The Bookmarks announced

Here, for the first time in South Africa, outstanding websites and interactive advertising were given the ultimate digital accolade. The winners were a small percentage of the 200 plus entries, but are testament to the outstanding digital talent we have in this country.

Winners were selected on creative, interactive and functional criteria, and judged by two leading international experts, Dick Buschman of Achtung!, current digital agency of the year in Europe, and Johan Tesch, Creative Director of BBH, London. Together they were able to benchmark the Bookmark entries against international counterparts.

Gloo Digital Design was the overall favourite, winning six of the awards, including Gold for Best Microsite.

"Our objectives for the Bookmarks in its inaugural year were to raise the profile of online media and benchmark local talent against international standards while educating and impassioning the industry as a whole," says Adrian Hewlett, chairperson of the Online Publishers Association. "Not only have we achieved this, but the response from the industry has been phenomenal. Leading digital figureheads have endorsed the awards as a huge success, while recognised marketing and media opinion leaders expressed much excitement about the new blood evident at the awards," he says.

Sponsors and partners of the Bookmarks awards include the SABC, BBC.COM, Primedia Online, Habari media, Adtech and Lowe Bull.


Published by the OPA.