention,” Long said. “I’m honored to be a catalyst between idea and image, between maker and audience, between what exists and what could — shaping direction that can’t be reproduced or replicated.”
Earning Bronze ADDY Awards were Jade Alexander, senior Graphic Deign major, for “Forever Essence” in the Brand Identity Campaign category and Ashton Moore, junior Graphic Design major, for the “Hamlet” poster.
“This recognition celebrates the space design holds when it’s deeply human and rooted in intention.”
McKenna Long
In the professional competition, MSU’s College of Arts & Letters Marketing Team took home the Mosaic Award for its Techno: Made in Detroit Ask the Expert video, which also earned a Silver ADDY Award. This is the third time the College of Arts & Letters Marketing Team has earned the Mosaic Award. The team also earned a Silver ADDY Award for its Ask the Expert: Pride and Representation video and a Bronze ADDY Award for The Earthseed Project: Spartans Bring Humanities and Horticulture Together video.
Honoring Creative Excellence
The American Advertising Awards allow students and professionals to showcase their advertising work and compete in different categories. The awards represent the true spirit of creative excellence by recognizing all forms of advertising from media of all types.
Gold ADDY winners are automatically entered into the District 6 competition, which represents AAF clubs in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. Entries that receive Gold ADDYs at the district competition then move on to the National ADDY contest.
The 2026 AAF Lansing Chapter ceremony took place on Feb. 26 at the MSU Federal Credit Union Headquarters Building 2 in East Lansing.
By Kim Popiolek and Austin Curtis
