PRISM design receives international recognition

PRISM, Virginia Tech’s faculty-led, student-run digital marketing agency, added another award to its already long list of accolades when it was named a 2021 Muse Awards Gold Winner. The team’s winning submission – the 10th-anniversary redesign of the PRISM logo – went toe-to-toe with global advertising agencies.  

“Marking the 10th anniversary of the organization’s creation,” the official submission read, “the new logo is a reflection of PRISM’s dedication to innovation and evolution within the digital marketing landscape. By modernizing components of the previous logo, this rebrand focuses on balancing professionalism and playfulness, with a focus on accessibility.”

“This showcases the impact of the interdisciplinary approach of PRISM and our strategic alliance with the School of Visual Arts,” said Donna Wertalik, Marketing professor of practice and PRISM founder and faculty advisor. “In addition, the award recognizes the brand PRISM and our first major logo update since its inception, a decade ago. The logo was utilized in both flat and animated format and represents the professional level of PRISM and how we approach every project.”

Founded in 2010, PRISM is funded with over $100,000 in grants and represents global, local, and campus clients. The organization originally began in the Marketing Department and now resides under the Dean's office as the key communicators for the Pamplin College of Business’s social media and digital presence.

The award marks the second time PRISM has received recognition from the MUSE Awards. In 2016, the agency received a gold award for their advertising graphic work on Blacksburg Transit busses.

According to the official website, the MUSE Creative Awards is a part of the MUSE Awards Program, which was created by the International Awards Associate (IAA) in 2015. The IAA’s inception was based on a mission to honor, promote, and encourage creativity by providing a new standard of excellence for evaluating media design production and distribution.

“At its core, MUSE Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals who inspire others to greater heights,” read the release. “With their concepts, ideas or designs, these creatives light a fire in others to strive further, thus becoming a muse.”

“We are extremely proud of this achievement,” said R. B. Pamplin Chair of Marketing Rajesh Bagchi. “PRISM continues to be at the forefront of digital marketing and gives us a glimpse of tomorrow’s world – a world where the lines between art and science are blurred, a world where young minds blend technology and creativity to solve important problems.

“A big shout out to Professor Wertalik and her team for this amazing achievement!”