Advertising and design industry honours lecturer
University of the Sunshine Coast art and design lecturer Debra Livingston knows that sometimes it’s really good to be BAD.
Especially when BAD stands for the Brisbane Advertising and Design club, a professional association of about 700 members which recently named Debra as its BAD Person of the Year.
Debra has been the club committee secretary for the past two years and the longest-serving committee member after first getting into the BAD books in 1999.
She is renowned for cheerfully attending every committee meeting in Brisbane during that time, despite the 200km round trip, and for extending BAD’s influence into regional areas such as the Sunshine Coast.
The award-winning designer with a passion for photography said she was thrilled to accept the award, particularly because she was the first academic in the club’s 36-year history to receive it.
“It’s actually recognition from the industry itself, which constitutes a large advertising and design industry in Brisbane,” she said.
“It certainly is an honour to be recognised by the industry as being one of them and to receive recognition and I have made many wonderful friends as a member of the committee and club."
BAD club co-president Shane Murray of George Patterson Y&R copywriters said there were many reasons why Debra won the award but he summed them up by describing her as an "all-round absolute bloody legend".
"There’s no-one more deserving of the award and, when we put it to the vote, she won hands down," Mr Murray said. "I would say it was because of her generosity in spirit and in time and because she is ever smiling, ever positive and ever willing to help."
Mr Murray said apart from Debra’s work on the committee, she had been the club’s photographer, supplied student helpers for BAD events and was the committee’s only regional representative.
"In 2000, Debra founded and presided over the Regional Advertising and Design Club (RAD), introduced a regional category into the annual BAD Awards and, for the past four years, has showcased the Best of BAD finalist exhibition at the USC Art Gallery,’’ he said.
"These initiatives have allowed BAD to grow beyond the Brisbane area to embrace other parts of Queensland from the Gold Coast to Cairns.
"She single-handedly produced the 2004 BAD Awards Annual, has provided key sponsorship connections and, in 2005, was elected secretary of the club – a role she has performed with aplomb up to the present day.
"Her passion for teaching, creativity and the environment has seen her win numerous awards and industry accolades, and of course – many appreciative students, colleagues and friends."
Debra has resigned from the BAD committee to concentrate on studying a Doctorate of Creative Arts at USC, and Mr Murray said she would be sorely missed.
"BAD will really miss not having her around on the committee and she has set a great example for others to follow," he said.