The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences’ Webby Awards turn 20 this year, and the IADAS is celebrating the milestone by including a vast and diverse list of nominees that celebrate innovation, inspiring talent and digital success. Michelle Obama, Jimmy Kimmel and Netflix are among this year’s nominees.
“This class of 20th annual Webby nominees, both veterans and newcomers alike, continues to challenge convention and transform the world in ways we could have only imagined in 1997,” said David-Michel Davies, executive director of the Webby Awards. “The Webby Awards has celebrated inspiring talent and visionary innovation on the Internet,” he added.
PBS, the Onion and Smithsonian were nominated for inaugural Webby Awards and also received nominations for this year’s ceremony.
Snapchat, Netflix, Slack, Hotline Bling and WhatsApp are nominated for People’s Special Achievement Webby.
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The celebrity and public figure nominees include Rihanna, Ellen DeGeneres, Tyler Oakley, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Jerry Seinfeld, Caitlin Jenner, Michelle Obama, One Direction, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar and the Weeknd.
Vice Media, HBO, Google, National Geographic, CNN, PBS and CBS Interaction are among the organizations nominated this year.
The awards cover a varied spectrum of innovation on the Internet from streaming services to podcasts to cutting-edge mobile experiences. Nominees in these categories include Netflix, Spotify, Pandora, HBO GO and CNNGo.
This year the Webby Awards will also be honoring virtual reality platforms in the first-ever Webby Awards’ virtual reality categories. The nominees include the New York Times’ VR series “The Displaced,” CNN’s VR at the Democratic Debate, Stella Artois’ “Buy a Lady a Drink” and VRSE’s “Walking New York.”
Legacy media and new media outlets, like the New York Times and Vice Media, will be competing against each other for best websites, apps and online videos.
To vote, visit webbyawards.com.
The winners will be announced on Tuesday, April 21. The ceremony will be available to stream on May 17 on the Webbys’ website.
Highlights from the 20th Annual Webby Award nominees follow:
Animals (Social)
– Catstacam
– Doug the Pug
– Goats of Anarchy
– Jimmy the Bull
– National Geographic Social Media
Best Overall Social Presence (Social)
– CNN’s Social Media
– Game of Thrones
– Mashable
– NASA Social Media
– The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Best Podcast (Mobile Sites & Apps)
– Reply All
– Stuff You Should Know
– 99% Invisible
– The New Yorker’s Podcasts
– Re/code Decode with Kara Swisher
Best Use of Mobile Camera (Mobile Sites & Apps)
– GIPHY CAM
– musical.ly
– Splice
– Heads Up!
– Layout
Best Web Personality/Host (Online Film & Video)
– Tyler Oakley
– Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
– The Slow Mo Guys
– Kid President
– Carmelo Anthony
Celebrity/Fan (Websites)
– U2.com
– One Direction: Made in the A.M.
– Team Coco
– ellentv.com
– Kendal Jenner
Comedy: Individual Short or Episode (Online Film & Video)
– Anaconda – The Education Version (with Nicki Minaj)
– Go to College Music Video (with First Lady Michelle Obama)
– Dennis Quaid’s On-Set Freak Out: The Full Video
– Fight Club for Kids (with Chuck Palahniuk)
– Trumptastic Voyage (The Simpsons)
Comedy: Long Form or Series (Online Film & Video)
– If Google Was a Guy
– Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
– Billy on the Street with First Lady Michelle Obama
– Celebrities Read Mean Tweets #9 (Jimmy Kimmel Live)
– Epic Rap Battles of History
Culture & Lifestyle (Social)
– Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Instagram Account
– MoMA Instagram
– Refinery29 Facebook
– Tastemade Snapchat Discover
– The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Instagram Account
Entertainment (Mobile Sites & Apps)
– Star Wars app
– Marvel Unlimited
– Saturday Night Live app
– The A-Z of YouTube: Celebrating 10 Years
– Phallania
Events (Social)
– Coders vs. Cancer
– #RugbyBattle
– Instaconcert
– The 69th Annual Tony Awards: An Integrated Digital Experience
– The 16th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards – Social Media Celebration
Fashion & Beauty (Social)
– #MINDFCUK
– Madewell Social Media
– Kiehl’s Act Any Age
– Lilly Pulitzer for Target
– W Magazine
Games (Mobile Sites & Apps)
– You Must Build a Boat
– Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes
– Vainglory
– Her Story
– Two Dots
Humor (Websites)
– Cracked.com
– Funny or Die
– John Oliver – Leap Second
– ClickHole
– The Onion
Media Streaming (Websites)
– 92Y On Demand
– TED
– HBO NOW
– PBS.org
– Pluto TV
Music (Websites)
– triple J Hottest 100
– Inside Abbey Road
– Pitchfork
– Spotify – Year in Music 2015
– Beyoncé – Official Site
News (Websites)
– CNN.com
– The Guardian
– Quartz
– The Intercept
– NYTimes.com
Public Service & Activism (Social)
– Hurts Me Too
– I Am A Witness
– Kids Read Mean Tweets
– #nofilter campaign
– MTV’s Look Different campaign
Sports (Social)
– Wall of Jordan
– NHL #MyPlayoffsMoment
– #SendBadLuck
– Wimbledon 2015: Sharing the Moments that Matter
– Gamedayplus
Virtual Reality: Gaming, Interactive or Real-Time (Online Film & Video)
– Cardboard Crash VR for Google Cardboard
– Insidious Chapter 3: Into the Further
– House on Hallow Hill
– William Hill: Get in the Race
– The Neymar Jr. Effect
Weird (Websites)
– Adventure Cats
– Emoji Party
– Run Wars
– 2 Kinds of People
– National Corndog Day