WASHINGTON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Ad
Council and Project Yellow Light announced the winners of the ninth
annual Project Yellow Light scholarship competition. The contest
involves students creating a TV, radio or billboard PSA to educate
their peers about the dangers of distracted driving, specifically
the dangers of using a phone while driving. The winning PSAs will
be revealed today on a digital billboard in New York City's Times Square, in space donated
by Clear Channel Outdoor.
Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8755451-ad-council-2020-project-yellow-light-scholarship-winners/
Project Yellow Light was established in 2007 by the family of
Hunter Garner to honor his memory
after his death in a car crash at age 16. According to the latest
data, 2,841 people were killed in crashes involving distracted
drivers in 2018. Texting while driving is an especially problematic
trend among younger drivers. In 2018, 8 percent of people killed in
teen (15-19) driving crashes died when the teen drivers were
distracted at the times of the crashes.*
"A huge thanks to our amazing partners, participants and
especially our 2020 Hunter Garner Scholarship winners for spreading
this critical message about the dangers of distracted driving,"
said Project Yellow Light founder Julie
Garner. "I'm so proud of our student winners who are using
their voice and creativity to impact young drivers and help save
lives."
Since 2011, Project Yellow Light has partnered with the Ad
Council to turn the winning submissions into PSAs that receive
national exposure through 1,600 TV stations nationwide, iHeartMedia
radio stations, and Clear Channel Outdoor's nearly 2,000 digital
displays.
Supporting partners include AT&T's It Can Wait, Apparent Insurance and
Elephant Insurance, Clear Channel Outdoor (CCO), iHeartMedia,
WKRN-TV Nashville, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) and the National Organizations for Youth
Safety (NOYS). Scholarships for this year's winning students are
supported through AT&T's Aspire Initiative, a $600 million commitment since 2008 to education
and skills building, Apparent Insurance, Clear Channel Outdoor,
iHeartMedia and Elephant Insurance.
"Distracted driving remains an important road safety
issue," said Lisa Sherman, president
and CEO of the Ad Council. "It's critical to spread this message,
and nobody is better suited to communicate the importance of
driving safely to young people than their own peers."
The contest received 2,163 submissions this year. Entries were
received from students representing all fifty states and
Washington, D.C. The 2020
scholarship prizes were awarded to the following winners:
- First Domino (video, high school): Joanne Sakamoto (Roanoke, VA)
- Phone Down (video, college): Kambria Cook (N. Chesterfield, VA)
- Eyes on the Road (billboard design, high school):
Jami Pandiscio (Franklin, MA)
- It's Simple (billboard design, college): Sierra Fentress (Sykesville, MD)
- You Can Wait (radio, high
school): Miriam Zuo
(Sugar Land, TX)
- Telegraphing Catastrophe (radio, college): Matthew Merrill (Frisco, TX)
A host of advertising industry executives and artists lent their
time to judging the entries. This year's panel included recording
artist and songwriter Aloe Blacc; renowned filmmaker and social
activist Kweku Mandela; Dentsu Aegis
Network Global CEO Wendy Clark;
Wordsworth + Booth President Tony
Mennuto; Co-Chairman and Partner of Goodby Silverstein &
Partners, Jeff Goodby; and
representatives from the Martin Agency, Pereira O'Dell and Project Yellow Light partners
the Ad Council, Apparent Insurance, AT&T's It Can Wait, CCO, Elephant Insurance and
iHeartMedia.
Elephant CEO Alberto Schiavon
said:
"It's extremely meaningful for us
to partner with an organization like Project Yellow Light.
Julie Garner and her team are doing
incredible work to bring attention to the dangers of distracted
driving. We're grateful to be part of Project Yellow Light's effort
to allow high school and college students the opportunity to create
anti-distracted driving messaging that resonates with their peers.
Congratulations to this year's winners for delivering impactful
messaging!"
Apparent Insurance Managing Director, Colleen Benzin stated:
"We saw another year of excellent
submissions from high school and college students around the
country using creative messaging to reach their peers about the
dangers of distracted driving. We applaud this year's winners
for their talents and dedication to driving awareness of this
important topic. We are proud to be a part of this impactful
competition."
AT&T AVP of Corporate Brand Marketing, Ryan Luckey stated:
"The main goal of the It
Can Wait program is to end
distracted driving by educating all drivers about the dangers of
smartphone use behind the wheel. We applaud this new generation's
efforts to use their talents to further raise awareness around this
important issue."
WKRN-TV Nashville Emmy-winning journalist, Alex Denis stated:
"Unlike so many issues in our
world today, distracted driving is one we can easily solve. Simply,
put the phone down. No one should suffer the loss of a loved
one due to a senseless act so preventable. Let's all work together
to save lives."
Vice President of Communications of iHeartMedia, Jessica King stated:
"Distracted driving continues to
be a public safety concern that claims the life of innocent drivers
every year. The Project Yellow Light program is an opportunity for
iHeart to connect with the communities in which we live and work to
spotlight this critical issue."
Director of NOYS, Tameka Brown
stated:
"Distracted driving is such a
critical issue for young drivers. The media assets created by youth
for Project Yellow Light resonates so strongly with their peers and
makes this program so powerful."
"Working with PYL was an amazing experience," said high school
video winner Joanne Sakamoto.
"Sharing my domino idea through animation was such a fun way to
emphasize the importance of safe and mindful driving, and I'm
so grateful to have had this opportunity!"
College video winner Kambria Cook
said: "I am so happy PYL gave me the opportunity to do the two
things I love to do, create and motivate!"
"As a high schooler, I see distracted driving all of the time.
It's frustrating. Thankfully, Project Yellow Light gave me a
vehicle to make positive change," said high school billboard
winner Jami Pandiscio.
"My creative was inspired by the realization that sometimes the
simplest things in life can make the greatest difference," said
college billboard winner Sierra
Fentress.
From text messages to social media updates to news alerts, our
phones enable us to connect with others at all times, even,
unfortunately, when we're behind the wheel," said high school radio
winner Miriam Zuo. "I wanted to
highlight, through historical context, the good that has come from
waiting and challenge the dangerous temptation of instant
gratification."
"Project Yellow Light is an incredible organization that
continues to make this crazy world a safer place," said college
radio winner Matthew Merrill. "Being
able to contribute to their legacy with my radio submission has
been an absolute honor!"
Through the Stop the Texts. Stop the
Wrecks. campaign, the Ad Council and NHTSA have been
working together to prevent distracted driving since 2012.
*Data Source:
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812926
The Ad Council
The Ad Council is a nonprofit
organization with a rich history of marshaling volunteer talent
from the advertising and media industries to deliver crucial
messages to the American public. Having produced literally
thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social
issues of the day, the Ad Council has affected, and continues to
affect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring
action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its
campaigns, visit AdCouncil.org, like us on Facebook, follow us
on Twitter or view our PSAs on YouTube.
AT&T
We help family, friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways
every day. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to mobile video
streaming, we innovate to improve lives. We have the nation's
fastest wireless network.** And according to America's biggest
test, we have the nation's best wireless network.*** We're building
FirstNet® just for first responders and creating next-generation
mobile 5G. With a range of TV and video products, we deliver
entertainment people love to talk about. Our smart, highly secure
solutions serve nearly 3 million global businesses – nearly all of
the Fortune 1000. And worldwide, our spirit of service drives
employees to give back to their communities.
AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). Learn
more at att.com/CommunicationsNews. AT&T products and services
are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T
Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. Additional
information about AT&T products and services is available
at about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on
Facebook at facebook.com/att and on YouTube
at youtube.com/att. © 2020 AT&T Intellectual
Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the Globe logo and other
marks are trademarks and service marks of AT&T Intellectual
Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. FirstNet and the
FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the
First Responder Network Authority. All other marks contained herein
are the property of their respective owners.
**Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data
median download speeds for Q2 2020. Ookla trademarks used under
license and reprinted with permission. ***GWS OneScore,
September 2019.
Apparent Insurance
Apparent Insurance is a company
designed for parents by parents to meet the unique needs of
families. Apparent offers insurance plans that give parents savings
and peace of mind at every stage of life. Apparent coverage
protects families with children of all ages, and the features,
benefits, discounts, and services evolve alongside the families
they serve. Backed and secured by parent company, Admiral Group,
which oversees over 6 million customers across 7 countries,
Apparent Insurance is currently available to consumers in the state
of Texas.
Learn more about Apparent Insurance and receive a quote at
www.apparentinsurance.com and connect on Facebook and Instagram at
@ApparentInsurance and on Twitter at @ApparentAuto.
WKRN-TV Nashville
WKRN-TV Nashville and wkrn.com are
part of Nexstar Media Group. Nexstar Media Group is America's
largest local television and media company with 196 full power
stations in 114 markets and a growing digital media
operation. WKRN-TV Nashville serves the Mid-state of
Tennessee and Southern Kentucky.
Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings
Clear Holdings
Channel Outdoor, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) is one of the world's largest
outdoor advertising companies with a diverse portfolio of
approximately 570,000 print and digital displays in 32 countries
across Asia, Europe, Latin
America and North America,
reaching millions of people monthly. A growing digital platform
includes more than 16,000 digital displays in international markets
and more than 1,900 digital displays (excluding airports),
including more than 1,400 digital billboards, in the U.S.
Elephant Insurance
Elephant is a consumer-focused car insurance company headquartered
in Richmond, VA with the aim to
put its customers at the center of all efforts. Elephant Insurance
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Admiral Group, plc., one of the
U.K.'s leading insurers with a presence in eight countries and over
6 million customers worldwide. More information is available at
www.elephant.com.
iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number
one audio company in the United
States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month – and
with its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, has a greater
reach than any other media company in the U.S. The company's
leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms,
including more than 850 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets
nationwide; through its iHeartRadio digital service available
across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices; through its
influencers; social; branded iconic live music events; other
digital products and newsletters; and podcasts as the #1 commercial
podcast publisher. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in
analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners
with its SmartAudio product, using data from its massive consumer
base. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.
National Organizations for Youth Safety
NOYS was originally founded in 1995 as the Traffic Safety
Collaboration supported by funding from government agencies,
including the Department of Transportation. In 2005, NOYS became a
501(c)(3) organization and incorporated as National Organizations
for Youth Safety. With over 100 organizational members -
youth-serving nonprofits, businesses and government agencies, NOYS
works collectively to address the most prevalent causes of injury
and death among teens and young adults in the US. Learn more
at www.NOYS.org.
NHTSA
For 50 years, the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) has served as the key federal agency
charged with improving safety on our nation's roadways. As part of
the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA is working to reduce
traffic-related deaths and injuries by promoting the use of seat
belts and child safety seats; helping states and local communities
address the threat of distracted, drunk and drug-impaired drivers;
regulating vehicle safety standards and investigating safety
defects in motor vehicles; establishing and enforcing fuel economy
standards; conducting research on driver behavior and traffic
safety; and providing consumer information on issues ranging from
child passenger safety to impaired driving. For more information
visit www.nhtsa.gov.
Project Yellow Light
Project Yellow Light
is a film, billboard and radio scholarship competition where high
school and college students create compelling stories persuading
their peers to develop safe driving habits. This project gives
students a voice and a role in preventing car crashes — one of the
leading causes of death of teenagers and young adults in the U.S.
Project Yellow Light was created by Julie, Lowell and Alex
Garner in memory of their son/brother, Hunter, who died
tragically in a car crash in 2007. Each year the winners receive
the Hunter Garner Scholarship.
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SOURCE Ad Council