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BYU AdLab
Company typePrivate
IndustryAdvertising & Marketing
Founded2003
FounderJeff Sheets
Doug McKinlay
HeadquartersProvo, UT, USA
Websitebyuadlab.com

The BYU AdLab is an American advertising agency housed within the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. Founded by Jeff Sheets and Doug McKinlay, it is one of only a few university-sponsored advertising agencies in the world.[1] The AdLab exists as a student run, professionally mentored ad agency, bridging the gap between student and professional work.

The BYU AdLab is the only student agency to win a Professional One Show Pencil and is the only student agency of record for The Ad Council, producing over 40 national public service campaigns.[2] The program has won hundreds of awards and was recognized as the One Show’s School of the Year in 2024.[3]

History

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Founded in 2003, the BYU AdLab first gained prominence with a campaign for the Office of the National Drug Control Policy portraying pictures of teenagers who made the choice themselves to say no to drugs.[4] Jeff Sheets then realized that students didn't need fake assignments, but that work in the real world would be even more effective.[5] Since them the AdLab has collaborated with dozens of advertising agencies nationwide to produce numerous national clients, including Airbnb, Gatorade, Old Spice, Nike, Volkswagen, Burger King, L'Oreal, EA Sports, the UNICEF Tap Project, Doritos, Haagen Dazs, Holiday Inn, Nestle, Ford, Verizon, General Mills, Taco Bell, Levi's, Spotify, Amazon, and more.[6][7][8]

As a volunteer agency with the Ad Council, the AdLab has produced projects for the Library of Congress, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Coalition for Healthy Children, the American Cancer Society, and the United States Forest Service.[9][10]

In 2011, the BYU AdLab became the first student-run ad agency to win a professional Pencil from the One Show.[11] The program partnered with ad agency McCann Erickson to create a music video for Kyle Andrews, which received a Bronze Pencil in the music category. The music video featured an attempt at setting a Guinness World Record for the world's largest water balloon fight with 3927 participants and 120,021 water balloons.[12]

The AdLab receives no funding from BYU, but generates all money from client projects. BYU Adlab graduates have gone on to work for notable ad agencies across the country, including Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, Wieden+Kennedy, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, McCann Erickson, Deutsch LA, TBWA\Chiat\Day, and more.[13][14][15]

Awards and Recognition

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The BYU AdLab has collected numerous awards and press mentions since being established.[16]

2019

In 2019 the AdLab was named the top college advertising program in the country by College Magazine.[17] The BYU AdLab won the Student Gold ADDY Award for the Dorito's Nemesis campaign, one of only eight gold awards awarded by the American Advertising Federation from more than 60,000 applicants.[18]

2023 Awards

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  • In 2023, the BYU AdLab won 28 Gold awards at the annual AAF American Advertising Awards competition.[19]
  • The program was ranked second in the world for the One Club's Best Global Creative College[20]
  • The AdLab swept the annual Student Emmy awards competition for best Student Commercial with Andrew Rhee and Madi Hill’s commercial “Dear Vanessa”.[21]

2024 Awards

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  • In 2024, the BYU AdLab was named School of the Year by the One Club Young Ones student competition.[22][23]
  • Students won 51 awards during the One Club’s Creative Week in New York.
  • Professor Jeff Sheets was named the 2024 Distinguished Advertising Educator of the Year by the American Advertising Federation.[24]
  • Students Abby Jensen and Shelby Moore won the 15th Annual Washington Media Scholars Foundation Competition for their work on the Media Plan Case Competition.[25]
  • The program took third place in the annual National Student Advertising Competition.[26]
  • The BYU AdLab was named the winner of the 2024 Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program.[27] Students Adam Sheets and Destinee Neville won both the competition’s Grand Prize and the Cinemark Fan Favorite Award for their commercial “Signs of Friendship.”[28]
  • For the fifth year in a row, the BYU AdLab swept the Student Emmy nominations for Best Student TVCommercial/PSA in the annual College Television Awards.[29] Students Remington Butler, Alex McBride, and Tanner Jackson won the school’s fifth straight award for their commercial “No One is Alone.”[30]

AAF Most Promising Multicultural Student Award Winners

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The BYU AdLab has a long history of students being recognized as Most Promising Multicultural Students by the American Advertising Federation. Since 2019, 21 program graduates have received this recognition.

