Update (March 2014): The 2014 winners of the Webby Awards are here.
Awards: The Webby Awards a.k.a. The Webbys.
Founded: 1996, mobile category started in 2007.
Deadline for entries: December each year.
Entry fee: US $295.
Number of entries: N/A.
Winners announced: May each year.
Prize: Webby Award.
Categories include (in 2013): Best practices; Device camera; Location; Mobile video; User experience; Education; Entertainment; Events; Games; Guides; Lifestyle; Music; News; Shopping; Social; Sports; Travel; Utilities; Mobile ads; AR.
mobiThinking verdict: In the six years mobile has featured at the Webby Awards, the number of categories has ballooned, which suggests it attracts plenty of entrants (but we’re not told how many). There’s a Webby Award winner – chosen by the judges – and a People’s Voice Winner – where the general public and/or friends of the entrants can vote for their choice (shortlisted companies only) for each category – that doubles the chance of winning, but does this dilute the kudos of a Webby Award?
If you were expecting best practice mobile Websites at the Webbys, you will be disappointed. Despite the name and heritage, the mobile categories at the Webby Awards have been overrun by native apps. Nonetheless there are plenty of big brands among the winners. There are international entries, but US companies dominate. Often similar names appear in successive years.
In 2013 the Webby’s brought in a new Awards Gallery, which is flashy, but confusing. Most winners and nominees have a link. Sometimes there’s a link to case studies, which is excellent, but not often enough – is it wrong to want to know why the winners won?
Most of the videos below were sourced by mobiThinking.
Previous winners with videos and case studies: 2012 winners
mobiThinking guides in this series:
• Guide to mobile awards • World Summit Mobile Awards • EMMAs • Smarties (MMA Awards) • Global Mobile Awards • Cannes Lions • Meffys • Webby Awards •
For some tips from awards judges see:
• How to create an award-winning mobile campaign
The 2013 Webby Mobile Awards winners
Best practices
Webby Award winner: HBO Go.
People’s Voice winner: HBO Go.
Best use of device camera
Webby Award winner: YouTube Capture.
People’s Voice winner: Walgreens Transfer perscriptions.
Video promo: YouTube Capture.
Best use of GPS or location technology
Webby Award winner: Google Maps for iPhone.
People’s Voice winner: Google Maps for iPhone.
Best use of mobile video
Webby Award winner: TED.
People’s Voice winner: TED.
Best user experience
Webby Award winner: Google Maps for iPhone.
People’s Voice winner: Google Maps for iPhone.
Video promo: Google Maps.
Best visual design
Webby Award winner: Paper Baron George Patterson Y&R.
People’s Voice winner: Flipboard for Android.
Video promo: Paper Baron.
Best connected products
Webby Award winner: Waze.
People’s Voice winner: Nike+ FuelBand R/GA.
Video promo: Waze
Education & reference
Sub category: Education for handheld devices
Webby Award winner: MoMA Art Lab.
People’s Voice winner: Duolingo.
Video promo: MoMA Art Lab.
Sub category: Education for tablets & other devices.
Webby Award winner: Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomy Touch Press.
People’s Voice winner: The Human Face of Big Data Against All Odds Productions.
Video promo/interview: Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomy
Entertainment
Sub category: Entertainment for handheld devices.
Webby Award winner: LEGO Super Heroes Movie Maker Pereira & O’Dell.
People’s Voice winner: People’s Choice Awards 2014 Barker DZP.
Video tutorial: LEGO Super Heroes Movie Maker.
Sub category: Entertainment for tablets & other devices.
Webby Award winner: The Onion Tablet.
People’s Voice winner: The Onion Tablet.
Events
Webby Award winner: TED Connect.
People’s Voice winner: TED Connect.
Experimental & innovation
Webby Award winner: The Silent History Ying Horowitz & Quinn.
People’s Voice winner: The iPad Table Universal Mind.
Video promo: The Silent History.
Video interview: The iPad Table.
Games
Sub category: Games for handheld devices.
Webby Award winner: Draw a Stickman: EPIC Hitcents.com.
People’s Voice winner: Cut The Rope ZeptoLab.
Video promo: Cut The Rope.
Sub category: Games for tablets & other devices.
