Vega Octant | Semester 2 2016

VEGA NEWS
TWO VEGA STUDENTS SCOOP ALL-AFRICA AWARD
On 6 November Vega School students Robyn Phillips and Azra Kazi received Golden
Muses at the PromaxBDA Africa Awards for their campaign: “Brave is Sexy’.
The PromaxBDA Africa Awards looks beyond creativity and
production value and focuses its attention on how successfully
objectives are met and how effectively the ‘message’ of the
entrants’ campaigns are communicated. Entries must have
been aired, broadcasted, published or released for the African
market, or commissioned by African based companies.
PromaxBDA is considered the leading global resource
for education, community, creative inspiration and career
development in the media and media marketing sectors.
The pair are both second-year Visual Communication students
at Vega. Phillips and Kazi were selected as the winners from
student entries across the African continent. In addition to
receiving the coveted award, the duo will also receive a onemonth
paid internship at T+W, a Johannesburg based movie
Production Company.
The ‘Brave is Sexy’ campaign is based on similar media
campaigns by Lovers Plus and We the Brave. Its basis is to
empower young people to take ownership of their sex lives and
be proud to practice safe sex.
Phillips and Kazi explain the rationale. “Research suggests that
many young students are embarrassed to go into a store to ask
for condoms. It seems safe sex remains an off-limits subject.
We wanted to take on a controversial subject and contribute to
breaking down what remains a taboo subject.”
In drawing inspiration from the two brands, they adapted from
We the Brave the concept of reversible packaging, which allows
one to remove a first layer and see what’s on the reverse side;
and from Lovers Plus, an NPO working in the area of sexual
health, the theme of safe sex.
VEGA NEWS
“The concept of reversible packaging has both a physical and a
metaphysical aspect: peeling back the top layer of packaging
reveals our bold message that it’s good to practice safe sex
and to become aware of what their HIV status is,” says Phillips.
In fact, the clever packaging asks whoever opens it to take a
pledge advocating safe sex.
Although the campaign was an academic assignment, both
women are keen on the messaging of the two brands that they
adopted, and intend to approach both companies to establish if
those brands could use their work. “We selected We the Brave
and Lovers Plus because we are passionate about what they
do. We would certainly like it if our work could be of some value
to them,” continues Kazi.
“We’re still stunned at the award. It is completely unexpected,
especially as we’re both still in our second year,” exclaims the
duo. Both say it has boosted their self-confidence. “Imagine
what we can do in our third year!” The one-month internship
with T+W will also enhance their careers, as they gain exposure
and will be able to show their work to the team working at one
of the leading agencies in the industry – while learning.
Kazi attributes their success to the unique learning model at
Vega. “I believe I wouldn’t have achieved this if it wasn’t for
Vega. Here, students are friends with lecturers; it is an intimate
environment and a very hands-on practical approach to creative
education.”
“You get a lot of personal attention compared to bigger
institutions. Everyone wants to be on campus – there’s so
much passion for the industry, and for what it can realise,”
concludes Phillips.
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