Victoria’s Hannah Lawson has been named Australia’s Top Student at the 2019 AWARD School National Announcement. Her portfolio was described by the judges as “smart”, “clever” and “inherently campaignable”.

Jaime Robinson, co-founder and chief creative officer, JOAN Creative, NY, commented, “I love the interactivity of it, and also the range. You should move to the US and come work at JOAN!”

Daryl Corps, creative director, Iris London, added, “Brilliant and funny left-field thinking that was also bang on brief. Do you want to come and work in London? Yes please.”

Poster, Hannah Lawson

The young creative competed with more than 200 graduates around the country to win the title and has earned a trip to Las Vegas to attend the 2019 London International Awards Creative LIAisons, courtesy of AWARD committee member and founder and principal of Clerehan Pty Ltd, Esther Clerehan.

Radio, Hannah Lawson

All interstate winners were flown to Sydney for the announcement on Thursday, August 8, to attend an exclusive workshop, meet with creative mentors and attend a special dinner, all courtesy of AWARD School flagship partner, Facebook Australia.

Lawson was tutored by CHE Proximity Melbourne’s John Pantzopoulos and Steve Sheldon and DDB Group Melbourne’s Bec Griffiths and Rebecca Morriss. Victoria AWARD School heads 2019 are Sarah McGregor, creative director, Cummins&Partners Melbourne, and Jess Wheeler, associate creative director and partner, Fenton Stephens.

Mobile, Hannah Lawson

The national winner was appointed by AWARD’s Super Jury, which reviewed the state winners’ portfolios in an independent, blind-judging round.

Those judges are:

Victoria Buchanan, executive creative director, Tribal Worldwide, London
Daryl Corps, creative director, Iris, London
Damien Eley, founding partner and executive creative director, The Many, LA
Neil Heymann, chief creative officer, Droga5, NY
Kay Hsu, global director, Instagram Creative Shop, NY
Valerie Madon, chairwoman, Havas Singapore and chief creative officer, Havas Southeast Asia
John Mescall, global executive creative director and chief creative officer, McCann Worldgroup NY
Jaime Robinson, co-founder and chief creative officer, JOAN Creative, NY

Digital, Hannah Lawson

212 students from NSW, QLD, VIC, SA/NT and WA graduated from AWARD School in 2019. In an AWARD School first this year, the course expanded beyond major cities to include students from the Northern Territory, and regional and rural Victoria.

Chair of AWARD and M&C Saatchi chief creative officer, Cam Blackley, stated, “Now in its 36th year, AWARD School has once again this year unearthed some amazing raw talent and on behalf of the AWARD Committee I congratulate all the top students, but in particular the 2019 top student, Hannah Lawson, for her fantastic achievement.

“This year AWARD School has continued to push for more diversity and inclusion in graduating classes. We launched a new campaign around the theme “Only Ideas Wanted’, aimed at increasing diversity of applicants to the 2019 AWARD School program, and improving accessibility to the advertising industry as a career option for everyone. I’m pleased to say that this initiative was a major success.”

View the folios of top students from each state on the AWARD website.