Graphic designer Hannah is Number 1
Last month, RCL Foods’ Number One Mageu challenged entrants to create a unique design for the brand’s iconic banana packaging.
NUMBER 1 Mageu spawned a new generation of creative voices through its Art & Soul Competition and had South Africans ‘going bananas’ on Instagram last week.
The search for the country’s freshest and most creative design talent was fueled by passionate consumers and fans declaring Westville’s Hannah Smith as the Art & Soul prize winner of R10 000 and an internship at The Hardy Boys. Runner-up was designer, Pule Mathonsi who won R5 000.
Last month, RCL Foods’ Number One Mageu challenged entrants to create a unique design for the brand’s iconic banana packaging.
The competition came to an exciting close on Thursday, 30 August. The 10 finalists, and Durban University of Technology (DUT) student entrants attended a colourful and vibey Afrocentric Pop-up Gallery exhibition event, MC’d by Nomalanga Shozi with DJ Vumar from Gagasi FM on the decks, at RCL Foods Head Office in Westville where the competition winners were announced.
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“Number 1 Mageu is an iconic South African brand that has been feeding the bodies and souls of South Africans for nearly 50 years, giving them a boost when they need it most. We believe in celebrating our South African heritage and culture – more importantly celebrating the individuals who make up our culture,” said Number 1 Mageu senior brand manager, Aamina Shaik.
“We wanted to give these creative, artistic souls a voice on our cartons, a chance for them to speak their minds and express their souls on this iconic piece we love, our Mageu Number 1 Banana carton.”
The judges included members from The Hardy Boys (THB) creative team, creative director, Kevin Parry, designer, Clinton Myeni, Number 1 senior brand manager, Aamina Shaik and Durban University of Technology (DUT) lecturer, Frank Kalala.
Ten finalists were selected from more than 100 entries and the public was asked to vote for the winner from the final 10 designs.
The public voting stage was hotly contested with more than 14 700 votes received in just seven days and about 5 000 of those were received in the final 24 hours.
Rapule Mathonsi (AKA Pule / @puleonline) and student designer Hannah Smith (@han_selah), both from Durban, battled it out for votes until the final hour.
At midnight on Wednesday both had received 2 500 votes and when voting closed just 97 votes separated them.
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THE jazz and soul of youth was captured in her design.
Winner of the RCL Foods’ Number 1 Mageu design challenge, Hannah Smith, is hungry to learn and eager to create new things.
This petite and jovial 20 year-old DUT third year graphic design student, and former Westville Girls’ High School learner, said her Number 1 Design is a celebration of life as we know it here in South Africa.
Her design was inspired by the DUT arts campus and its students. “Jazzy characters, soulful faces and a coupling of art and photography; this is a showcase of how each individual has their own unique ‘flava’, just like Number 1 Mageu.
“I wanted to show the creative jazz that youth culture has.”
Hannah said she enjoyed this assignment because it was solely a drawing project. It was 100 per cent complete creativity and fun.
She described herself as being creative, organised, determined and not mathematical whatsoever!
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And in her downtime, she enjoys drawing, painting, mosaic, paperwork, digital art, photography etc.
“I also enjoy running and playing guitar.”
She said the past week has been insane. “Thank you to every single person who took the time to like, tag, comment, share and vote for me. I couldn’t have done it without you.
“The support was unreal! It made my heart so happy to see people supporting the arts and getting involved.”
Hannah is looking forward to her internship at Hardy Boys agency.
View all the competition entries at #ArtAndSoul on Instagram or visit @number onemageu for the final designs.
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