Newhouse student billboard wins Project Yellow Light competition

For the second year in a row, a Newhouse advertising student won in the Project Yellow Light scholarship competition, in which students create public service campaigns discouraging distracted driving.

This year’s winner, junior Sierra Fentress, was awarded the scholarship for her billboard campaign, “It’s Simple.”

A black billboard with a text bubble that reads, "About to drive, ttyl" and the phrase "It's simple." — **Fentress’ “It’s Simple” campaign billboard that won her a scholarship from Project Yellow Light.**

Fentress developed the winning billboard campaign as part of her classwork for ADV 208: The Big Idea in Advertising, taught by assistant professor Rebecca Ortiz.

“My creative was inspired by the realization that sometimes the simplest things in life can make the greatest difference,” Fentress said.

Project Yellow Light was established in 2007 by the family of Hunter Garner, who was killed in a car crash at 16 years old. The scholarship is awarded in his name. The competition received 2,163 submissions this year, out of which six winners were chosen.

Last year’s Newhouse winner was senior Alyssa Loffredo, who also created her winning billboard campaign as part of Ortiz’s ADV 208 class.

“Having students win two years in a row is evidence of the excellent creative and strategic capabilities of our advertising students,” says Ortiz. “I give them the foundation and general road map, but they ultimately build the structures, and their work has clearly paid off.”