Bookmarks announces local judging panel

Says Nikki Cockcroft, Chairperson of the Bookmarks and Chair of the DMMA: "With the change to the category system and the shift towards one set of awards that services both publishers and agencies it was vital that the judges of each category would bring the best possible expertise to the process."

The 2011 Bookmarks judges are:

- Local generic: Jason Xenopolous (Native), Brent Shahim (Aqua Online) and Nic Wittenberg (Ogilvy)
- Local publishing: Bridget Pringle (iafrica.com) and Alistair Fairweather (Mail & guardian)
- Tech developers: Sophia Raw (Quirk)
- Usability and interactivity (Craft awards):Rian van de Merwe(Kalahari.com)
- Search and display: Adriaan Strydom (Clicks2Customers) and Andrea Mitchell (DigiVOX)
- Interns and students: Alex Rees (Quirk)
- Mobile: Jason Probert (Vodacom) and Vincent Maher (Motribe)
- Community and PR: Simon Dingle (5FM) and Suzanne Stokes (MWEB)
- Senior industry: Luke McKend (Google) and Renee Silverstone

"A credible judging process is essential for an industry awards to succeed and the 2011 Bookmarks judging panel will provide this and more. We have an exemplary panel of highly experienced industry players that is going to ensure that all entries are accurately and fairly judged. We are very excited about the support we have received from them and we are looking forward to their results," says Cockcroft.

The international agency and publisher judges will be announced soon.

The enhanced category system no longer splits the categories into publisher and agency awards. Instead, they have been divided into clusters, which are open to all entrants. The clusters are: Websites and Microsites, Advertising and Search, Email Marketing, Community and PR, Applications and Tools, Games, Online Video and Audio, Intergrated or Mixed Media (all Product Awards); as well as Achievement and Special Honours; Individual and Team Awards and Craft Awards.

There is a limited time left for entry submissions, as the closing date is the end of the week. Entries can be submitted via the website at www.thebookmarks.co.za.

The Awards will be held in Cape Town on the 10th of November 2011, with workshops taking place on the 8th and 9th of November in Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively.

Thanks go to our confirmed sponsors (as at 10th October): My Broadband, Effective Measure, Dash of Lime, BrandsEye, DStv Online, 24.com, Nokia, IOL, Click2Customers, 365 Digital, Prezence, M&C Saatchi Abel and Ads24 who are category sponsors; Advantage, The Media Online and Marketing Web, Marketing Mix, Memeburn, BizCommunity, Bandwith Blog, iafrica.com, marklives.com and the Digital Edge who are all media partners and Hertz, Fairlawns Boutique Hotel and Spa, Colourtone, RSAWeb, Commodore Hotel, Quirk Education, Strike Media, Social Code, Prefix, Hello Computer, Native and New Media who are all service sponsors.

Various sponsorship opportunities are still available for this year's event, contact Steph Powell on 072 197 1843 or az.oc.ammd@llewops.

For more information on The Bookmarks please contact: Theresa Vitale on 011 454 3534, az.oc.ammd@elativt or Steph Powell on 072 197 1843, az.oc.ammd@llewops or use Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheBookmarks (please use #Bookmarks2011) or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheBookmarks.