17th Annual Webby Call for Entries launches with new suite of Social categories; early deadline is October 26
This year’s new IADAS members reflect the diversity of expertise and vision the Academy has cultivated since its inception. New members include New York City Chief Digital Officer Rachel Sterne, Tumblr Founder and CEO David Karp, LearnVest Founder and CEO Alexa von Tobel, Code for America Founder and Executive Director Jennifer Pahlka, blogger and author Robert Scoble, Harvard Law School Professor Lawrence Lessig, Director and Artist Chris Milk, OK Go Lead Singer Damien Kulash, Laughing Squid Founder Scott Beale, Fab.com Founder and Chief Design Officer Bradford Shellhammer, and Skillshare CEO Michael Karnjanaprakorn. IADAS, which nominates and selects the Webby Award winners, is composed of Web industry experts, Internet Co-Inventor and Google’s Chief Internet Evangelist Vinton Cerf, Instagram Co-Founder Kevin Systrom, and media mogul Arianna Huffington.
Entrants compete not only to win a Webby, but to deliver their 5-Word Speech and follow in the footsteps of former winners Pinterest in Social Websites, director Spike Lee for his “Thanks 9/11 Tribute”, Instagram as Breakout of the Year, Skype in the Social Mobile category, Funny or Die in several Online Film & Video categories and Agency of The Year, BBH. Since 2007, Webby Awards 5-Word Speech videos have garnered over seven million views on YouTube.com/webby.
While The Webby Awards has been honoring social media excellence for nearly a decade, for the first time, IADAS has introduced a new Social vertical for this year’s Webby Awards. This new suite of social categories will honor the diversity of content, brands and people that use social media as a fundamental component of their identity and communication.
“Social has been an integral part of the Internet, and thus The Webbys, since we began honoring the best of the Web in 1996,” said David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. “However today Social is no longer something that is realized through just a website, app, specific platform or campaign. It is a principal thread that flows through everything we do online. Our new Social suite of categories is specifically created to recognize the people, brands and experiences that excel at Social in 2012.”
All entries compete for the Webby Award (as voted on by IADAS) and the Webby People’s Voice Award (as voted online by the fans). Last year, nearly 1.5 million votes were cast from over 200 countries. Entrants can submit their work for this year’s Webby Awards at www.webbyawards.com. The Early Entry Deadline is October 26.
For information on the 17th Annual Webby Awards, please visit www.webbyawards.com.
About The Webby Awards
Hailed as the "Internet's highest honor" by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, Interactive Advertising & Media, Online Film & Video, Mobile & Apps, and Social. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received nearly 10,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide last year. The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: Google+, Yahoo!, Vitamin T, Live Nation, ShareThis, The Daily, Funny or Die, MLB Advanced Media, Mashable, BuzzFeed, Business Insider, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Guardian News and Media.
Visit: www.webbyawards.com Like: Facebook.com/webbyawards
Follow: @TheWebbyAwards
G+: +TheWebbyAwards
Look: flickr.com/webbys
Watch: youtube.com/webby
Read: tumblr.webbyawards.com
Instagram: TheWebbyAwards
Media Contacts
Sunshine Sachs: 212-691-2800
Peter Axtman Axtman@sunshinesachs.com
Damiano DeMonte Demonte@sunshinesachs.com