Media release webbys – 1
April 16, 2009
The Hyperfactory dominates Webby’s nominations
Kiwi mobile advertising agency The Hyperfactory is up for nine Webby Awards and four honoree selections, more than all
New Zealand finalists combined and second in the world.
And to cap off a great start to the international awards season, the Auckland-based global agency has two nominations in
both the Ad-Tech and One Club awards.
The Webby Awards are held in New York in early May and are regarded as the Oscars of the online and interactive
marketing community. The One Show is also New York-based while The Ad-Tech Awards are held in San Francisco.
The Hyperfactory CEO Derek Handley says the company’s awards performance outstrips that of any New Zealand agency ever
in the interactive sector.
“This is huge both for us and for the New Zealand interactive industry and represents a total domination of the
increasingly important mobile category with the recognised work hailing from no less than four continents,” Handley
says.
“Our Webby Award nominations are second globally only to RG/A and equal to legendary agencies Wieden Kennedy and Crispin
Porter. Never before has a New Zealand agency been in such esteemed company to such an extraordinary extent. Mobile is
the next frontier, and to me this confirms we are ahead of the pack.
“We’ve put in some really top work for some really great clients this past 12 months and obviously the Webby judges
think so too. Roll on May 5 we say.”
The Hyperfactory’s nominations and honoree berths are all for mobile work for global brands such as Blackberry, Nike,
Coca-Cola and Toyota across multiple interactive Webby categories. The company’s performance puts it in to contention
for the prestigious Agency of the Year Award presented to the agency that performs best across all Webby Award
categories.
Hailed by the New York Times as the ‘Internet’s highest honour’ the Webby Awards is regarded as the leading
international award honouring excellence on the Internet including websites, interactive advertising, online film and
video and mobile websites.
The Webby’s attract more than 10,000 entries annually and the winners are chosen by members of the International Academy
of Digital Arts & Sciences. The 2009 awards are being announced on May 5 (NY time) and the winners honoured at a star-studded ceremony in
New York City on June 8.
The Hyperfactory was co-founded by brothers Derek and Geoff Handley in Auckland in 2001 and numbers amongst its clients
some of the globe’s biggest brands including L’Oréal, Coca- Cola and Blackberry.
ENDS