Sparked by a bright, cleverly designed call for entries, the Ad Club’s 35th annual Jersey Awards competition has drawn strong response from the advertising and communications community.

Designed and produced jointly by Rick Bonelli of Sunspots Creative, Inc., and John Howlett of Adergy, Inc., the call for entries features the world-famous Jersey Tomato in presenting a record 109 entry categories. Classifications range from newspaper and magazine advertising, collateral and direct marketing to radio and television commercials, interactive media and out of home.

Similar categories were offered in Hispanic/ Foreign Language submissions. The attractive mail piece opens up to a poster with a crushed tomato on a wall inviting entrants to “Take Your Best Shot.” Photography was supplied by Abdulai Sesay and printing was supplied by Advanced Printing Technologies.

The deadline for entries was extended until March 7, 2003, with the judging held at Gibbs College in Montclair on March 15. The panel of judges are members of the Long Island Advertising Club and the Philadelphia Advertising Club. Winners will be notified in April, with the awards dinner set for May 20, 2003, at Mayfair Farms in West Orange.

Advertising is available in the dinner program as are sponsorships for the evening’s events. Contact Pat Hanley at 201.998.5133 for additional details.

In addition to Rick Bonelli and John Howlett, the Jersey Awards Committee includes: Robert French from WPBS-13, Lana Jackson from WLTW Lite FM 106.7, Allan Gorman from AGCD, Lewis Kraut from Prism Press, Jonathan Morgan from RMI, Inc., and Ad Club President Suzanne Poor from Miller/Poor Associates. Committee chair is Ralph Gonzalez of Miller/Poor and Three Rivers Associates.