Award: 1st Place, Automotive 2015
Competition: Virginia Press Association (VPA) Annual Advertising Contest
Publication: The News Virginian
During my time at The News Virginian, I continued to represent our publication in the Virginia Press Association (VPA) annual awards. The VPA is a statewide organization that recognizes excellence across Virginia’s media landscape, with entries evaluated by objective, out-of-state judges to ensure high standards of creative strategy and technical skill.
This advertisement for Harrisonburg Ford earned 1st Place in the Automotive category for 2015. The design utilizes a bold “Winter Way To Go” theme, combining a cool blue color palette with snowflake graphics to create a cohesive seasonal retail event.
Design Strategy:
- Visual Impact: Featured a vibrant, multi-colored lineup of Ford vehicles against a swirling blue background to draw the reader’s eye immediately to the inventory.
- Effective Retail Hierarchy: Organized eight distinct vehicle specials into a clean grid, using high-contrast red typography for “SAVE” amounts up to $10,000 to drive urgency.
- Trust & Transparency: Integrated essential dealership data—including showroom hours, contact information, and a QR code—alongside clear disclosure text to build consumer confidence.
Judge’s Comments:
“Love the design!”