Webby Award winner: ESPN Fantasy Football App on Mobile Web, Android and iOS.
People’s Voice winner: Draw a Stickman: EPIC Hitcents.com.
Travel guides/ratings/reviews
Webby Award winner: Chefs Feed.
People’s Voice winner: Google Maps for iPhone.
Video promo: Chefs Feed.
Integrated mobile experience
Webby Award winner: Make TV Sony, Party Inc.
People’s Voice winner: FX, The Walking Dead Red Bee Media.
Video case study: Make TV.
Video case study: FX, The Walking Dead.
Lifestyle
Sub category: Lifestyle for handheld devices.
Webby Award winner: Weber Free App Rabble+Rouser.
People’s Voice winner: MapMyRun.
Sub category: Lifestyle for tablets & other devices.
Webby Award winner: Food Network On the Road.
People’s Voice winner: Houzz iPad app.
Video demo: Houzz iPad app
Media streaming service
Webby Award winner: HBO Go.
People’s Voice winner: Netflix App.
Music for handheld devices
Webby Award winner: Songza.
People’s Voice winner: Pandora.
Video promo: Songza.
News
Sub category: News for handheld devices.
Webby Award winner: CNN Mobile.
People’s Voice winner: The Verge Willow Tree Apps.
Sub category: News for tablet and all other devices.
Webby Award winner: Tech Crunch AOL.
People’s Voice winner: Al Jazeera English Magazine.
Podcast
Webby Award winner: TED.
People’s Voice winner: The Verge’s Vergecast Vox Media.
Shopping
Sub category: Shopping for handheld devices
Webby Award winner: NIKEiD Mobile R/GA.
People’s Voice winner: Fab.
Video demo: Fab.
Sub category: Shopping for tablets & other devices.
Webby Award winner: Fab.
People’s Voice winner: Target App for iPad.
Social gaming
Sub category: Social games for handheld devices
Webby Award winner: Nike+ FuelBand R/GA.
People’s Voice winner: SongPop FreshPlanet.
Video case study: Nike+ FuelBand.
Sub category: Social games for tablets & other devices.
Webby Award winner: Hunger Games Funtactrix.
People’s Voice winner: Bubble Witch Saga King.
Social
Sub category: Social for handheld devices
Webby Award winner: Pinterest.
People’s Voice winner: Real Time Wine Web app Prezence Digital.
Video interview/demo:
Sub category: Social for tablets & other devices.
Webby Award winner: Skype for Windows 8.
People’s Voice winner: Tumblr.
Sports
Webby Award winner: NBA Game Time.
People’s Voice winner: BBC Olympics app.
Travel
Webby Award winner: Kayak.
People’s Voice winner: Expedia Hotels & Flights.
Video promo: Kayak.
Utilities & services
Sub category: Utilities & services for handheld devices.
Webby Award winner: Dropbox.
People’s Voice winner: Dropbox.
Sub category: Utilities & services for tablets & other devices.
Webby Award winner: Dropbox.
People’s Voice winner: Dropbox.
Video case study:
Social: celebrity/fan
Webby Award winner: Gaga’s Workshop digital Surgeons.
People’s Voice winner: HBO Connect.
Video case study: Gaga’s Workshop.
Interactive advertising and media: mobile advertising
Webby Award winner: Band Aid Magic Vision JWT.
People’s Voice winner: Band Aid Magic Vision JWT.
Video case study: Band Aid Magic Vision.
Interactive advertising and media: augmented reality
Webby Award winner: Band Aid Magic Vision JWT.
People’s Voice winner: Beam Me Up JWT.
Interactive advertising and media: mobile & experience marketing
Webby Award winner: Nike+ FuelBand R/GA. • Video case study
People’s Voice winner: Meat Pack Hijack 4am Saatchi & Saatchi.
Video case study: Meat Pack Hijack.
• Congratulations Webby winners, if you haven’t already, please send a summary of your winning entry, including evidence of success, and links to your case studies/videos and award entry to editor (at) mobiThinking.com.
• Guide to mobile awards • Webby Awards • Global Mobile Awards • EMMAs • Cannes Lions • MMA Awards • Mobi Awards • WSA Awards
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