Louisville lawyer spends over $500,000 on motivational billboards

Louisville attorney Sam Aguiar has spent more than half a million dollars on a billboard campaign that features short, encouraging phrases. The signs have been up since December 2024 and are located in high traffic areas across the city.

Aguiar, who has practiced personal injury law since 2008, designed the messages himself. He told his billboard representative to install the signs quickly before he changed his mind. He described the initiative as a way to speak to people facing difficult personal challenges.

The signs use brief text such as 'Believe in yourself,' 'Good vibes only today,' and 'Stay strong.' Aguiar said he kept the language simple so the messages would resonate with a wide audience.

The campaign has generated immediate community feedback. More than 2,000 people have contacted Aguiar via phone, email, text, and social media. He cited messages from trauma nurses who found the signs helpful before long shifts. A cancer patient driving from Evansville for chemotherapy also reported feeling a boost from the messages. EMTs, teachers, and single mothers have also reached out to express their appreciation.

Aguiar has incorporated local culture into the campaign. One sign near the fairgrounds references a social media trend popular among teenagers. He noted that this approach allows parents in the front seat to see the message while their children in the back recognize the reference.

While some new legal clients have found Aguiar through the billboards, he said the primary goal was not to generate business. He stated that the campaign aims to remind people that they are important, loved, and making a difference.

Aguiar has installed about 60 billboards to date. He intends to continue the campaign and expand the presence of these signs in Louisville.