FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 14, 2021

Contact: Natalie Golub, 973-382-4560, natalie@drugfreenj.org

MILLBURN, NJ — The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) received 12 awards at the 2021 NJ Ad Club Jersey Awards Ceremony held on September 29.

The NJ Ad Club is the oldest and largest trade association in New Jersey and this year marked its 53^rd annual award program, which showcases the best advertising and marketing efforts in the state. PDFNJ was one of the top winners, receiving a total of 12 awards: seven first-place, four second-place and one Award of Excellence.

Multiple PDFNJ substance use prevention public service campaigns earned first-place honors. They include:

• Out-of-Home Transit Rail and Out-of-Home Billboard categories for Message in a Bottle PSA that raises awareness about the dangers of prescription opioids
• Out-of-Home Transit Shelters category for Masking PSA focusing on educating the public about the dual health concerns affecting New Jersey and the country; the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic
• Out-of-Home Transit bus category for the Vaping PSA that educates New Jersey residents about the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes.

PDFNJ also earned first place in the following categories:

• Video Pro Bono category for the “Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs New Jersey” Virtual Presentation held on May 6, 2021
• Consumer Product or Service Launch category for PDFNJ’s Today NJ Calendar of Virtual Events for Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Support
• Printed Materials for the Third Grade Life Choices Coloring and Activity Book.

PDFNJ claimed second-place awards in the following categories:

• Pro Bono Social Media Work for Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day
• Pro Bono Public Relations for the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series Webinars
• Collateral Materials for the 4^th Grade Fun Things to Do Instead of Drugs Folders
• Out-of-Home PSA for a PSA that shines a light on the dangers of fentanyl

PDFNJ also won an Award of Excellence in the Digital Billboard category for its Masking Campaign public service announcement, which can be seen on a billboard located at 11 Times Square in New York, as well as 72 public service stations along the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike.

To date the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey has won 201 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.

“The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is proud to receive these awards recognizing our efforts in spreading prevention messages to New Jersey residents,” said Angelo Valente, Executive Director of PDFNJ.

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Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 202 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.