Social media newcomers Pinterest and Instagram joined internet stalwarts such as Facebook and the BBC in being honoured at the 16th annual Webby Awards this week, frequently dubbed the ‘Internet Oscars’.
Hailed as the “one of the most prestigious awards in the world” by the BBC and the “Internet’s highest honour” by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honouring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, online film and video, interactive advertising, and mobile Websites.
Comedian Louis C.K. picked up the top honour for person of the year, while social networking newcomers Pinterest, Spotify and Instagram were singled out as Internet innovators.
Louis C.K. claimed the Webby for his groundbreaking, digital-only release of the stand-up special “Louis C.K. — Live at the Beacon Theater,” which he sold directly from his website for $5 per download.
Read more about his project, which netted over a million dollars, in our case study here.
The release generated more than $1 million in two weeks and set a new precedent for publishing and distributing without restrictions, a model later followed by fellow comedians Aziz Ansari and Jim Gaffigan.
The annual Webby Awards, selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, which includes members such as Richard Branson and Arianna Huffington, recognizes groundbreaking Internet work and innovation in Web culture.
Facebook picked up the first special achievement for social change award, voted on by the public, for its role in the Arab Spring revolution last year, beating competition from Twitter, YouTube, Kiva and Change.org.
Photo-sharing application Instagram, recently acquired by Facebook for $1 billion, was named Webby breakout of the year, while pinboard-sharing site Pinterest and social networking site Google+ picked up their first honors at the awards.
Satirical news organization The Onion bested Webby favorites Funny or Die and College Humor with five awards overall in a tight race between comedy outlets.
BBC gets people’s choice award
Meanwhile, The BBC News website has won the People’s Voice award for news at this year’s Webbys.
The People’s Voice awards sit alongside the judges’ awards and are voted for by online fans. This year nearly 1.5 million votes were cast from more than 200 countries.
Commenting on the BBC News website’s win in the news category, editor Steve Herrmann said: “It’s a real honour to win the People’s Voice award once again. This award is hugely appreciated by everyone working to make sure BBC News online remains such a valued service to the public, in the UK and around the world.”
Other Webby winners included FactCheck.org which won the best political website. Non-profit organisation TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design), famous for its TED talks, also picked up several gongs this year, including ones for best app, best education site and best use of video.
Singer Bjork was among this year’s special achievement winners for her Biophilia album, which has been dubbed the world’s first app album.
The Webby awards were set up in 1996 and are voted on by a body of web experts. Seen by many as online equivalents of the Oscars, 2012 judges included Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and mobile phone inventor Martin Cooper.
“This year’s winners represent an amazing cross-section of the new and continuing trends we’ve seen across the internet this year,” said David-Michel Davies, executive director of the Webby Awards.
There are more than 130 Webby Award categories in which two winners are selected by Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences members.
The 16th annual Webby Awards will be handed out at a ceremony in New York hosted by actor-comedian Patton Oswalt on May 21, and will be live-streamed online. Each winner must deliver a five-word speech.
Other Highlights of The 16th Annual Webby Awards winners include:
• The Museum of Me: Best Use of Social Media Interactive Advertising
• The Sound of Football: Best Augmented Reality Interactive Advertising
• Mashable: Best Blog – Business Website
• Take This Lollipop: Best Online Guerilla & Innovation Interactive Advertising
• TED.com, which won a number of Webbys including the Webby People’s Voice Award for Best Education site.
The winners of multiple awards include:
• Dropbox (4): Webby and People’s Voice Award for Best Practices Website and Webby and People’s Voice Award for Best Web Services & Applications Website
• The 21st Century Beetle – Rock ‘n’ Scroll (4): Webby Award and People’s Voice Award for Best Automotive Website and Webby Award for Best Navigation/Structure Website and Best Visual Design � Function Website
• Counterspill (3): Webby and People’s Voice Award for Best Activism Website and a Webby Award for Best Green Website
• Draw A Stickman (3): Webby and People’s Voice Award for Best Use of Animation or Motion Graphics Website and Best People’s Voice Award for Best Viral Marketing Interactive Advertising
• The Creators Project (3): Webby Award and People’s Voice Award for Best Music Online Film & Video and Webby Award for Best Branded Content Interactive Advertising
• Epicurious.com (3): Webby and People’s Voice Award for Best Lifestyle Website and People’s Voice Award for Best Lifestyle (Handheld Devices) Mobile & Apps
• KAYAK (3): Webby Award and People’s Voice Award for Best Travel Website and the People’s Voice Award for Best Travel Mobile & Apps
• Skype (3): Webby Award and People’s Voice Award for Best Social (Tablets & All Other Devices) Mobile & Apps and People’s Voice Award for Best Use of Device Camera Mobile & Apps
• Sesame Street Muppets (2): Webby Award for Best Youth Website and People’s Voice Award for Best Home/Welcome Page Website
• Super 8 (2): Webby Award for Best Use of Device Camera Mobile & Apps and Best Entertainment (Handheld Devices) Mobile & Apps
Winners of both The Webby Award and The People’s Voice Award:
• Manilla: Best Banking/Bill paying Website
• Jameson1780.com: Best Use of Interactive Video Online Film & Video
• Ben & Jerry’s Fair Tweets: Best Corporate Social Responsibility Website
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Best Cultural Institutions Website
• BabyCenter: Best Family/Parenting Website
• Mint.com: Best Financial Services Website
• MINI Maps: Best Games (Tablets & All Other Devices) Mobile & Apps
• NASA: Best Government Website
• Yelp Mobile: Best Guides/Ratings/Reviews Mobile & Apps
• CitizenshipWorks: Best Law Website
• Unstuck: Best Lifestyle (Tablets & All Other Devices) Mobile & Apps
• The Creators Project: Best Music Online Film and Video
• FactCheck.org: Best Politics Website
• Target iPhone App: Best Shopping (Handheld Devices) Mobile & Apps
• Fab.com app: Best Shopping (Tablets & All Other Devices) Mobile & Apps
• ESPN.com: Best Sports Website
• From Peru for Peru: Best Travel & Adventure Online Film & Video
• Evernote: Best Utilities & Services (Handheld Devices) Mobile & Apps
• ‘I will never be cut’: Kenyan girls fight back against genital mutilation: Best Documentary: Individual Episode Online Film & Video
• The VICE Guide To Congo: Best News & Politics: Individual Episode Online Film & Video
For a full list of winners, visit www.webbyawards.com.
