Viral Awards get a much needed image-lift.

The Viral awards have gotten a face lift and are now a far cry away from the glorified wet t-shirt images they launched with last year, Neville Brody cleaned up their act and site. Ah Neville, where have you been mate? Good job - the previous image of the award would hardly convince most marketers of the credibility of viral marketing, which is already suffering from the "not for serious companies - too many boobies" stigma. See the new site at Viral Awards.

But, something is still lacking. If you look at the jurors, it's nearly all Brits. This is not uncommon in advertising - but we are talking about a worldwide phenomenon, are we not? Virals are still spilled across the world wide web, right? OK, just checking.

Then look at the categories, is this just me or are they making a narrow definition of viral marketing somehow? It seems to concentrate on cyberaward type stuff, like sites and games with the addition "Most Successful Viral TV Ad". This is a tiny part of viral marketing, where does the Anchorman friendster marketing idea fit in all this? Perhaps in " Most Creative use of Technology"? Will P&G's Tremor win the word-of-marketing award? What do you, dear adgrunts, think of this new award?

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Anonymous Adgrunt's picture
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viralmeister's picture

Phew

kamari's picture

Helvetica on the web!? Horizontal scrolling? No targets in those repeated headline images so that one could 'jump to' the headlined parts? What were they thinking?

Neaner's picture

Neville,
the eighties called, they want their ego back.

cosmonaut's picture

I think is a good thing that somebody is taking the viral marketing serious and making a awards show for it. Specialy with Tivo and alikes around.

Offcourse all the other awardsshows allso have some cyber categori, but only one. Its like making billboards compete with print-ads.

I think the site looks pretty good, its got a good serious feel to it, (even though the menu don't work on safari ;) And nice to see stuff by Brody again. (ahh.. he opened the researchstudios.com in 1994, thats where his been)

I agree thats their is way to many awards around, (Cannes, D&AD, Eurobest, Clio, One Show etc.) But I haven't heard about any serious viral awardshow before, maybe its me? But anyway I look forward to this one.

"Asking Lycos Viral Chart"!? - Its like making a MTV-award out of it. Offcourse we need a good jury for any award show, if this one perfect I don't know. But at least have a Jury, NOT the wievers voice.

Helvetica where? Please show me... There is not sign of it on viralawards.com thats for sure!

Well, I wish this awardsshow the best of luck!

Dabitch's picture

That's my bet, based on the Capitol "B" in "Brody" and the shape of the cap-R. All font-nerds. take the Helvetica or Arial? test. ;)

James Trickery's picture

No way it's Verdana. I must protest - the lower case e a and h agrees with me.

viralmeister's picture

Cosmonaut ... you obviously don't work in viral or buzz marketing because if you did you would realise why they miss the point which goes way beyond the fact that the likes of TiVO are confirming what many have been saying for years now, i.e.

cosmonaut's picture

Viralmeister you obviously work in buzz markedting, congrats!

I still think this a good step toward making the viral marketing a serious business. I agree that all kinds of viral advertising should be included, but I don't see why this awardshow not is able to award the "buzz marketing" - There is 12 categories!? As long as its innovative and creative, if not I don't see why it should be awarded.

The way I understand this P&G Tremor project is that they kind of suck up to/pay? the "in the know" people to praise their products to their friends. Should that be awarded?

Maybe you can point a "buzz marketing" case that should be awarded in this years version of the Viral Advertising Award? Anyway if you know the people in the jury you should point this out to them.

And while your at it, ask Brody what kind of font he used for the Menu? I can't figure out which type is used here. The copy is definitely "Verdana", so Dabitch is right on that one. Try make "ctrl" in the flashmovie and zoom.

Anyway I hope this award will help convince clients to make the budgets for viral film production bigger and inspire lots creative around the world.

tlevitz's picture

I dunno (my geek eye's been failing me lately) the lc 'g' seems a little off, close but off for Verdana, the tail's a wee bit too tight to the lobe, bowl whatever the heck; could be a screen thing... and yeah, I admit to attempting to consult 'view source' for clues.

tlevitz's picture

smacking forehead. (A) I meant that the other way around and (B) I never should've used email Verdana for comparison (where tail crams up against... f****, nevermind). stupid. whack! stupid. whack!

I turn in my badge and hand over the black turtleneck.

viralmeister's picture

Space Cadet