The fifth edition of the NABA Communication Awards, centred on the theme "Always Evolving", concluded on January 23 in Milan and Rome with two exhibitions, two award ceremonies, and two public roundtables. This highly anticipated event celebrated the projects of students from the Communication and Graphic Design Area of the Academy, which includes the BA in Graphic Design and Art Direction, the MAs in Visual Design and Integrated Marketing Communication and in User Experience Design, and the Academic Masters in Sustainable Innovation Communication and Creative Advertising.
The theme of the 2024 NABA Communication Awards, "Always Evolving", was inspired by the students' direct experiences within the Area, reflecting the constant growth that defines their educational journey. Among the most addressed topics in the competing projects were sustainability, the centrality of the body and inclusivity, physical and mental health, diversity, and solitude.
NABA Communication Awards 2024: the winning students
The two distinct Award Ceremonies for the NABA Communication Awards 2024 took place both in person—at STEP FuturAbility District in Milan and Opificio Romaeuropa in Rome—and online via live streaming on our YouTube channel, with separate broadcasts for each city.
The Awards Ceremony in Milan was conducted by Patrizia Moschella (Communication and Graphic Design Senior Area Leader), Fabio Pelagalli (MAs Programmes Course Leader for the Milan Campus) and Samuel Mathias Zitelli (BA in Graphic Design and Art Direction Course Leader) - who also presented the awards to the selected students. The Ceremony in Rome was conducted by Daniele Marrone (NABA lecturer), with the awards being presented by the Area Course Leaders Dionigi Mattia Gagliardi (BA in Graphic Design and Art Direction Course Leader for the Rome Campus) and Serena Ciriello (MAs in Visual Design and Integrated Marketing Communication and in User Experience Design Course Leader).
Here are the projects awarded gold in each category:
Undergraduate Projects awarded
- Advertising: “Drunk Friend Rescue Kit” by Rebecca Geri, Camilla Pietrosanto
- Brand Communication Design: “InTwo” by Giulia Caielli, Giacomo Casari, Sofia Imperiale
- Digital Art: “METAMORPHOSYS SOUND” by Samuele Almasio, Ilaria Marchetti, Andrea Menegon, Daniele Oglialoro
- Editorial Design: “Residui Urbani” by Valerio Gelsomini
- Illustration: “EXLIBRISMOON” by Alessia Pedrinazzi
- New Comers: “SAMMI” by Alejandra Castellanos Rincon Gallardo
- Photography: “Ecos Deliranti” by Elena Ruffa
- UX/UI: “Homie.” by Camilla Pietrosanto, Valentina Rumore, Gaia Taverriti Mosaico
- Video: “GLOSS BOMB HEAT” by Kamelia Dobreva
Postgraduate Projects awarded
- Advertising: “We can always say we met in...” by Jimena Maria Blanco Quiroga, Miriam Milagros Montoya Palacios
- Brand Communication Design: “Eargasm” by Giulia Cirillo, Benedetta De Rosa
- Digital Art: “TARDIMAN” by Yuanlincan Li
- Editorial Design: “Effetto Placenta” by Paola Cazzola
- Illustration: “SAMMI” by Alejandra Castellanos Rincon Gallardo
- Photography: “Un mezzo” by Francesca Casalegno, Nicoletta Piazzolla
- UX/UI: “Balance” by Vaishnavi Bhandari, Mario Moscotto, Manatibieke Tieendiessi, Bilgesu Yildiz
- Video: “TARDIMAN” by Yuanlincan Li
Special Awards
The following Special Awards were presented:
- NABA for Good: This special category recognises projects shortlisted in the NABA Communication Awards that promote values such as sustainability, inclusion, and diversity or have educational and improvement-oriented purposes.
- Killing Brief: All students from the Communication and Graphic Design Area had the opportunity to participate in a real brief launched by Breil individually. The projects, completed within 72 hours of the brief’s publication, were evaluated by a jury composed of representatives from the company.
- Grand Prix: This award represents the best project of the year among those submitted for this edition. The jury, composed of the Presidents of the juries for the various categories, selected the winner from all the category gold award winners.
Here are the winners of the Special Awards:
- Killing Brief: “They offered me... But I wanted Breil” by Alejandra Castellanos Rincon Gallardo
- NABA for Good: “Up2Cycle” by Maria Ophelie Delphine Noirette-Kopp
- Grand Prix: “Effetto Placenta” by Paola Cazzola
Discover the exceptional jury of renowned international professionals who selected the winning projects – check out our Instagram Stories highlights to learn more.
NABA Communication Awards 2024: exhibitions and roundtables
For the NABA Communication Awards 2024, exhibitions of the finalist projects were set up in both Milan and Rome, showcasing works in both physical and digital formats. These projects, selected by a jury of over 30 industry professionals, spanned numerous categories – from Advertising to Brand Communication Design, Editorial Design, Illustration, UX/UI, and many more – reflecting the diverse languages and styles interpreted within the Area.
In Milan, the roundtable discussion " Creare Connessioni Creative: Quando Aziende e Formazione si incontrano" took place, led by Sara Buluggiu (Academic Master in Creative Advertising Course Leader and Founder and CEO of Retailor Media) and Luca Cavalli (NABA Lecturer and General Manager at NEXT Different). The session explored the outcomes of a year-long collaboration between NABA and partner companies such as A2A, Venchi, Staedtler Italia, and Mercury Marine. Faculty members, students, and company representatives shared their experiences, presenting the winning projects and reflecting on the value of creativity as a bridge between academic education and corporate innovation. The event offered an inspiring opportunity to discover how branding, strategy, marketing, and communication can be reimagined through the fresh perspectives and talent of the new generation.
Participants were:
- For A2A: Elena Tondini (Head of Brand Strategy, Communication and Media Planning) and Samuel Mathias Zitelli (BA in Graphic Design e Art Direction Course Leader);
- For Venchi: Roberta Caneschi (Marketing Manager) and Antonio Anaclerio (NABA lecturer);
- For Staedtler Italia: Andrea Rossi (Managing Director) and Roberto Clemente (NABA lecturer);
- For Mercury Marine: Alessandra Zazzero (Marketing Manager) and Giovanni Dell’Orco (NABA lecturer).
At the round table in Rome, projects implemented in cooperation with institutions, foundations and associations were presented. These included “Design Talks” in collaboration with REF – Romaeuropa Festival and Studio Mistaker; “Viva il Cinema!” in collaboration with Fondazione Cinema per Roma for the communication campaign of the posters for Rome’s summer cinemas; and “L’amico Frank & il Drunk Friend Rescue Kit”, the communication campaign that won the Socially Correct competition promoted by the Associazione “Paolo Ettore – Socially Correct” with the support of the Saatchi & Saatchi agency and the Direzione Comunicazione Istituzionale of Roma Capitale.
NABA Communication Awards 2024: credits
A dedicated catalogue was distributed during the events in Milan and Rome, offering an in-depth exploration of this edition’s winning projects. The graphic design of the catalogue was curated by Margherita Soresina (Communication and Graphic Design Area Academic Assistant).
The visual identity “Always Evolving” for the NABA Communication Awards 2024 was created by students Michele Conte, Greta Duchino, Davide Scrollini, and Stefano Vergan.
The video adaptations for the exhibition and award ceremony in Milan were produced by Marco Pochetti (NABA Lecturer) and Samantha San Felice (Communication and Graphic Design Area Academic Assistant), while those for the Rome events were curated by Gianluca Abbate (NABA Lecturer).