THE R&J GROUP, Parsippany, has hired JUSTIN BRINDISI as Art Director. Prior to joining the agency, Brindisi spent six years with AJF Associates in Piscataway, handling such high-profile accounts as AT&T, Fujitsu, Englehard Corporation and IFF International Flavors and Fragrances. At the same time, DANIEL BARRY has joined the agency as a copywriter. Earlier he worked for Wunderman in Manhattan and The Sawtooth Group in Woodbridge.

Two NJN PUBLIC TV & RADIO original program series were awarded Emmys at the 48th Annual New York Emmy Awards dinner at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. The N.Y. Emmy for Societal Concerns Programming was awarded to Due Process, a weekly program examining cutting-edge issues of law and justice hosted by noted criminal lawyer Raymond M. Brown.

The N.Y. Emmy for Arts Programming went to the State of the Arts program Magnificent Obsession. The winning episode explored the fascination in arts through stories profiling the career of legendary choral conductor Joseph Flummerfelt, the extravagant jewelry of the hip-hop culture and the world of accordion aficionados.

WINNING STRATEGIES ADVERTISING, Princeton, has launched a new tele-vision and radio advertising campaign for Cooper University Hospital about women’s health issues featuring Camden County native and television personality Kelly Ripa. The commercial began airing on the March 27 episode of ABC-TV’s Desperate Housewives series. In the commercials, Ripa discusses where women can receive the best care for heart disease and cancer in the Delaware Valley as well as the hospital’s specialties in uro-gynecology, breast cancer and cardiology.

The New Home™ Collection Book sample book for new homebuyers, designed by BLOCK ADVERTISING & MARKETING, Verona, for Hunter Douglas Window Fashions, has won the Window Covering Manufacturers Association Award for best new sampling overall.

The strategy behind the book is to give residential builders the ability to offer quality window fashions as part of the new home selection process so the cost of window coverings, one of the first purchases a new homebuyer needs to make, can be included in the mortgage.

Block also launched a VISA® incentive rewards program for Cambridge Pavingstones, Lyndhurst. Backed by direct mail, public relations and in-store promotions at over 150 authorized distributors from Maine to North Carolina, the program requires contractors to forward proof of purchase to receive a VISA Incentive Card loaded with $300 initially and $100 for additional qualifying purchases.

CREATIVE MARKETING ALLIANCE INC. (CMA), Princeton Junction, received two ASTRA awards at ceremonies for the 2005 Annual New Jersey Communications, Advertising and Marketing Association (NJCAMA). CMA won a gold award for its b&w newspaper advertising campaign for A-1 Limousine Company and a silver award in the special event material/announcement category for the International Card Manufacturers Association’s Prague postcard.

First Morris Bank has selected GRÁFICA GROUP, Chester, as its advertising and public relations agency of record. First Morris, which will significantly increase its 2005 advertising and marketing budget, chose the agency to support the bank’s new campaign to grow business and further solidify its reputation as a good corporate citizen in Morris County. Major marketing aims are to increase loans and business, personal savings and checking accounts.

Todd Sautter

TODD SAUTTER has joined SIGMA GROUP, Oradell, as a media coordinator. Sautter comes to Sigma from NBC Sports, where he was a production assistant. Sigma was also named to B to B Magazine’s top 50 B to B agencies for the second straight year.

WORDS & MUSIC, LCC, Bridgewater, has hired STEVE TOLL as its new Customer Care Manager. Toll is a customer
relations specialist with over 18 years of sales experience. Words & Music also launched a new interactive Web site called “Advertising on Hold,” allowing new and existing clients to sign up or renew annual production packages, upgrade and purchase a new digital announcer, download current scripts and more.

Kiss My Face, a leader in natural and organic personal care products, has retained BRUSHFIRE, INC., Whippany,
to handle strategic counsel and media relations support for the company in the fashion and beauty industry. Public relations efforts will include product launches, survey development and viral marketing. Brushfire has also been tapped to develop creative concepts for the company’s first national print advertising campaign to educate consumers on the benefits of natural and organic products.

PARTNERSHIP FOR A DRUG-FREE NEW JERSEY is running a 30-second radio public service spot on 71 New Jersey radio stations from New York City to Philadelphia and all points in between. The commercial was produced by HAMMERHEAD ADVERTISING, Hoboken.

NASSAU BROADCASTING PARTNERS, LP, Princeton, has sold WJSO-FM in Egg Harbor to Millennium Radio Group, operator of NJ101.5 and 11 other stations in the state.

The shopping center development and management company Westfield Group has retained MASTERMINDS ADVERTISING of Egg Harbor Township to create compelling point-of-purchase displays, signage and a “shopper friendly” environment throughout Continental Airlines Terminal C at Liberty Newark International Airport.

GCG ADVERTISING & MARKETING, Sparta, appointed JENNIFER CHROBAK as Creative Director, and hired TRACY OPFER as account administrator.

GCG recently won the NJ Builders Association’s SAM Award for Best Brochure for Grinnell Concrete Pavingstones.

THE STAR GROUP has hired ten new staffers in its Cherry Hill office, bringing the company’s total employees to 147. TRACY SENG joins as Vice President/ Account Director; GREG BENEDETTI as Vice President/Promotions; MIKE MIELCARZ as an Art Director; DENISE KARAHASAN as Media Planner/Buyer; JON EVOY and DANIEL GIROUX as Associate Account Executives; ERICA GIANNINI as Traffic Coordinator; ZELDA PARKER and AMANDA BEDARD as Billing Coordinators and DAMON DEANGELIS as an Interactive Designer.