Award: 3rd Place, Food & Drug 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 Heritage on Main Street earned 3rd Place in the Food & Drug category for 2015. The design utilizes a long horizontal “strip” format to dominate the page while promoting the restaurant as a premier destination for sports fans.
Design Strategy:
- Thematic Integration: Successfully blended the restaurant’s primary branding with sports-themed graphics, including a basketball background behind the main logo, to appeal to a specific “big game” audience.
- High-Resolution Food Photography: Flanked the central text with macro shots of a signature burger and a cold beverage, using visual appeal to ground the promotional “food and drink specials” message.
- Maximized Real Estate: Leveraged the unique dimensions of a strip ad to present the business name, CTA, and full contact details in a wide, easily scannable layout.
Judge’s Comments:
“Photos, art and layout work great together. This strip ad is sure to stand out with readers.”