Advertising maestro David Bell has won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2011 CAANZ Axis Awards.

Bell, who is a founding member and the first course leader of the AdSchool at Media Design School, was shocked and overwhelmed by the win.

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“My hunk of gold has reminded me of the true value of the awards – to inspire others to do their best,” he says. “Getting the award means far more to me than the wonderful personal feelings (and the titanic hangover) it has given me. Much more important is that it represents cast-iron proof that the industry values what AdSchool has achieved over the last 12 years.”

Recent AdSchool graduates Jack Delmonte and Jono Fox, now on placement at Droga 5, received the highest student accolades at the awards on Thursday evening – walking away with the TVNZ Student Axis Award. The two are famous for devising the ‘carmonica’ campaign for Mini while still studying at Media Design School.

AdSchool course leader Kate Humphries, who was present for the ceremony, says that it was a spectacular evening for all involved.

“It was definitely a night for our AdSchool to shine. I want to offer my huge congratulations to Jack and Jono. I can’t think of two more bright, talented and humble young men to win the award. They worked hard, did well and deserve all the recognition they have received. I must add that they’re in good company – I counted about 13 awards that went to former students of AdSchool. In fact, David was so busy rushing about photographing and congratulating the students that he nearly missed receiving his own award!”

Bell says he wants to thank the industry for acknowledging his contributions and that of AdSchool in such a public way.

“The award should really go to all past and present AdSchool students. As I’ve always said, when they are great, they make us look good. Media Design School deserves great credit for allowing us the freedom to sculpt such an insanely complex course, as does Randall Inch who somehow grafted academic rigour into the maelstrom. The good work carries on under Kate Humphries, who is doing a far better job than I ever did – she already deserves to do the walk in 2020!”

Media Design School’s AdSchool offers a 40-week NZQA Level 6 Diploma of Creative Advertising. The creative problem-solving course is run like the creative department of an advertising agency, preparing students to hit the ground running from the moment they enter the workforce.

ENDS

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