West Michigan college students face off in 'creative smackdown' event

How do you inspire students in advertising and design to do their very best work? Put them in front of 70 of their peers, 20 leaders from the West Michigan creative community, and assorted friends and classmates, then figuratively smack them silly. It happened last Thursday at the fifth annual "Creative Smackdown" presented by The Polishing Center, a portfolio school in Grand Rapids.

Students from Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University, Davenport University, Baker College, Western Michigan University, Calvin College and Ferris State brought their best work for a roundtable critique by principals and creative directors.

Students presented their ideas in small groups in the lobby of GVSU’s Loosemore Auditorium for judging. Then nine contestants from the advertising category and five from design took the stage to present their work to a full house of their peers and the judges.

Kendall College of Art and Design students swept the top three positions in the Advertising Category. First place and $300 went to Laura Horon for her billboard, “Peace Corp, 'A Little Peace';" second place and $200 went to Mary Rach for her Bud Light ad, "Ability to Dance," and the $100 third place prize (and the $200 Grand Smacker People’s Choice Award) went to Suzanne Freye for "Ritz Carlton Club Umbrella."

In the Design Category, first place and $300 went to Ferris State University student Troy Ruprecht for his web site, "Beetle Brain;" second place and $200 to Melissa Grayson of Grand Valley State University for her packaging design for "Brew" Tea; and the $100 third place prize to Jack Muldowney of Michigan State University for his poster for the band, "The Kills."

Writer: Pamela Patton