The team of students behind Project G with Ms Cindy Poh (standing rightmost), and Mr Richard Navarro (standing fourth from right), Google’s APAC Real Estate and Workplace Services (REWS) Sustainability Partner.
TAR UMT students are among the winners in the Kancil Awards 2023, Malaysia's most esteemed advertising competition, recognising outstanding contributions to home-grown Malaysian creative excellence in advertising. Under the Student Kancils x sCooler Awards, TAR UMT's Bachelor of Communication (Hons) in Advertising students secured the Merit recognition in the Special Category for Social Good during the festival and awards presentation ceremony on 24 November 2023.
TAR UMT’s project that earned the Merit title, 'Project G,' is a socially conscious real-world initiative led by TAR UMT’s final year advertising students, supported by Google. With a focus on sustainable practices and mental wellbeing, especially among young individuals, Project G employs innovative mixed reality technology and introduces the endearing animated character, Chapu. The project also featured an event titled "Project G Celebration Day," where students and Green Heroes came together to work towards a greener future. The event unveiled a 2D sustainable art created from recycled items, embodying the theme of mental wellness and celebrating resilience.
The Student Kancils x sCooler Awards 2023 witnessed an impressive participation, with over 400 entries submitted by universities and institutions across Malaysia. Cindy Poh Huay Yuet, the lecturer in charge who is also the programme leader for advertising, expressed her elation at the students' success, stating, "It's a tremendous honour for our students to be recognised at the Kancil Awards, a testament to their creativity, dedication, and commitment to making a positive impact. We are grateful for the support from Google, which has enabled us to bring Project G to life and address important issues such as sustainability and mental wellness."
"This project not only enriches our students' educational experience but also empowers them to actively contribute to sustainability and wellness initiatives, making a profound impact on both our university and the broader community,” Cindy added.
Tan Kah Ling who led the design team for the project highlighted how important this project is to her in terms of experience and exposure. “It has been a transformative learning experience. The project stressed the importance of effective leadership and communication, teaching me valuable lessons in task delegation, articulating my creative vision, and providing constructive criticism to team members as well as time management skills. The insights gained in teamwork, project management, and the communicative power of design will undoubtedly shape my future artistic endeavours. Bringing Chapu, the animated character of Project G, to life was more than just a creative project. It was my first time crafting a project animated character, and I'm proud to be the creator of Chapu. This experience added depth and meaning to my life, marking it as one of my greatest achievements. On top of gaining valuable learning experience, the project itself is very timely and important given the current state of our ailing Earth. Failing to act could exacerbate environmental issues. Project G outlines simple, actionable steps for individuals wherever they are. Earth is everyone's responsibility, and appreciation for it should be universal,” she said.
