Live Oak Communications wins first-ever Gold ADDY Award

Marisa Moody ’15 (left) and Ingrid Frahm ’16 grab a photograph with Live Oak Communications’ Gold ADDY Award at the 2015 American Advertising Awards Gala. Photos courtesy of Live Oak Communications[/caption]​Live Oak Communications received its first-ever Gold ADDY Award at the Triangle Advertising Federation’s 2015 American Advertising Awards Gala in Raleigh Feb. 20. The Elon University student-run strategic communications agency was recognized in the student category for digital advertising/social media work.

Live Oak was honored for its fall 2014 “Giving Tuesday” campaign that was created for EarthShare North Carolina, one of the agency’s nonprofit clients. As a Gold ADDY recipient, the campaign was commended for its “creative excellence and is judged to be superior to all other entries in the category.” The work will now be judged at a regional level.

Nine Live Oak students attended the gala held at the Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh. The campaign’s student winners were Marisa Moody ’15, creative director, and Ingrid Frahm ’16, creative content producer. Also in attendance were School of Communications faculty members Hal Vincent, lecturer in communications, and Ben Hannam, associate professor of communications. Vincent and Hannam serve as the student organization’s faculty director and faculty creative director, respectively.

Elon University students and faculty members enjoy a light-hearted moment at the gala Feb. 20.[/caption]​According to Vincent, this was the first time Live Oak has entered the awards competition hosted by the Triangle Advertising Federation – also known as Triangle AdFed and formerly AAF-RDU.

“Considering this is our inaugural effort in this competition, we came out of gates and set a nice benchmark that we can build on,” said Vincent. “Live Oak is really emerging a full strat comm agency. Our students are really showing their skills in where 21 century business is heading. We are not locked into old advertising and old public relations methods. This honor is a testament to Live Oak and our students. This was real work that a real client used in the real world.”

The competition was open to all students from universities in the Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill area. All competition entries must have been completed during fall 2014.

About Live Oak Communications

Live Oak Communications is Elon University’s student-run strategic communications agency, providing students unique experiences partnering with numerous businesses, non-profits and organizations to achieve their business goals through targeted, multiplatform strategies and tactics. Live Oak Communication’s capabilities include public relations, advertising, video, web design, social media solutions, graphic design, corporate identity and more.