A billboard campaign partnered with Re:act to promote road safety awareness.
Role
Selected artist from a class of 30 graphic design students who were each challenged to design a billboard campaign for Re:act.
Date
March 2024 -> August 2024
Organization
Re:act for Change
Scope of work
Campaign Design
Brand Identity
User Research
Graphic Design
Web Design
Copywriting
Five seconds. That’s all the time you have to grab a driver’s attention on a busy speedway- and potentially save a life.
The #PassThePhone campaign delivers that message in its simplest form: hand your phone to a passenger. This small, intentional action turns distracted drivers into focused ones, lowering the risk of crashes and making the road safer for everyone.
ABOUT RE:ACT
Re:act is a global company that promotes road safety education and awareness to change people's behaviors on the road.
THE BRIEF
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.
GOALS
Conduct primary research with 17–25 year olds to understand awareness, attitudes, and behaviors around cell phone distraction.
Develop clear, relatable messaging and visuals that resonate with young drivers, motivating them to adopt safer habits behind the wheel.
Create a campaign concept that reframes distracted driving as socially unacceptable among peers.
Design public-facing materials, supported by industry and road safety partners, that inspire peer-to-peer advocacy through a positive tone.
USER RESEARCH
THE PROBLEM
Distracted driving is a serious issue in the DC-Maryland-Virginia region, contributing to nearly half of all car crashes.
USER STUDY: SURVEY
I surveyed people ages 17-25, 95% of whom owned a driver's license and 52% claiming they drive frequently.
THE FACTS
1️⃣ 5 seconds - the average amount of time it takes to read a text message, which is equivalent to driving 3 football fields blind if driving at 55mph.
2️⃣ 10x - the increased risk of crashing when texting while driving.
3️⃣ 75% - the percentage of 17-25 year-old drivers that believe they are distracted by their phones often.
🚫 Maryland law prohibits cell phone use and texting while driving.
As I delved into user research, an intriguing pattern emerged. Most people are well aware of the dangers of using mobile phones while driving— statistics and warnings aren’t new to them. Yet, despite this awareness, they often remain tethered to their screens behind the wheel. The culprit wasn’t a lack of knowledge but rather a habitual dependency on mobile devices.
A: "I was changing the music on my phone and almost hit a car."
A: "A scooter ran into my while I was on TikTok."
KEY FINDING
Despite understanding the increased risk of car crashes, phone addiction can override our commitment to road safety.
This realization shifted my focus: I needed to design a solution that didn’t just repeat warnings but targeted the deeper behavioral patterns causing the issue.
cAMPAIGN CONCEPTUALIZATION
AVOIDING SCARE TACTINGS
Distracted driving campaigns often rely on shock value: tragic stories, stark statistics, and haunting imagery. While this approach is effective, it doesn't tackle the core problem of phone addiction. Young drivers already know the dangers—they don’t need more grim reminders.
Examples of common driver safety advertisements.
Instead, I wanted to approach the problem differently: with optimism and a call to action that felt achievable, relatable, and even uplifting.
SLOGAN IDEAS
1️⃣ Earned your license? Don't lose it!
2️⃣ DUI: Driving Under the Influence (of phones)
WHY "PASS THE PHONE"?
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. Plus, it's easy to act on—no mental strain or added steps, just a simple action to increase safety- leading to direct habitual change on the road.
A: "I have a passenger take care of navigation, music, texts, etc."
DESIGN ITERATIONS
DRAFTS, DRAFTS, DRAFTS!
I chose to illustrate a driver handing their phone to a passenger, capturing the small but meaningful action that promotes safer driving.
I noticed the pose resembled Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam and leaned into this motif to depict the passenger as a life-saver, emphasizing the impact of this gesture.
I selected a bold, warm color palette, drawing inspiration from vibrant iPhone ads to make the message visually striking and emotionally inviting.
Throughout this process, I focused on creating a clean, professional design that clearly conveyed the message without confusion. With each iteration, I incorporated feedback from the company and my professor to refine the visuals. Every element was intentionally crafted to foster a positive, encouraging atmosphere that inspires drivers to adopt safer habits.
OUTCOMES
BILLBOARD DESIGN
LANDING PAGE
BILLBOARD METRICS & ENGAGEMENT
The billboard was presented in 4 key locations- Laurel, Capitol Heights, Baltimore, and Hagerstown.
The campaign delivered 1.68 million impressions from August 5th to September 1st, 2024.
The design was displayed 75,167 times through the digital billboards.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Working with Re:act was an invaluable experience that strengthened my skills in billboard design, website design, and copywriting, while also teaching me how to incorporate stakeholder feedback into every stage of the creative process. I was honored to have my campaign selected for the 2024 U.S. Campaign, my first time leading a full-scale project, and gained a deeper understanding of how design choices impact public behavior. This project not only refined my technical abilities but also reinforced my commitment to road safety and the simple, life-saving habit to “pass the phone to the passenger.”
CREDITS
Vic Rechichi - Content Director, Re:act
Alireza Vaziri - Interaction Design Instructor
