Now in its 13th year, the awards recognise European Internet excellence in the fields of culture, technology and business

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(12 April, 9am CET 2023) –  The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS)—the presenting body of The Lovie Awards which recognises European Internet excellence and the international Webby Awards—announced the official opening of the annual Lovie Awards Call for Entries. To mark the 13th Edition, the Lovies unveils a new visual identity and logo developed in collaboration with digital agency Bureau for Visual Affairs (BfVA) to spotlight Europe’s Internet industry. European creators and companies operating at the intersection of culture, technology and business are now invited to submit their work across Apps, Platforms & Software, Film & Video, Podcasts, Social, Marketing, Advertising & PR, Websites & Mobile Sites, Web3 & XR and new for 2023, Beyond Categories. The brand new submission site is now open at lovieawards.com, with Early Entry Deadline on Friday 26 May, 2023. 

Since inception in 2010, The Lovies has established itself as the most prestigious award honouring Internet excellence in work made for and by Europeans, awarding companies, teams and individuals that are moving Internet culture, technology and business forward. Reflecting the step change, advances and influence of Europe’s Internet culture, the Lovies have introduced the Beyond Categories to recognise outstanding European digital projects with the potential to positively impact global society. An open-format merit, the Beyond honours will recognise big ideas shaping the future from Cities & Urbanism, Arts & Heritage, Education, Climate, Community and more.

Additional new honours for 2023 include; Responsible Technology, Best Product Launch or Drop, Diversity, Equality & Inclusion, Mobility & Auto, Best Use of AI or Machine Learning, Shopping & E-Commerce, Sustainability & Environment, Best Creator and Honours for Email Newsletter Excellence and more. Organisers have also introduced a brand new special achievement award for European Publisher of the Year which will recognize the publisher with the most finalists and wins across the competition.

Presenting Gold, Silver and Bronze winners as chosen by members of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) and viewing work in seven languages: Español, Italiano, Nederlands, Français, Deutsch, Svenska, and English. This year’s entrants will have the opportunity for their work to be judged in its native language by likes of Jon Ronson, Podcaster, Filmmaker and Author of ‘So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed’, the “Father of Wi-Fi” Vic Hayes, Michelle Kennedy, Founder of Peanut, George “George the Poet” Mpanga, Artist, Poet, Rapper and Podcast Host, Ousman Sahko, Co-Founder, Blacktag, Ariel Wengroff, Vice President of Communications at Ledger, Kemi Fatoba, Founder of DADDY (Berlin), Holly Fraser, Editor-in-Chief at WePresent and more. 

For the 2023 season, former Refinery29 and Condé Nast Exec Jacqueline Kavanagh, will lead the strategic direction of The Lovie Awards as Managing Director,  “In the spirit of the Internet, we’re leading the charge on spotlighting progressive business models, entertainment that transcends borders and advertising campaigns that help us to see the world differently.  It’s our vision that recognising the best digital innovations from Europe will inspire a better Internet, globally. In collaboration with Bureau for Visual Affairs we’ve reimagined what the Lovies stand for, the diversity of the work that we recognise, the power of our community and who judges the work. We’re excited to meet, and celebrate the best, whilst unveiling our new look in the process.”

Live from Wednesday, 12 April 2023 across The Lovie Awards site and social platforms, visitors will experience a new visual identity and logo created by celebrated London and Berlin based digital agency Bureau for Visual Affairs (BfVA). Inspired by Dutch design and one of the Lovies’ key judging criterias of recognising work that brings joy, BfVA have incorporated bold colourways, typography and a flexible grid system to allow the new identity to give finalists more prominence and opportunity to shine. Centred around the universal symbol of good Internet content, the heart, BfVA have incorporated playful word marks and symbols into the new logo as a nod to the fluidity of European Internet culture and borderless community. The design update will include a brand new Winners Gallery which will roll out across lovieawards.com over the coming months.

Commenting on the re-design, Simon Piehl, Founder – Bureau for Visual Affairs “For us, the Lovies is the leading curator of Europe’s Internet culture and community, it was our responsibility to reimagine the brand and create a new identity that reflects power of the Internet to make positive change in the world. We’ve channelled the energy, progressivism and democratic nature of the awards to create a new home for audiences to discover the best of Europe’s Internet. We’ve intentionally removed the packaging and noise to let the work of the entrants and the content speak for themselves, whilst maintaining the joyful expression that runs through The Lovies brand DNA.”

Last year’s Lovie Awards received 1,000 entries from over 25 European countries and recognised Special Achievement honorees including;  Edward Enninful, Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue and European Editorial Director of Condé Nast (Person Of The Year), Jaap Haarsten, Founder of Bluetooth (Lifetime Achievement), Pernille Harder (Special Achievement for advocacy on gender equality), Khaby Lame (Social Media Person Of The Year) and DEPT® received Agency of the Year

The Early Deadline for submissions for 13th Annual Lovie Awards is Friday, 26 May 2023. Participants are encouraged to enter now to take advantage of early entry pricing, the submission site is open at lovieawards.com. Finalists will be announced in late summer, followed by the Winners Announcement and Celebration in the Autumn of 2023.  

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NOTES TO EDITORS 

THE LOVIES 

The Lovie Awards is the largest pan-European Award recognising European Internet excellence in the fields of culture, technology and business  With nearly 1,000 entries from over 25 countries across Europe, the awards reflect the tremendous growth of the Internet as a tool for business and everyday lives. Work in English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish and Italian is judged by native speakers in eight main category types: Apps, Platforms & Software, Film & Video, Podcasts, Social, Marketing, Advertising & PR, Websites & Mobile Sites, Web3 & XR, and new in 2023, Beyond Categories. 

The Lovie Awards 2023 foundational relaunch partners include Advertising Week Europe, AUFI, Bureau for Visual Affairs, DADDY, District, Dutch Digital Design, Girls in FIlm, HIGHSNOBIETY, Les Glorieuses, OFFF Festival, RadioDays Europe, Tech Circus, Tortoise, Unbound and Vestpod. 

THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF DIGITAL ARTS AND SCIENCES (IADAS)

IADAS presents The Lovie Awards, Webby Awards and Anthem Awards. With a network of over 2000 intellectually diverse members, we help drive the creative, technical & professional progress of the Internet.

Discover the IADAS community on Web 

BUREAU FOR VISUAL AFFAIRS 

Founded with the mission to bring together brand, technology and content into a single, cohesive expression, Bureau for Visual Affairs (BfVA) is an interconnected team of strategists, specialist UX & UI designers and creative technologists. Delivering end-to-end digital products and services, specialist UX and design as well as highly advanced technology for websites and applications, BfVA is the team behind some of today’s more influential industry leaders, brands, publishers as well as leading cultural institutions. Clients include WePresent, Esteé Lauder, Damien Hirst, Finisterre, SHOWstudio / Nick Knight, It’s Nice That, Albers Foundation, Craft Council and more 

Discover more about BfVA on Web and Instagram