RRI.CO.ID, Depok - A collaborative Indonesian student team made history by winning the Silver Award in the Young Stars category at the prestigious MAD STARS creative festival.

The global competition, which integrates marketing and digital innovation, took place in Busan, South Korea, to provide a platform for the world’s most talented youth to showcase cutting-edge creative solutions. By successfully navigating an intense 30-hour non-stop final, team members Sayid Muhammad Usammah Alhabsyie from Universitas Indonesia (UI) and Aeriell Handjaja from Bina Nusantara (BINUS) University proved that Indonesian creativity is world-class.

The Young Stars MAD Competition 2025 began with an online portfolio selection process where participants submitted their best collegiate creative works to be reviewed by a panel of judges. The successful finalists were then invited to Busan, South Korea, from August 26–29, 2025, to compete in a live final round.

During the finals, each team was given exactly 30 hours to develop a creative campaign based on a theme revealed only at the start of the clock. This year’s challenge focused on the dangers of e-cigarettes or vaping, with an additional requirement for participants to collaborate with Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Within the limited timeframe, Sayid and Aeriell captivated the judges with their campaign titled “The Deathfluencer.” The concept originated from a provocative, reflective question: “What if the first victim of e-cigarettes could come back to life?”

Through the use of AI technology, the duo “resurrected” the figure of the first vaping victim to portray the potential and beauty of a life lost to e-cigarettes. The message was clear: electronic cigarettes are not a lifestyle trend, but a real threat to the future of the younger generation.

This courageous and creative idea earned the Indonesian team the Silver Award, outperforming dozens of finalists from various countries and marking Indonesia's first-ever victory in the Young Stars MAD STARS category. The event featured over 350 professional judges from approximately 70 countries, including experts from major agencies such as Dentsu Redder, INNOCEAN, Ogilvy Thailand, MONKS, ADK Marketing Solutions, and Droga5.

Sayid’s achievement was no small feat, as his training in campus projects at UI and national competitions served as vital preparation for honing his skills in creative problem-solving and visual storytelling. His passion for the process of ideation remains the primary reason he has been able to endure and grow so significantly in this field.

“Creative ideas are difficult, but because they are hard and not everyone can do it, that is where the fun lies,” he remarked regarding the challenge, as quoted on UI's official Website, on Thursday, January 29, 2026. Sayid also believes that the key to success lies in having great ambition and focused consistency.

“Good things happen when you have a delusional level of ambition. Having 'crazy' dreams is exactly what makes us brave enough to step as far as possible,” he stated. In his view, consistency is the vital factor in realizing those massive dreams.

He advised Indonesian students to quickly find their life's direction and personal goals so that a true commitment can be born from their actions. “You should find out what you want to achieve as soon as possible. Consistency only emerges when we know where we are going and how much we truly want to get there,” he added.

“Find your way, then you’ll find how you can go there,” he concluded to emphasize the importance of having a clear path. The victory of Sayid and Aeriell’s team represents a historic milestone for Indonesia at the Young Stars MAD STARS event.

This achievement not only brings honor to their respective universities but also proves that Indonesian students possess the competitiveness and potential to shine on the international creative stage. It is hoped that this success will motivate all students to continue creating and innovating by using creativity as a global strength. ***

https://fisip.ui.ac.id/mahasiswa-fisip-ui-raih-silver-award-di-korea-selatan/