The Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association (JSPRAA) recently announced the winners of the 37th annual JASPER awards. This year, Prevention First, Ocean Township, won a Gold Award in two categories, Print Material: Poster; and Corporate Identity: Stationery Package. The agency also won three Silver Awards in the categories of Television/Video: Short Documentary/ Promo (61 seconds-10 minutes); Special Event Planning: Community Event (one-time); and Special Event Planning: Fundraiser (one-time). Prevention First also won the Helen Hoffman Best in ShowAward for the Print Material: Poster entry.
The award for Print Material: Poster is for an advertising campaign created by Filter Advertising to bring awareness to the problem of bullying and highlights Prevention First’s expertise on the issues of bullying. The Television/ Video: Short Documentary/Promo award is for a video done by Jeff Buccellato about Prevention First’s “What If…” program, which is one of the bullying programs that Prevention First provides to high schools. The award for Corporate Identity: Stationery Package is for Prevention First’s new stationery and the Special Event Planning: Fundraiser was for the agency’s 2011 gala, “Après Ski,” which raised more than $150,000 for bullying, violence and substance abuse education. The Special Event Planning: Community Event award is for Prevention First’s free 2010 concert, Rock to Prevent. Held at Pier Village in Long Branch and featuring young musicians, its goal was to inspire other young people to get involved in a hobby like music, because studies show that children with a hobby are 45 percent less likely to become involved in substance abuse.
Entries were judged by a panel of experts from around the tri-state area based on criteria such as creativity, concept, artwork, and effectiveness in reaching the target audience.