Students from the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD)’s fourth-year advertising program recently won cash prizes in the first-ever LCBO social responsibility student creative competition. LCBO Chair and CEO Andrew S. Brandt and OCAD Faculty of Design Dean Lenore Richards presented six students with cheques of $1,000 each at an awards ceremony at the college.

Students developed information campaigns in two areas: to help stop drinking and driving among young adults (19-25) and to help discourage underage drinking among teens. Some 35 students submitted entries, including concepts for posters, print and transit ads, booklets, TV spots, washroom ads and other materials for display in schools, licensed establishments and LCBO stores.

Two prizes were awarded for campaigns to help stop drinking and driving among young adults.

First prize: Melissa Desa from Mississauga and Joanna Hoang from Scarborough for their print campaign “You wouldn’t let a friend do something like this.” Double-page ads depict obviously dangerous activities to encourage readers to take action to prevent friends and family from drinking and driving.

The runner-up print and TV campaign, “Drink and drive and this could be yours,” created by Nellie Kim from Toronto and Susie Lee from Thornhill, shows audiences they might not get exactly what they wish for, if they drink and drive.

First prize in the underage-drinking prevention category: Solly Bulbulia from Mississauga and Karen Larmour from Holland Landing for their innovative campaign aimed at students. Called “Stay Safe, Stay Sober,” it uses case histories and guerrilla-style, site-specific signs to make teens familiar with the fatal consequences of underage drinking.

The LCBO was delighted to work with OCAD to help create relevant, engaging information campaigns to reach younger people with important messages about the responsible use of alcohol. Through these talented students, the LCBO hopes to tap into the mindset of these target age groups with messages, visuals and approaches that are credible, appealing and thought-provoking to younger audiences.

For many years, the LCBO, in partnership with MADD Canada, has produced advertising campaigns aimed at adult male audiences (25-45), to encourage them not to drink and drive. Research shows these campaigns have been successful in reaching this target audience. The LCBO hopes the winning OCAD campaigns, following testing, will achieve the same results with younger audiences.

Student submissions were judged by a panel of LCBO, OCAD and advertising industry representatives.