seanalan

Last Saturday the Tucson Ad Fed held their annual ADDY award ceremony at Loews Ventana Resort. The only piece I submitted this year was the Tucson Survivors web site and DVD packaging graphics. It’s kind of expensive for non-members at $100 per entry but I felt it had a pretty good shot at winning something.

The Ad Fed informed entrants by email if they received an award —minus the specifics— to encourage people to attend the ceremony. It was such an exciting night to begin with although I would never have predicted the course of the evening’s events!

As they rolled through the awards, the category I was waiting for came up. I must have been chatting with someone and it was going so quickly I missed exactly what was said. One of the women at our table exclaimed they had announced the site in the gold category! At first I felt surprised, followed by a sense of accomplishment and finally… grateful. In some ways you hope to get the top award for the category but it’s even better to know your work has stood on its own merit and earned it.

From the first I heard about this project I felt like I had to be a part of it. Not only for the opportunity to do another in-depth Flash application but because I felt like people might take something away from it. As designers, producers and advertisers our efforts are typically spent on commercial ventures. At its core, Design is a problem solving medium —something we do every day regardless of content. I also greatly enjoy using technology to at the very least facilitate task completion, if not ease and improve people’s lives. Award or no award, it is especially satisfying when you get a project that is socially relevant as well. The survivor’s stories are truly profound, heart-wrenching and hopeful. There were times I found myself starting a debugging session and becoming completely immersed in the videos!

Now back to the Addys…

The final category was for all the “Best in Show” honorees. When they named the site again as the recipient of a Mosaic Award, I was totally stunned… completely floored. My face was getting flush. It was one of those moments where you seem to be gliding across the floor. Not really being all that familiar with the Ad Fed, I had to find what exactly the award was for: “The Mosaic ADDY recognizes advertising which promotes diversity and issues related to multiculturalism.”

Many people contributed to the site and the quality of the site wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s excellence and hard work. Thank yous and kudos go to: Josh Protas and Bryan Davis at the Jewish Federation, Gene Einfrank and Mitch Riley at Tucson Channel 12 for the documentary film that accompanies the interactive. Also nominated for a 2007 Rocky Mountain Emmy! Bob Nichols and Bob Polinsky at Ping Pong Media for their fantastic and expeditious editing. Neil Markowitz at the Environmental Education Exchange, Andy Cole and Matt George at Commotion Studios where the project began over two years ago, and Jan Ruth-Mills who did an incredible job researching and writing the curriculum in the Teacher Center.

Sorry, I’ll link you guys up. It’s late and I’m sleeeeepy!