Adobe Issues Call for Entries to 2012 Adobe Design Achievement Awards

Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the call for entries for the twelfth annual Adobe® Design Achievement Awards (ADAA). The competition recognizes the best student graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, animators, digital filmmakers, developers and computer artists from higher education institutions worldwide who have created innovative projects using Adobe software. Students are invited to compete in 13 categories, including Game Design and Development, as well as Application Development and Mobile Design. For the second consecutive year, the ADAA will also recognize teaching excellence through three categories designed specifically for higher education instructors. Since the ADAA competition began in 2001, nearly 25,000 students from 73 countries have been involved; in 2011, a record 4,600 entries were submitted.

Free to enter and open to students, faculty and staff of higher education institutions worldwide, the 2012 ADAA will be judged by a panel of international design experts in three independent judging sessions. Submission deadlines are January 27, April 27, and June 22, 2012, giving participants more opportunities and flexibility in submitting their work. Semifinalists will be announced after each judging session, providing participants with early visibility into their competition status. In October, finalists will be invited to attend the ADAA awards ceremony in Los Angeles, Calif., where winners will be announced and awarded Adobe software and cash prizes.

"The Adobe Design Achievement Awards feature work from some of the most innovative students around the world. We’re privileged to provide them with the tools they need to design groundbreaking projects,” said Ann Lewnes, senior vice president of Global Marketing, Adobe. "These emerging young talents demonstrate how digital technology is changing the face of the creative landscape.”

Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Associations) is partnering with Adobe in producing the ADAA competition for the fourth consecutive year.

"Icograda values the strong relationship that we've had with Adobe in the past three years. Our aim for this year is to help Adobe increase awareness of the competition in untapped regions around the world and to increase participation within our extensive education network,” said Leimei Julia Chiu, president of Icograda.

Previous ADAA winners have embarked on successful careers in design and look back at the competition as an integral first step. Taiwan’s Sean Chang, a gifted designer who won an ADAA 2011 award in the Print Communications category, offered the following advice to other students: "Think big and outside the box. Have a positive impact on the world. And make sure that your design tells a story.”

For detailed information about ADAA submission guidelines, deadlines, categories and more, visit www.adobeawards.com. Students and faculty are invited to submit projects through this website and view winning work from prior years in the ADAA Gallery. Visit the 2011 ADAA Yearbook for a look at the 2011 ADAA ceremony in Taipei, Taiwan.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

About Icograda

Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Associations) is the world body for professional communication design. Founded in 1963, Icograda promotes communication designers' vital role in society and commerce. For more information, visit www.icograda.org.

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