THE WEBBY AWARDS JUDGING BODY LAUNCHES PAN-EUROPEAN INTERNET AWARDS
– The Lovie Awards to take place at Internet Week Europe 2011, 7-11 November –
8 March, 2011, London: The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) – the international organisation responsible for presenting the world-renowned Webby Awards, Internet Week New York and Internet Week Europe – is today launching an awards event to celebrate and honour the best of Europe’s broad and vibrant internet community.
The Lovie Awards will be the first-ever pan-European award to embrace the entire breadth of content created across Europe for the Internet – from website and mobile apps to online film and video, as well as interactive advertising. Inaugural sponsors and partners from across Europe include Yahoo!, Aquent, Behance, BIMA, and TVN.
The Lovie Awards, named in honour of Ada Lovelace who, as the “first computer programmer,” represents innovation and outstanding achievement in technology, is inviting submissions in five different languages – German, French, Italian, Spanish and English. The first call for entries will take place on 24th March.
The newly formed European division of IADAS will select the nominees and winners via a judging panel comprising:
David Rowan, Editor, WIRED magazine
Niklas Zennstrom & Janus Friis, Skype Founders
Rino Moffa, Founder, TVN/Consulmarketing
Iain Dodsworth, Founder/CEO, TweetDeck
Gustav Martner, Executive Creative Director/Partner, Crispin Porter + Bogusky Europe
Régine Debatty, Founder, we-make-money-not-art.com
Rafa Soto, Executive Creative Director/Owner, Herraiz Soto
Giuliano Giorgetti, Web and Crm project manager, AC Milan
Stefanie Hoffmann, Co-founder, aka-aki
Jonathan Benassaya, Co-founder, Deezer
The winners will be announced at an awards’ event taking place during Internet Week Europe, 7-11 November.
Hailed as “one of the most prestigious awards in the world” by the BBC, The Webby Awards is today widely regarded as the global index of success on the Internet, receiving nearly 10,000 entries from over 60 countries worldwide. The Lovie Awards has been created to specifically honour achievement in Europe, as recognition of the unique and resonant nature of the European internet community.
Nicolas Roope, The Lovie Awards Chair, and co-chair of Internet Week Europe as well as creative director of Poke, says, “The Lovie Awards will represent the fullest range and expression of the European internet and mobile industries, recognising the social, commercial and cultural phenomena of the internet. They will honour work from Europe’s top web and creative networks and content publishers from cultural and political organisations to bedroom bloggers. The Lovie Awards is not just another digital award.”
David Michel-Davies, executive director of IADAS, comments, “We are very excited to launch The Lovie Awards as a European sister to the well- established Webby Awards. Notable work, regardless of language, has better opportunity to rise to the top and attract recognition on a higher level.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
About Internet Week Europe
Internet Week Europe is a festival to celebrate Europe’s thriving internet industry and community.
Internet Week Europe is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences, the presenter of the highly acclaimed sister festival, Internet Week New York. The European festival quickly established itself as the top annual gathering for tech and Internet leaders in Europe, and reflects Europe’s position as one of the core creative centers of the Internet world.
Internet Week Europe 2010 – which took place from 8-12 November – attracted more than 10,000 attendees and featured over 125 events. These were organised and presented across London by 69 different partners including Yahoo!, Creative Review, The Webby Awards, BBC Comedy, Yelp, Google, Skype, Wieden + Kennedy, The Guardian, and New Media Age.
Festival highlights included free Wi-Fi provided throughout the UK at all public hotspots by Skype, five days of talks hosted by Google, Digital Archaeology, Can You Draw The Internet, an official opening party hosted by Yahoo!, as well as industry panels and conferences, career and networking events, screenings, exhibits, breakfasts, live performances, parties and even a digerati cycling tour.
David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of IADAS and Poke Co-Founders, Nick Farnhill and Nicolas Roope are co-chairs of the festival.
Internet Week Europe 2011 sponsors include flagship sponsor Yahoo!, and official sponsor Aquent.
Internet Week Europe 2011 is expected to draw more than 15,000 delegates to more than 200 events.
Reflecting the Internet’s open structure, any organisation – from artists and investment banks to startups and meetups – can host an event during Internet Week Europe 2011. There is no fee.
Visit http://www.internetweekeurope.com or contact festival director Penelope Shaw via email penelope@internetweekeurope.com or 02077495354.
About The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences
The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences was founded in 1998 to help drive the creative, technical, and professional progress of the Internet and evolving forms of interactive media. An international organization, The Academy selects the Nominees and Winners for The Webby Awards, the leading honor for Web sites and individual achievement in technology and creativity. Since 2008 , IADAS has also presented Internet Week New York in cooperation with the city of New York. The Academy is an intellectually diverse organization that includes members such as musicians Beck and David Bowie, Internet inventor Vint Cerf, political columnist Arianna Huffington, “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening, R/GA Founder and Chairman Robert Greenberg.
More information at www.iadas.net.
For further information please contact:
Penelope Shaw
Festival Director, Internet Week Europe
E: penelope@internetweekeurope.com
T: +44 (0)2077495354