WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS BEST NEW AD COMPETITION
 
Three Winning Entries Honored; Students Receive Monetary Prize and Bragging Rights

Norwell, Mass. (Dec. 7, 2011) – Best New Ad, an online advertising contest administrator showcasing the creativity of college students, and Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc., a national charity with a mission to connect military families during deployments, recently teamed up for the Cell Phones for Soldiers’ Best New Ad Competition. From more than 250 audio, video and print ad submissions, students from Detroit’s College of Creative Studies, Michigan State University and Eastern Illinois University were chosen as winners by a panel of judges.
 
The winning entries competed against more than 22 colleges and universities for bragging rights as well as a cash prize. Cell Phones for Soldiers will feature the following winning entries over the course of 2012.
 
Video Submission
Brian Mekjian and Kelly McGuckin from the College of Creative Studies collected a $500 cash prize for their 30-second video ad. The piece showcases what lives under a college students’ bed and how recycling a used cell phone can make a difference for a military member overseas. Watch the winning video at http://www.bestnewad.com/ProjectModule/viewsubmission.php?file=1320768829_.flv&assignid=36&catid=2&mem_id=1740&subid=797.
 
Radio Submission
Students were given the option of a 15- or 30-second radio commercial. Korey Adkins of Eastern Illinois University was chosen as the winner and awarded a $300 cash prize. Listen to Adkins’s 30-second radio commercial at http://www.bestnewad.com/ProjectModule/viewsubmission.php?file=1320998489_.mp3&assignid=37&catid=3&mem_id=1840&subid=823.
 
Print Submission
With more than 200 print ads submitted, Whitney Rodden of Michigan State University captured the winning prize of $200 for an emotional black and white ad showcasing a father and child holding hands. The ad speaks to the emotional communication gap families experience during deployments. See the winning print ad at http://www.bestnewad.com/ProjectModule/viewsubmission.php?file=1319074606_.jpg&assignid=38&catid=4&mem_id=1612&subid=671.
 
Cell Phones for Soldiers will use winning ads to raise awareness and drive donations. Since the charity’s inception, more than 114 million minutes of talk time have connected families during deployments, made possible by the more than 8.3 million donated cellular phones.
 
The panel of judges was comprised of charity leadership, charity founders and personnel from ASPIRE Communications and Marketing. Ads were judged on originality, quality of production and ability to reach the objectives of the assignment.
 
“Picking just one ad for this competition was one of the hardest things I’ve done in quite some time,” said Bob Bergquist, president of Cell Phones for Soldiers. “Each student should be proud of his/her work; we would have picked 20 in each category if we could.”
 
Video ads receiving honorable mentions include:
·       Kyle Watson and Jason Ray of College of Creative Studies
·       Dan Kritchevsky, Valerie Much, Cody Ong, Chelsey Morin, Cameron Boydston and Jackson Quick of Tribeca Flashpoint
·       Brigitte Agneray, Natalia Osias, Mallory Bridges, Donnie Lenhof, Andrew Biesen and John Myers of Tribeca Flashpoint
·       Jordan Larrison of Wright State University
·       Caroline Krozel, Pat Beatty, Matthew Zetzl and Kelsey DeMarco of Indiana University
 
Radio ads receiving honorable mentions include:
·       Kevin Jackman of North Central Illinois
·       Brigitte Agneray, Natalia Osias, Mallory Bridges, Donnie Lenhof, Andrew Biesen and John Myers of Tribeca Flashpoint
·       Dan Kritchevsky, Valerie Much, Jackson Quick, Cody Ong, Cameron Boydston and Chelsey Morin of Tribeca Flashpoint
·       Chris Andre, Kim Cahoon, Trenton Succes, Joe Lundstrom, James Moody of Columbia College Chicago
 
Print ads receiving honorable mentions include:
·       Joseph Peraud of Loyola University Chicago
·       Kaleb Hite of University of Illinois Chicago
·       Jacob Hatmaker of Coyahoga College
·       Amber Woodson, Anna Mroczkowska, Katya Volynskaya of Oakton Community College
·       Katherine Tyse of Harper College
·       Kelsey Wilcox of Ohio State University
·       Tomasz Gliszewski of University of Illinois Chicago
·       Mary Sundermeier of Ohio State University
·       Erica Gonzales of Harper College
·       Aaron Parsons of Ohio State University
·       Mikey Cohlmia and Katy Hansen of Columbia College
·       Emily Erickson of Michigan State University
 
For Official Rules please visit www.bestnewad.com.

ABOUT CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS INC.
Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc. (CPFS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing deployed and returning troops cost-free methods to communicate with family while serving in the United States military. Based in Norwell, Mass., CPFS was founded in 2004 by Robbie and Brittany Bergquist, then 12 and 13 years old. From the recycling of used mobile phones and cash donations, the organization has raised more than $7 million, collected more than 8.3 million cell phones and provided troops overseas with more than 114 million minutes of free talk time. For more information www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com. Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JoinCellPhonesforSoldiers.
 
ABOUT BEST NEW AD, LTD.
The Best New Ad website is a partnership between the education and business communities. Through this
website, companies assign projects in which students are challenged to create the "Best New Ad". The
students enter the competition by creating a TV, Radio and/or Print Ad for the sponsor. The student that creates
the "Best New Ad" in each category is awarded a prize by the sponsoring company.  New projects are offered each semester.  www.BestNewAd.com

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