Web Marketing Association Names the Best Web Sites in 96 Industries - The 2009 WebAward Winners

    WEST SIMSBURY, CT, September 16, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Web Marketing Association is pleased to announce the winners of its13th annual WebAward Competition for Web site development. More than 2,000 sites from 45 countries were adjudicated in 96 industry categories during this year's competition. Entries were judged on design, copy writing, innovation, content, interactivity, navigation, and use of technology.

A complete list of the winning sites can be found at the WebAward Web site at www.webaward.org.

"Recognizing the best website in each industry is an important way to establish the ever changing standard of excellence in website development," said William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. "Each year the WebAwards receives amazing entries from around the world that show impressive creativity and functionality. As the Internet evolves, so does the state of website development and winning a WebAward is a great way to demonstrate the effectiveness of your Web development efforts."

Best of Show

The 2009 Best of Show WebAward is presented to Organic, Inc. for their exceptional work on "Bank of America - Morris on Campus" website at URL http://www.bankofamerica.com/oncampus. The site was also recognized as Best Bank WebAward.

Bank of America enlisted Organic to help B of A maintain this leadership position by developing an online marketing program that would meet the needs of students in their current stage of life. Organic created Morris - the Wise Upperclassman and his online web show, "Morris On Campus." For students, Morris is a peer, a mentor, and a confidante -- someone who has recently had to make the same financial decisions other underclassmen are making today. "Morris On Campus"--a series of 6 web shows--is a way for Morris to communicate bank messaging, in terms that students can understand.

This is the second time Organic, Inc. has won the coveted Best of Show WebAward. They also received top honors at the very first WebAward competition in 1997 for their work on Philips Home Theater Web site. Organic, Inc. won an impressive 12 WebAwards in 2009.

Top Agency

Extractable (www.extractable.com) was named Top Agency at the 2009 WebAward Competition, taking home 25. The Top Agency Award is given to recognize the consistently outstanding development going on at interactive firms. The Bay Area interactive agency specializing in web strategy, web design, custom technology, was recognized with five Outstanding Website WebAwards and 20 Standard of Excellence WebAwards.

Agencies or companies winning five or more WebAwards in 2009 include:

AGENCY AWARDS
Extractable 25
Risdall Marketing Group 21
TravelCLICK, Inc. 20
Biggs|Gilmore 19
E-site Marketing 18
BGT Partners 17
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Online 13
Organic, Inc. 12
AGENDA 12
Firmseek, Inc. 10
TIG Global 10
Bridge Worldwide 9
Ektron 9
NavigationArts 9
TMP Worldwide 9
VML 9
Weber Shandwick 9
Aristotle 8
Boston Interactive 8
Firstborn 8
Twelve Horses 8
Euro RSCG 7
John Hancock 7
Pixelplus Interactive 7
Razorfish 7
Arc Worldwide 6
G2 Interactive 6
Hubbard One 6
BLITZ 5
BrandExtract 5
Brunner 5
CE / Positive 5
Amadeus 5
Colonial Williamsburg 5
Digitaria 5
Digitas Health 5
Duo Consulting 5
Fastbooking Asia Pte Ltd 5
JWT INSIDE 5
Larsen 5
Leo Burnett Chicago 5
Mintz & Hoke Communications 5
Rare Bird, Inc. 5
Sapient 5
TGD Communications, Inc. 5
Thomson-FindLaw 5
WSI 5

Competition format

The competition was judged by a team of independent Internet professionals representing a variety of relevant disciplines of Web site development. Judges included members of the media, advertising executives, site designers, creative directors, corporate marketing executives, content providers and webmasters.

The WebAward competition format allows Web sites to compete head to head with other sites within their industry to win the Best of Industry award. Entries also compete against a standard of excellence to win Outstanding Website and Standard of Excellence WebAwards. Each site is judged on seven different criteria and earns a score between 0 and 70 points. The highest score in a given category wins Best of Industry for that category. If the remaining entries receive a score of 60 or greater, they receive the Outstanding Web site award. Entries that score higher than their industry average and below 59.9 receive the Standard of Excellence.

The 2009 WebAwards are sponsored by the following leading organizations: ExactTarget, Burst Media, 24-7 Pressrelease.com, B2B Magazine, AllBusiness, BGT Partners, Microsoft PhizzPop, ad:tech conferences, NewsUSA, Internet World UK, Search Engine Strategies, Webmaster Radio, Rovion and Website Magazine.

About the Web Marketing Association

The Web Marketing Association is working to create a high standard of excellence for Web site development and marketing on the Internet. Staffed by volunteers, it is made up of Internet marketing, advertising, PR and design professionals who share an interest in improving the quality of Website development and marketing on the Internet. Since 1997, the Web Marketing Association's annual WebAward Competition has been helping interactive professionals promote themselves, their companies, and their best work to the outside world. Now in its 13th year, the WebAward Competition has become the premier award event for Web developers and marketers worldwide.

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