Award: 1st Place, Home & Garden 2017 – Ward’s Appliance Service
Competition: Virginia Press Association (VPA) Annual Advertising Contest
Publication: The News Virginian
During my most successful year at The News Virginian, I secured 1st Place in the Home & Garden category for this advertisement for Ward’s Appliance Service. The VPA competition for 2017 was judged by out-of-state professionals from Alabama to ensure objective evaluation based on design quality and community impact.
The Home & Garden category (A01) encompasses a wide array of services including appliances, landscaping, and home remodeling. To win top honors, a designer must create an ad that effectively conveys the advertiser’s message through high-quality visual execution and clear, concise copy.
Design Strategy:
- Immediate Service Recognition: Focused on high-visibility typography to ensure the “Appliance Service” specialty was immediately clear to readers in need of repairs.
- Quality of Execution: Adhered to strict standards of reproduction and layout balance to showcase professional reliability, meeting the VPA’s high criteria for design excellence.
- Local Context & Trust: Integrated the business’s identity as a local provider, establishing a “why-this-is-important-to-you” connection for residents seeking trustworthy home maintenance.
- Call to Action Efficiency: Organized contact information and service offerings into a scannable format, maximizing the ad’s utility and lead-generation potential.