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The Difference Between IAC Awards and WebAwards

We recently received the following question:

“Can you clarify for me the difference between the Internet Advertising
Awards Website category and the WebAwards.”

Simply, the WebAwards (www.webaward.org) focus on the development of the total website and accepts entries from April through May. Micro sites tend to do well, but landing pages do not have enough content and navigation and tend to be at a disadvantage.

The Internet Advertising Competition (www.iacaward.org) focuses on the advertising effectiveness of a website (among other forms of online ads) and accepts entries from Nov through January. It does not look at overall website development, rather the effectiveness of the site as a branding and/or direct marketing tool.

If you visit the guidelines section of each website, you will see the details of the competitions.

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Internet Advertising Competition Awards To Name Best Online Ads of 2009

The Web Marketing Association announces the launched of the 8th annual Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) Awards. The IAC Awards are the first and only industry-based advertising award competition dedicated exclusively to online advertising. The Competition Web site is located at www.iacaward.org and the deadline for entry is January 29, 2010.

Awards will be presented within each of the industry categories and advertising formats including:
Online ad (including banner, pop-up or interstitial)
Rich media online ad
Email message
Online newsletter
Website
(including landing pages and microsites)
Integrated ad campaign
Ads the client did not choose

Two new categories have been added this year. Online video and Mobile applications will now also be eligible to compete in the IAC Awards.

Best of show award for each medium will be selected from among the industry winners. Ads eligible for entry in the competition must have run during the period from January 1, 2009 through January 29, 2010, except for “Ads the Client did not pick, which do not need to have run.

The Internet Advertising Competition Awards are open to all organizations and individuals (advertising and interactive agencies, corporate marketing departments, etc.) involved in the process of developing Internet advertising. Entries may be submitted online at www.iacaward.org. The deadline for entry is January 29, 2010 and will be judged on creativity, innovation, impact, design, copywriting, and use of the medium.

Judging for the IAC Awards will take place in February, 2010, and winners will be notified by e-mail one week prior to the general announcement of winners in March, 2010. Judges will consist of a select group of Internet advertising professionals with an in-depth understanding of the current state-of-the-art in Web advertising. Past competition judges have included top executives from leading corporations, institutions and media organizations such as Ogilvy Interactive, Saatchi & Saatchi, Blattner Brunner, Comedy Central, Sun Microsystems, National Cable & Telecom Association, Refinery, Euro RSCG, EPB Interactive, New York Post Interactive, The Cincinnati Enquirer, J. Walter Thompson, Xerox, Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Modem Media, and Answerthink.

2009 Best of Show Awards were awarded in each of the online medium categories. Last year’s winners are:

Design Lab for Design Lab Holiday Card (Best of Show Email message)
Digitas and Kelley Blue Book for Pontiac G8 – Tommy Kendall Avatar (Best of Show Rich media Online ad)
Atmosphere BBDO for Dude (Best of Show Integrated ad campaign)
Atmosphere BBDO for Photo Slice (Best of Show Interactive application)
Ogilvy San Francisco for iPath Origami Banners & Behind the Scenes Video (Best of Show Rich media Online campaign)
Agency.com for Skittles: Mix The Rainbow (Best of Show Online ad)
Biggs|Gilmore</strong> for The Spoonful (Best of Show Online Newsletter campaign)
AvatarLabs for WALL-E (Best of Show Online campaign)
Publicis Modem for LG – Learn to Fly (Best of Show Ads the client did not pick)
Overdrive Interactive for Symmetricom Next Generation Network (Best of Show Email message campaign)
Verizon, NFL Network and Communifx for Verizon and NFL Network Online Demo (Best of Show Websites)

Biggs|Gilmore of Kalamazoo, MI was recognized with the 2009 Top Agency Award, winning 19 IAC Awards. Their awards include a Best of show, 8 Best of Industry awards and 10 Outstanding awards.

A complete list of past winners can be found at www.IACAWARD.ORG/winners.asp

The 2010 Internet Advertising Competition Awards are sponsored by Burst Media, BGT Partners, 24-7PressRelease.com, AllBusiness, ExactTarget, ad:tech conferences, Microsoft PopPhizz, Internet World UK, Search Engine Strategies, Webmaster Radio, Rovion and Website Magazine.