Jax State Graphic Design Students Win Numerous Awards at the Annual AAF ADDY Competition

04/24/2025


By Brett Buckner 

Jax State graphic design students are once again proving their talents on the brightest stages. Jax State won 14 out of 35 student awards at this year's Birmingham American Advertising Federation (AAF) ADDY Awards. Recent graduate Sam Musgrove won the Student Best of Show Award. In total, Jax State design students won four Student Gold and nine Student Silver ADDYs while competing against students' work from state universities, including Samford, UAB, and the University of Alabama.  

"Our students are making excellent work, and it is extremely validating to see them recognized amongst their peers and area professionals," said Jamie Runnells, professor of Graphic Design and MFA coordinator. "Our design students are extremely dedicated and consistently making great work. Their work is regularly recognized on the national stage. That drive and commitment to their discipline make me incredibly proud." 

Samuel Musgrove was surprised when his submission, which featured a campaign for Dragon's Blood Hard Seltzer, was also awarded two Gold ADDYs. This was the first time he'd ever submitted any work to a major competition. "This was my first time feeling super confident about a project," said the 23-year-old Musgrove, who graduated in December and has been accepted into the Jax State MFA program. It was extremely humbling, exciting, and scary." As part of the ceremony, Musgrove accepted his awards in front of more than 100 people, all of whom were either fellow students or professionals working in local advertising. "I'm kind of an anxious person," he said. "The picture of me receiving the award is so funny because you can tell I'm just in so much shock. I didn't even know if I would get an award, much less two gold and Best of Show. So this whole situation is just a complete surprise."  

Musgrove submitted the work he created as part of his BFA Capstone. "The work I did was hard," he said. Musgrove's submission included seltzer packaging, website design, poster design, and branding. The goal is to create a project that is fleshed out enough that it fits in with other "real projects" and future employers, providing an example of the professional work he can create. "The idea for my project was to create a hard seltzer brand that would stand out in the inflated market," he said. "Hard Seltzer is the new, hot thing for alcohol, right now at least. "I wanted to put my own spin on it, make something personal, nerdy, tongue-in-cheek, and relatable to a younger, 21 to 35 demographic."  

Brianna Bailey, a graduate student working on her MFA, won a Student Silver ADDY for Tailfeathers, a branding project she developed for her BFA seminar show. Tailfeathers is an outdoor entertainment venue concept designed for Jacksonville. "I aimed at creating a welcoming social space for both college students and families that live here year-round," said the 23-year-old Bailey. "I chose this idea because I wanted to explore how design could foster community and enhance mental well-being, especially in college towns like Jacksonville where recreational spaces can be limited."  

The Jax State graphic design students have had a lot of success with the ADDYs in recent years, a streak that Bailey credits to the hard work and dedication of the program's faculty. "I think that mostly comes down to the way we're taught to think critically and to try to break out of our comfort zone," Bailey said. "Our wonderful design professors encourage us to approach a project with a strong concept and to finish with strong executions of that concept." Jax State also has something that other programs might lack. "There's a great sense of community and competition within our program," Bailey said. "I think that motivates students to elevate their work to award-winning levels. We have some really dedicated students here." 

 

Jax State ADDYs winners:  

  • Riley Abston, Silver ADDY Sony Music Website Redesign  
  • Riley Abston, Silver ADDY (WIP) Art App  
  • Caycie Trotter, Silver ADDY Botany Buds Video  
  • Caycie Trotter, Gold ADDY Botany Buds Illustrations   
  • Marlie Wright, Silver ADDY Cafe M Website Redesign  
  • Marlie Wright, Silver ADDY Vivian Maier Editorial  
  • Nate Young, Silver ADDY Nyctophobe Wine Packaging  
  • Brianna Bailey, Silver ADDY Tailfeathers  
  • Laney O’Neal, Silver ADDY Cannabis Studies  
  • Laney O’Neal, Silver ADDY Experimental Typeface  
  • Sam Musgrove, Gold ADDY Dragon’s Blood HS - Packaging     
  • Sam Musgrove, Gold ADDY Dragon’s Blood HS - Logo  
  • Sam Musgrove, Best of Show Dragon’s Blood HS - Packaging