Louisville: Lawyer's $500,000 billboard campaign spreads positive messages

More than 2,000 people have contacted Sam Aguiar since December 2024 to tell him his billboards helped them through hard days. The Louisville personal injury attorney, who has practiced law since 2008, spent more than half a million dollars to place roughly 60 signs in high-traffic areas around the city.

Aguiar designed the messages himself and instructed his billboard representative to install them quickly. He chose short, simple phrases such as “Believe in yourself,” “Good vibes only today,” and “Stay strong.” He said he wanted the words to speak to different people facing various challenges.

The response has come from a wide range of community members. Aguiar said trauma nurses reported that signs near hospitals braced them for difficult shifts. A cancer patient who drove to E-town for chemotherapy said the messages provided a boost. EMTs, teachers, and single mothers also reached out to share how the signs affected them.

One billboard near the fairgrounds references a social media trend popular with Aguiar’s 13-year-old. He noted that parents in the front seat might appreciate the reminder that they are a “10,” while their children in the back might see a “6” or “7” and perform the associated motion. Aguiar described this approach as a way to join a cultural moment rather than fight it.

While some new clients have come to Aguiar’s practice, he said the primary goal was never business generation. He stated that the campaign aims to remind people that they are important, loved, and making a difference in the world. He has continued to fund the initiative and plans to keep it running.

The campaign began in December 2024. Aguiar said he felt the legal field was tough but rewarding, which inspired him to share that sentiment publicly. He has maintained that the project is about connection rather than advertising, though the visibility has inevitably led to some professional inquiries.