The Webbys hosted by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences are held to honour excellence in website design, interactive advertising, film and video, mobile and applications in various categories. There are four main categories: “Websites,” “Online Film and Video,” “Interactive Advertising” and “Mobile and App,” each including sub-categories.
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As always, two types of awards were handed out, the first being “The Webby Award,” which was judged by a panel of celebrities and tech industry leaders. The second award, “The Peoples Voice Award,” was judged by a popular vote.
This years winners include expected leaders such as The New York Times, ESPN and the Onion but also newcomers like Justin Bieber. Bieber won in the “Comedy: Individual Short or Episode” category, despite a spirited campaign by collegehumour.com to “steal” votes from him, which in turn also won awards of its own.
The popular iPhone App Angry Birds took both the Webby Award and People’s choice award. Other breakout stars of the past year which took awards home were the iPad social news app Flipboard, and the location based social-networking platform, Foursquare.
There were fifteen winners in total who took home awards in three or more categories includingFunny or Die, The New York Times and creators of the viral Old Spice Guy campaign, advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy.
Alongside Justin Bieber, other celebrity winners included Friends’ actress, Lisa Kudrow, for her improvised online series, “Web Therapy”, Talk show host, Conan O’Brien’s website “Team Coco”, and US rappers, Snoop Dogg and LL Cool J for their funny or die video, “The Ultimate Halo Smack Down.”
The awards will be handed out at a ceremony which will be held on the 13th of June in New York City – a usually entertaining affair.
The ceremony will be streamed live, but beyond that will also be shaped by viewers choosing highlights mid-programme and choosing the best speeches via mobile phone, tablet and social media. All this, the organisers believe, will make this years ceremony both exciting and innovative.