AAF Most Promising Multicultural Student Award Winners
Class of 2019 Erin Gazdik, Jessica Nugent, Lorien Pereyra, Pablo Perez[31]
Class of 2020 Enoch Lui, Ashley Poelman[32]
Class of 2021 Kofi Aidoo, Rebekah Baker, Evelyn Harper, Haliamai Kealoha, Lillian Maero, Joseph Nugent, Donna Wilson[33]
Class of 2022 Madison Hill, Andrew Rhee[34]
Class of 2023 Brianna Aguilar, John Starkweather, Christopher Mercado, Bri Lucero[35]
Class of 2024 Gabriel Bori, Eli Wright[36]

References

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  1. ^ "Pro-quality ad campaigns flowing out of BYU's AdLab". Deseret News. 2010-07-12. Archived from the original on July 13, 2010. Retrieved 2011-03-07.
  2. ^ "Comms Home". School of Communications. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  3. ^ "BYU AdLab Recognized Internationally for its Exemplary Students and Faculty". College of Fine Arts and Communications (CFAC). 2024-07-01. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  4. ^ Butterfield, Amanda. "BYU Adlab program giving students real-world experience". KSL. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
  5. ^ Walker, Michael L. "The BYU Launchpad", BYU Magazine, Utah, 1 June 2019. Retrieved on 5 August 2019.
  6. ^ "BYU's Ad Lab winning pro-level recognition". Deseret News. 2011-02-26. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved 2011-03-07.
  7. ^ "AdLab". School of Communications. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  8. ^ Merrill, Olivia Serafin. "BYU's "Addy" Lab". Y Magazine. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  9. ^ Hollingshead, Media Contact: Todd (2010-06-14). "BYU Ad Lab turns Doritos into Gold by winning national ADDY". News. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  10. ^ Hollingshead, Media Contact: Todd (2010-06-30). "BYU Ad Lab behind new Smokey Bear DVD". News. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  11. ^ Hollingshead, Media Contact: Todd (2011-02-18). "BYU Ad Lab first student agency to win top professional award". News. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  12. ^ ""Cougar Cooldown" breaks water balloon fight record". News. 2010-07-24. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  13. ^ Stephenson, Kathy. "Hot for hot dogs — BYU students relish the chance to promote wieners as winners". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
  14. ^ Hollingshead, Media Contact: Todd (2010-06-14). "BYU Ad Lab turns Doritos into Gold by winning national ADDY". News. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  15. ^ Christensen, Media Contact: Andrea (2017-06-12). "BYU ad students sweeping national and international awards shows". News. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  16. ^ Nudd, Tim (15 June 2017). "This Charming Vespa Ad Won the Top Student Award at the National Addys". AdWeek. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
  17. ^ Hollingshaus, Kristen (21 February 2019). "BYU advertising program ranks No. 1 in nation". Daily Universe. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
  18. ^ "BYU students' commercial wins top honor". Salt Lake Tribune. 2011-09-17. Retrieved 2011-03-08.
  19. ^ "AAF American Advertising Awards & Big Adlab Wins – BYU AdLab". Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  20. ^ "Award Rankings - Top Students in Design and Advertising | The One ClubCollege Rankings | 2023". www.oneclub.org. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  21. ^ "Big Emmy Win – BYU AdLab". Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  22. ^ "School of the Year! – BYU AdLab". Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  23. ^ "Young Ones Student Awards - Archive of Winners | The One ClubYoung Ones | College Rankings | 2024". www.oneclub.org. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  24. ^ "Distinguished Advertising Educator Award Home | AAF". www.aaf.org. Archived from the original on 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  25. ^ "Washington Media Scholars Foundation Announces 2024 Competition Winners - Washington Media Scholars". 2024-06-07. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  26. ^ "BYU Adlab takes 3rd Place Nationally in the NSAC Tide Competition – BYU AdLab". Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  27. ^ Stahle, Media Contact: Tyler (2024-04-17). "From campus to cinema: BYU students win Coca-Cola Refreshing Films contest". News. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  28. ^ "2024 Finalists". www.coca-cola.com. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  29. ^ "Adlab Students Sweep TV Commercial Awards Category in the Student Emmy Competition – BYU AdLab". Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  30. ^ "BYU animation, AdLab students win Student Emmys". News. 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  31. ^ "Most Promising Class of 2019".
  32. ^ "Most Promising Class of 2020".
  33. ^ "Most Promising Class of 2021".
  34. ^ "AAF's Most Promising Multicultural Students Named for 2022". November 10, 2021.
  35. ^ "Four Students from The BYU ADLAB named Most Promising Multicultural Students – BYU AdLab". Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  36. ^ "2024 Most Promising Multicultural Students Class Announced". www.aaf.org. Archived from the original on 2024-06-25. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
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