TimeZone Helps NZ Webby Campaign
The "tyranny of distance" at last works in New Zealand's favour, with Webby Award hopeful SciTechDaily.com gaining an
extra 17 hours to score in the hotly contested online public vote at the Sixth Annual Webby Awards.
Voting for the People's Voice Award closes at midnight Friday June 7 in California, which is 7pm Saturday June 8 in New
Zealand. With the gap between the small New Zealand Web site and Science category leader NASA closing, every last minute
- and vote - counts.
"We'd much rather people voted earlier though; it would certainly help the blood pressure," laughs SciTechDaily.com's
Managing Editor Vicki Hyde. She has watched her Web site inch upwards in the ratings and needs just 6% more to peg NASA
to a photo-finish.
"It's excruciating to be so close, just a couple of days before voting finishes. We need New Zealanders to get online
and show the world that we can beat the best in the world."
Even if Hyde's site just misses in the public vote, it still has a chance to win a Webby, as the International Academy
of Digital Arts & Sciences makes its own awards in addition to the People's Voice.
"They've been startled by the fun we've been having with the campaign to win the public vote," says Hyde. That campaign
has involved recording a "shamelessly parochial" campaign song, setting off 1,000 rockets, having the cute Virtual Kiwi
pop up on all manner of Web sites operated by keen supporters, and producing an online postcard designed by Hyde's
children.
"The Executive Director of the Academy cited us in a recent newsletter as a campaign highlight! We may not win, but they
sure know about Kiwi talent and enthusiasm!"
The official announcement of the awards will be made in San Francisco on June 18.
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Contact: Vicki Hyde vicki@spis.co.nz Tel: (03) 384-5137
See http://scitechdaily.com/press.htm for press resources.
For further information see http://SciTechDaily.com/kiwivote
Webby Awards People's Choice: http://www.webbyawards.com/peoplesvoice/index.html
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