The Two River Times won the New Jersey Press Association’s top advertising award, the O’B, at the annual 2014 Newspaper Contest held Thursday at The Hamilton Manor in Hamilton, NJ.
The ad was selected by the NJPA judges after considering the top winners across 62 categories. It was in the running for the O’B because it was selected for First Place, Best Newspaper Promotion or House Ad category.
The winning advertisement is a full-page photo essay depicting life in Monmouth County, and was designed by Production Manager Chris Draper. Photographer Scott Longfield’s photos are of a father and son framed by the dazzling lights of a nighttime summer fair, lacrosse players skirmishing, a surfer and performers on stage. The copy read, “The website that is all about you. Your Community. Online daily. In print weekly. tworivertimes.com. Community matters.”
A judge said, “Fantastic pictures – gives people a reason to log on!”
Draper, who has worked at the weekly for 11 years, said, “Like everything at the TRT the award was a team effort. It’s an awesome looking trophy and I’m glad we’ll get to keep it in the office for a year.”
The O’B is affectionately named for the NJPA’s Foundation Director John O’Brien, who long served as the association’s executive director. He was known to all as “O’B.” The trophy, which is mounted on a huge pedestal in a wink to the Academy Awards, has been traveling to different member newspapers for over a decade. According to the NJPA’s Peggy Arbitell, newsroom staff have a little fun documenting how they dress the statue during the year, or photograph it on their vacations and at company picnics, to share on the NJPA.org’s website.
The paper also won the following 2nd place awards, as chosen by the Hoosier State Press Association, who did the judging this year:
Best Ad for Retail Business: Veranda
Best Restaurant/Entertainment Ad- color: Angelica’s
Packaging the News – Special Issue: TRTastings; Paint the Town Pink
Responsible Journalism – Enterprise: Working by Moonlight
Reporting- Writing & Illustration – Special Subject Writing: Couple Serve God, Church Community Together
and third place for Reporting- Writing & Illustration – Environmental- Health & Science Writing: Cool Spring Brings Tough Allergy Season
— By Christina Johnson
