Tombras School Student Wins American Advertising Award for Class Project
Lainie Pastoor didn’t expect her class project to win an American Advertising Award, but it did, thanks to the encouragement of her professor, Assistant Professor Minjie Li. Pastoor is a senior studying advertising at the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations.
Originally from just outside Chicago, Pastoor took a leap of faith when she decided to attend the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as she didn’t know anyone in the area. She said the school’s spirit and the pleasant Tennessee weather drew her in.
“I visited UT during my senior year of high school. It was one of the first schools I toured, and it just felt right,” she recalled.
Her passion for creativity ignited at a young age when she began sketching. She later transitioned from sketching to videography, which she now considers her true passion. However, when she first started college, she was uncertain about how to apply her artistic skills in the real world, making it challenging to choose a major.
“I was originally a graphic design major. I truly didn’t know exactly where I was headed, but I switched to advertising and public relations in my sophomore year after doing more research on the college. It felt like a better fit for me than graphic design, and it certainly has been,” she explained.
After changing her major to advertising, Pastoor discovered a way to combine her love for cinematography with her studies.
“I’m not great at creating digital ads in Photoshop. I prefer working with video. I get to express myself and share my ideas through my video production skills in advertising, and that’s what I love about it,” she shared.
Currently, she is involved with the student organization, UT Ducks Unlimited chapter, where she applies the skills she has learned in the classroom to real-world situations.
“I’m currently the social media chair for the University of Tennessee Knoxville Ducks Unlimited chapter. My best friend, Mia Cervetti, serves as one of the co-chairs. While I’m not into hunting, she asked me to manage the social media page, and I was happy to agree. I produce a lot of video content for them and their Instagram. They host a banquet every year, and I created an entire video for that, which was really cool,” she said.
In the spring semester of 2024, Pastoor took an advertising creative strategy course taught by Assistant Professor Minjie Li.
Li explained, “In the advertising creative strategy course, the students and I co-create an agency environment and workflow.”
During the course, students are challenged to develop evidence-based, goal-oriented strategies and big ideas. Beyond that, they must bring these concepts to life through cohesive and engaging productions across various media platforms and advertising formats.
“These deliverables serve as the foundation for their portfolio building, helping them bridge the gap between strategic thinking and creative execution. In the process, they learn how to conduct good business and be effective storytellers,” Li said.
Pastoor and her group chose Universal Music Group as their subject, which recently celebrated 90 years in the music industry. This served as the premise for their project.
“To celebrate their 90th anniversary last year, we aimed to showcase the legacy of their artists and music over the decades. We had a couple of drafts for a video idea, but it really came together when we chose McKay’s as the location and my best friend, Paige Trondson, as our actress,” Pastoor said.
The concept of the video took viewers through a nostalgic journey, highlighting some of Universal’s most popular artists. From ’80s pop-rock to EDM and Drake, the video illustrated how music has evolved over the years. Pastoor was responsible for filming and editing the entire project.
Her work earned her a gold award at the American Advertising Awards Competition during the American Advertising Federation Knoxville Gala. The annual American Advertising Awards (previously known as the ADDY Awards) is the world’s largest and arguably toughest advertising competition. These awards embody the spirit of creative excellence by recognizing all forms of advertising across diverse media and entrants of all levels from around the globe. AAF-Knoxville hosted the local competition and awards gala, with gold and silver winners eligible to compete at regional and national levels.
Pastoor said, “I’ve received awards in the past for my artwork in high school. However, receiving an award for an advertisement, especially for my video production and the entire process of creating the ad, is truly special. This is my first award related to advertising, so it means a lot to me. Seeing my work recognized was an incredible experience. I’ve always dreamed of creating these types of videos, and seeing it come to life, along with receiving an award for something I envisioned, is very meaningful.”
Li commented, “Lainie and her work exemplify all the crucial qualities required for creating an advertisement: strategic acumen and creative vision. These qualities prepare her for opportunities like this. More importantly, she is proactive and takes action to embrace the opportunities that come her way. I do not doubt that she—alongside her supportive peers—will continue to achieve great things.”
Pastoor believes that her success would not have been possible without the influence of Li’s class on her academic journey. According to her, Li’s teaching style, personalized feedback, and encouragement to submit her work for the awards contributed significantly to her success.
“He’s truly one of the first teachers I’ve had who has shown that he cares about every student,” she stated.
She emphasizes the importance of building relationships with professors for academic success by saying, “I know he has helped me a lot, even with little tips and tricks, and has pushed me to grow. He was the one who advised me to submit my video for the awards, and I know he was very excited when I turned it in. He is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had.”
Looking to the future, Pastoor hopes to continue using her video production skills, whether in an agency or with a single company. She is willing to move to a big city to pursue her passion and would love to work in places like Chicago, Texas, or Tennessee.
She shared that her journey at UT has greatly impacted her future success and encourages other students to seize opportunities and develop strong connections with faculty.
You can watch Pastoor’s video project here.
Tombras School Student Wins American Advertising Award for Class Project written by Kristen Gallant and originally published on the College of Communication & Information site.