Web Marketing Association Names the Best Web Sites in 96 Industries - The 2008 WebAward Winners

Hartford, CT PRWEB) September 16, 2008 -- The Web Marketing Association is pleased to announce the winners of its 12 annual WebAward Competition for Web site development (http://www.webaward.org). More than 2,400 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 http://www.webaward.org

"Each year the WebAwards receives amazing entries from around the world that show impressive creativity and functionality," said William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. "It is these sites that continue to get recognized for their excellence in website development. The WebAwards has always been a great way for Internet professionals to showcase their work and gain marketing opportunities for web development that sets the standard for the entire industry."

Best of Show

The 2008 Best of Show WebAward is presented to Trailer Park, for their exceptional work on "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix website" (http://web.trailerpark.com/capabilities/sites/HarryPotter/). The site was also awarded Best Movie WebAward.

Trailer Park created a fast loading website as mystical, magical and visually stunning as the movie itself. Aesthetically, the all-Flash site transports users into a dark, smoldering world of wizards and monsters via brilliant images, ominous music and crisp, clean layouts. Three engaging games, Duel with the Death Eaters, Room of Requirement, and Thestrial Flight, immerse users in interactive challenges based on elements from the film. Downloadables like, wallpapers, MySpace skins, banners and buddy icons give fans a way to express their Harry Potter enthusiasm. This is not your standard movie site.

Top Agency

Risdall Advertising Agency (http://www.risdall.com) was named Top Agency at the 2008 WebAward Competition, taking home 29 awards - the most ever by a single agency in a WebAward competition. The Top Agency Award is given to recognize the consistently outstanding development going on at interactive firms. Risdall, headquartered in New Brighton, Minnesota, took home Best B2B Website, 4 Outstanding WebAwards and 24 Standard of Excellence WebAwards.

Agencies or companies winning five or more WebAwards in 2008 include:

Agency - # of awards

Risdall Advertising Agency    29

Biggs|Gilmore    20

Avenue A | Razorfish    16

Walt Disney    16

TravelCLICK, Inc.    16

VML    14

Hubbard One    12

TMP Worldwide    12

AGENDA (H.K.) Limited    11

Arc Worldwide    11

Tribal DDB Worldwide    11

Bridge Worldwide    10

JWT INSIDE    10

Digitas Health    9

Disney Channel    9

Euro RSCG 4D    9

Zugara    9

BrowserMedia    8

E-site Marketing    8

Blenderbox Inc    7

Cendyn    7

Ektron    7

Hitchcock Fleming & Associates Inc.    7

Sapient    7

USA Network    7

Weber Shandwick    7

WSI    7

Acsys    6

Azavar Technologies    6

bbdigital (Blattner Brunner)    6

Boston Interactive    6

Greater Than One    6

MRM Worldwide    6

RED Interactive Agency    6

RFI Studios    6

Starwood Hotels & Resorts    6

180 Interactive    5

Airfoil Public Relations    5

Aristotle Interactive    5

Atmosphere BBDO    5

BGT Partners    5

Brulant, Inc.    5

Cartoon Network    5

Cheil Communications America    5

Emakina    5

Extractable    5

G2 Interactive    5

Hunt & Gather    5

Larsen    5

Milestone    5

Thomson-FindLaw    5

TIG Global    5

usdm.net(R)    5

Valassis    5

Web Associates    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 2008 WebAwards are sponsored by the following leading organizations: Burst Media, PRWeb, Misukanis & Odden, B2B Magazine, AllBusiness, Small Army, ExactTarget, ad:tech conferences, eComXpo, MediaPost's OMMA conference, , Microsoft Silverlight, Snap.com, Internet World UK, Search Engine Strategies, Webmaster Radio, Rovion and Website Magazine. The Web Marketing Association thanks all of its sponsors for helping to make this annual competition possible.

About the Web Marketing Association

The Web Marketing Association (http://www.webmarketingassociaion.org) 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 12th year, the WebAward Competition has become the premier award event for Web developers and marketers worldwide.

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