University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu graduate Melanie Denda won two gold and one bronze awards at the 2024 Pele Awards, which recognizes excellence in advertising and design in Hawai‘i. One of Denda’s gold-winning entries also advanced to the 2024 American Advertising Awards, the advertising industry’s largest competition, where her entry won a silver award.
At the Pele Awards, held May 4 at the Elks Lodge Honolulu in Waikīkī, Denda won in the college division a Pele Gold in “Elements of Advertising: Visual, Logo Design” for her entry, “Lucky Belly Rebranded Logo”; a Pele Gold in “Online/Interactive: Interactive/Online Advertising & Promotion Campaign” for her entry, “Akko”; and a Pele Bronze in “Elements of Advertising: Visual, Logo Design” for her entry, “Akko Rebranded Logo.”
The Pele Awards, part of Hawai‘i’s advertising and design community for more than 40 years, is one of 15 National District Competitions for the American Advertising Awards, also known as the ADDYs.
Pele Gold winners in all national categories are sent to the National Finals of the American Advertising Awards Competition to represent District 13. At the ADDYs National Awards Gala, held May 31 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Denda’s “Lucky Belly Rebranded Logo” entry won a Student Silver ADDY Award in “Elements of Advertising: Logo Design.”
Denda, who graduated from UH West O‘ahu in December 2023 and received a bachelor’s degree in Creative Media with a concentration in Design and Media, said she was shocked when she received the ADDY Award and messaged all of her family members and friends that she won.
“I was in disbelief and extremely happy,” Denda said. … “It was an incredible and unexpected honor.”
Denda created her award-winning entries while she was still a UH West O‘ahu student under advisor Scott Kawamura.
“I redesigned the logo for Lucky Belly (restaurant) by incorporating the maneki neko, which is a cat in Japanese culture that symbolizes luck to reflect the restaurant’s name,” Denda said. “Additionally, I depicted the maneki neko in my logo eating ramen, which highlights one of their signature dishes. I selected a color palette that represents luck in Asian cultures, enhancing the connection to the restaurant’s Asian fusion cuisine.”
Other Pele Awards honorees included high school division students of UH West O‘ahu Academy for Creative Media alumni Dexter Corpuz and Scott Alquisa, both of whom are now educators at Maui and Waipahu high schools, respectively.
(At last year’s Pele Awards, Corpuz won in the college division a Pele Gold in “Integrated Brand Identity Campaign” and “Best of Show” for a logo brand redesign project he did in 2022 for one of his Creative Media classes with Kawamura.)
In addition, it was announced at the May 4 Pele Awards ceremony that UH West O‘ahu Creative Media student Ashley Macho won first place for the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hawai‘i Shining Star Scholarship.
“The success of our students in these competitions is a testament to the excellence of our Creative Media program,” said Sharla Hanaoka, director of the Academy for Creative Media at UH West O‘ahu. “Our faculty pour their expertise into cultivating a learning-by-doing environment. The accolades brought home by them showcase their talent, passion, and the innovative thinking fostered here.”
Hanaoka added, “Also to see our recent graduates who are now educators themselves bring forth their high school media classes is a testament to the philosophy of the program. Through our educational approach, we strive to cultivate a deep sense of responsibility, compassion, and the skills necessary to drive transformative change in our communities and the world at large.”