Syracuse Sun

Communication Arts, a prominent publication in the visual communications field, annually recognizes students for their excellence in advertising, design, photography, or illustration through its Student Showcase Awards. This year, out of 14 student winners across the nation, two advertising majors from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications have been honored.

Tori Aragi and Jordan Leveille, both art directors in Newhouse's creative advertising program, were awarded for five campaigns they developed during their coursework. Their work was featured in the March/April 2024 edition of Communication Arts.

Mel White, a professor at Newhouse and instructor for Aragi and Leveille's Portfolio I course, highlighted the transformative experience students undergo: “The fun of Portfolio I is that many students come in with no experience,” he said. He emphasized that students often achieve award-winning results despite initial unfamiliarity with creating ad campaigns.

Aragi’s campaign "Too Tired to Function" for Raycon Wireless Earbuds includes three print ads showcasing superior battery life by illustrating Apple AirPods "falling asleep." Aragi credits her success to Professor White's teachings: “Professor White taught me how to blend visuals and copy to create this compelling story.”

Leveille’s "Hydroscape" campaign for Hydro Flask employs visual solutions by depicting bottles as icy landscapes to highlight their ability to keep liquids cold. Professor White commended Leveille’s approach: “Jordan is strikingly adept at using visual solution advertising.”

Leveille also created the "Bad Hair Day" campaign for Aveeno using a playful approach to illustrate hair care challenges and solutions provided by Aveeno’s products.

Aragi’s "Fries Over Friends" campaign for McDonald’s humorously captures the drama of stolen fries. She attributes her success to guidance on copy-based advertising from Professor White.

Leveille’s innovative experiential idea for charity: water involved creating inaccessible drinking water cans placed in vending machines. The campaign aimed to generate empathy for those lacking access to clean water globally. Professor White noted its impact: “The charity: water campaign tangibly recreates water inaccessibility through a completely sealed and visually identifiable can.”

Lastly, Aragi collaborated with Kayla Beck on "Just Let It Go" for eBay targeting Generation Z in the UK. This campaign encouraged letting go of preloved items with a humorous twist.

This achievement marks six consecutive years that Newhouse creative advertising students have won Communication Arts Student Showcase Awards.