A billboard campaign partnered with Re:act to promote road safety awareness.
00 Summary
Re:act is a global company that promotes road safety education and awareness to change people's behaviors on the road.
Create a positive campaign that educates and raises awareness of 17-25 year olds and ultimately changes their behavior of not being distracted by cell phones either as a pedestrian or as a driver.
Distracted driving campaigns often rely on shock value: tragic stories, stark statistics, and haunting imagery. But I realized this approach, while powerful, wasn’t enough. Young drivers already know the dangers—they don’t need more grim reminders. Instead, I wanted to approach the problem differently: with optimism and a call to action that felt achievable, relatable, and even uplifting.
During brainstorming sessions, I gravitated toward quick, punchy slogans that could convey the message in seconds. One concept stood out: “Pass the phone to the passenger.” It was simple, friendly, empowering, and catchy! Rather than shaming drivers, it offered a proactive, positive solution—one that framed safety as a shared responsibility and highlighted the role of community.
02 Design Iterations
Alongside the billboard slogan and design, we were tasked to create a website that went into further detail about the billboard’s messaging, provide context, and track engagement from the billboard.
In my initial designs, I was still getting comfortable with web design and struggled to create an organized look and feel.
03 Chosen by Surprise!
From then on, I worked with Vic Richechi in order to create a proper copy for the website, social media, and press. I also refined the design with a couple more drafts in order to fit the formal requirements.
After a few iterations of the landing page on Figma, I designed a website on Squarespace to take in engagement from intrigued passersby. This landing page was to tell drivers more facts about road safety and encourage safe habits.
My final edits included a font change and size increase, in order to make it more eye-catching and visible from a quick glance on the road.
04 Results
The Pass the Phone campaign provides a straightforward, impactful solution: simply hand your phone to a passenger while driving. This small shift in behavior helps transform distracted drivers into more attentive, safer ones, lowering the risk of crashes.
The campaign’s tagline, “Pass the phone to the passenger,” is designed to be memorable and easy to act on—no mental strain or added steps, just a simple action to increase safety.
To convey this message, I used a bold, warm color palette that’s both attention-grabbing and inviting. The visual design references Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, symbolizing the life-saving potential of this small action. Every element in the campaign is crafted to foster a positive, encouraging atmosphere that motivates drivers to adopt safer habits.
The billboard was presented in 4 key locations around the greater DC-maryland area: Laurel, Capitol Heights, Baltimore, and Hagerstown. It was presented for about a month, throughout August of 2024, alongside the website. It was heartwarming to see my design on the streets that I would drive on myself. The total audience reach over this time span ended up being 1.6 million!
The billboard was presented in 4 key locations around the greater DC-maryland area: Laurel, Capitol Heights, Baltimore, and Hagerstown. It was presented for about a month, throughout August of 2024, alongside the website. It was heartwarming to see my design on the streets that I would drive on myself. The total audience reach over this time span ended up being 1.6 million!
Working with Re:act has been an incredible experience. From the outset, I was impressed by the team’s commitment to connecting with our class across time zones, ensuring we had meaningful, constructive feedback. Throughout the project, we met with Re:act twice, receiving in-depth critiques on our designs and thoughtful suggestions for improvement.
I was thrilled when my design campaign was selected for the 2024 U.S. Campaign—my first opportunity to lead a full-scale campaign! I felt fully supported by the team, who consistently offered understanding and flexibility around my schedule. The detailed edits on both the billboard design and web copy provided invaluable insight into the considerations essential for creating effective public campaigns.
This project has deepened my skills in billboard design, website design, and copywriting, all while working toward a cause I genuinely care about. Now, whenever I drive, I’m reminded of the importance of road safety and make it a priority to “pass the phone to the passenger” to avoid distractions.