FM AdFocus Awards Student of the year: Highlighting future creatives

Image supplied. (L to r) Faheem Chaudhry, AdFocus aWards chairperson, Robyn Burger, Lisa Black and Angelina Faria (Student of the Year winner

Faria was one of three finalists for the Award together with fellow Cape Town Creative Academy student, Robyn Burger and Red & Yellow Creative School of Business student, Lisa Black.

The Student Award is an important part of the FM AdFocus Awards as it highlights new talent coming into the industry. Bizcommunity chatted to the three students about their aspirations for the future.

Angelina Faria, Cape Town Creative Academy

Have you always wanted to enter the creative industry?

From a young age I loved everything creative. Originally, I wanted to do architecture, I did maths and art at school. But after doing some job shadowing, I knew I wanted to go into the creative industry. I grew up in a small town, so I had to do research to find out about graphic design, and then I realised this was exactly what I wanted to do.

What was it like being named an AdFocus Awards Student of the Year finalist and then winning the Award?

It’s amazing to have won and I was not expecting it at all.

What are your plans for the future?

Next year is still a little bit up in the air but I would love to work or do a paid internship, for six months at a design studio and then travel for a while. I get a lot of my inspiration from the things I see around me, and I think that will really help my design career.

2022 FM AdFocus Award winners announced!

30 Nov 2022

Robyn Burger, Cape Town Creative Academy

Have you always wanted to enter the creative industry?

I have been a creative person since I was very little. My dad is an architect, so I spent a lot of time at his work when I was little, and I really enjoyed it. I was quite lucky to know at a young age that this is what I wanted to do and so I studied design throughout high school and matric.

What was it like being named an AdFocus Awards Student of the Year finalist?

It’s a big deal being nominated as a finalist and feels very special. I am quite proud of what I have achieved.

What are your plans for the future?

I plan to do quite a few internships next year to find the place that suits me and where I can imagine myself working. After that I will apply for work and hopefully work at a small studio.

Lisa Black, Red & Yellow Creative School of Business

Have you always wanted to enter the creative industry?

There wasn’t really anything that led me to the creative industry as much as that I was drawn to it. I just always knew that I wanted to go into a creative field. After high school, I naturally gravitated towards marketing communications because it was so broad. I knew I wanted to be a creative 100% but I wasn’t sure how, so I wanted lots of options.

What was it like being named an AdFocus Awards Student of the Year finalist?

It is an honour being a finalist in the AdFocus Awards as it makes me feel acknowledged but also because it just feels incredible o be able to stand next to my two fellow finalists whom I know create absolutely insane work. So, for me, it’s wow to be up there with them, and an incredible feeling.

What are your plans for the future?

I am really happy and excited for the future to see what I can do next, although I am not sure what exactly that is. It’s one of those things where I want to see what is out there and I am still trying to figure it out a little bit. It’s a little bit intimidating so I know I need to figure it out pretty quickly.