Lovie Awards Announces 2016 Winners

The Lovie Awards announced today that VICE Media, One Direction, The Guardian, Condé Nast Spain, Die Welt, and Turkcell, as well as services Zopa, Deezer and ProtonMail are among the winners who will be celebrated at The 6th Annual Lovie Awards on Thursday, 27 October 2016 at The British Film Institute Southbank in London. This year’s winners will be recognised alongside Special Achievement Honourees in attendance including Annie Lennox, Yann LeCun, Romain Gavras, Süddeutsche Zeitung and Fairphone.

The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS) selected the winners of this year’s Lovie Awards, the European sister-awards to the global Webby Awards. European members of IADAS, who include Stephen Fry, “Father of Wi-Fi” Vic Hayes, musician Imogen Heap, Chester Chipperfield (Global Creative Director, Tesla), Corinne Vigreux (Co-founder, Tom Tom), Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Eric Wahlforss (Founder, Soundcloud), Robin Chase (Founder, Buzzcar) and Elke Klinkhammer (Chief Creative Officer, McCann Worldgroup Germany) amongst others, named Gold, Silver and Bronze Lovie winners, while tens of thousands of online fans chose their favourites in The People’s Lovie Awards.

This year’s Lovie Special Achievement Award honourees will join past winners Jamie Oliver, Björk, Stephen Fry, Sigur Ròs, Sophie Wilson, JR, Louis Pouzin, The European Space Agency, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire) and Lily Cole. They are:

Lovie Person of the Year: Annie Lennox

Ms. Lennox expertly and relentlessly uses social media to leverage her platform and outreach to create a better world for others. She proves by example that the Internet can be utilised as a highly effective tool to amplify messaging in terms of global advocacy and activism. Her efforts abound, from working with organisations such as Oxfam, Amnesty International, Comic Relief, Greenpeace, 46664, UNAIDS and The British Red Cross, amongst countless others, as well as promoting gender empowerment through the organisation she founded, The Circle.ngo.

Lovie Lifetime Achievement: Yann LeCun

Mr. LeCun is a pioneer in the creation of neural networks and his contribution to the science of machine learning, mobile robotics and computational neuroscience is legendary. As a founder of Neural Nets, LeCun applied biological methods of perception to computer processors. Currently continuing his forward-thinking work as the Head of Artificial Intelligence at Facebook, LeCun is delivering his genius and life’s work into the hands of a global user base. 

Lovie Artist of the Year: Romain Gavras

Mr. Gavras has had a big career as a music video director for artists like Kanye West, Jay-Z and M.I.A.; but it is his latest, Internet-native video—for Jamie XX’s song “Gosh”— that cements him into the canon of modern artists who fearlessly create work for a global online audience, with unabashed vision. With the remarkable artistic decision to cast 400 people and to forgo any CGI or 3D effects, Gavras turned out a stunning work of art that ranks among one of the most visually appealing, and interesting, original online music videos today.

Lovie Be Greater with Data Award: Süddeutsche Zeitung

Breaking the story of the Panama Papers, which is the largest data leak in history, Süddeutsche Zeitung set a new standard for online research and reporting. By organising a global team of reporters in partnership with ICIJ (International Consortium of Investigative Journalists), to collaboratively parse, annotate and research the immense amount of data—almost entirely through a special online system—they revealed the secretive dealings of 214,000 shell companies on the world stage. 

Lovie Emerging Entrepreneurs: Bas van Abel, Miquel Ballester Salvà and Tessa Wernink (Fairphone)

Fairphone’s socially-enterprising endeavour is an example of futurism put into practice. It is Fairphone’s cause to simultaneously push the technology of smartphones forward for consumers—through their own design of a modular Android smartphone built to last—while simultaneously minimising harm to the planet through responsible manufacturing and mining practices. Fairphone is changing our culture of consumerism for the better, and taking a proactive role in protecting our climate. 

Entertainment, Media and Virtual Reality highlights from the 6th Annual Lovie Award Winners include:

    •    VICE News: News in Websites (Gold) – UK

    •    Look Who's Driving: Viral Video, Branded (Gold) - Sweden

    •    Inside Abbey Road For Cardboard: Virtual Reality (Gold) - UK

    •    VR Fukushima: Virtual Reality (Silver and The People’s Lovie) - Spain

    •    The Power of Swimming: Virtual Reality, Branded (Gold) - Sweden

    •    De Speld: Best Writing – Editorial in Websites (Bronze and The People’s Lovie) – Netherlands

    •    Wei or Die: Best Use of Interactive Video (Gold) - France

    •    Vogue Italia: Best Design in Websites (Bronze) - Italy

    •    Sky News: Events & Live Broadcasts (Gold and The People’s Lovie) - UK

    •    The Guardian’s Patrick Stewart Sketch: What has the ECHR ever done for us?: Comedy (Gold) - UK

    •    DIE WELT Edition: News & Entertainment in Mobile & Apps (Silver and The People’s Lovie) - Germany

    •    One Direction: Made In The AM: Music in Websites (Gold and The People’s Lovie) - UK

    •    Official Website for UEFA EURO 2016: Sports in Websites (Silver and The People’s Lovie) - Switzerland

Other highlights from the 6th Annual Lovie Awards Winners include:

    •    SoundCloud: Entertainment & Media Streaming (Gold) – Germany

    •    Deliveroo: Lifestyle in Mobile & Apps (Silver) - UK

    •    La Triennale di Milano: Art in Websites (Silver and The People’s Lovie) - Italy

    •    ProtonMail - Encrypted Email: Mobile Utilities & Services (Gold and The People’s Lovie) - Switzerland

    •    Bangui L'Oubliée: Charitable Organisations/ Non-Profit in Websites (Silver and The People’s Lovie) – France

    •    GQ Spain: Best Home/Welcome Page in Websites (Gold) - Spain 

    •    NATO’s Winter Warfare Training in Norway: Best Use of Video in Social (Silver) - Belgium

    •    Union: Retail/Shopping in Websites (Silver and The People’s Lovie) – Netherlands

    •    Zeit: Fashion & Beauty in Websites (Bronze) - France

    •    Game Of Thrones Territory: Best Overall Social Presence (Gold) - UK

    •    Monster Messenger: Family & Kids in Mobile & Apps (Silver and The People’s Lovie) - France

    •    Look Beyond Borders: Best Editing and Live Experiences in Internet Video (Silver) – Poland

New for 2016 is the top honour of Lovie Agency of the Year, going to Cheil Germany, the agency with the most success across all Lovie Awards categories. Highlights from the 6th Annual Lovie Award Winners in Online Advertising include:

    •    VR The Future: Integrated Mobile Experience (Gold and The People’s Lovie) - Cheil Germany

    •    Pigeon Air Patrol: Social Media Marketing (Silver) - DigitasLBi, UK

    •    Find Your Magic: Social Media Campaign (Silver) - 72andSunny Amsterdam, Netherlands

    •    #Notcomingsoon: Integrated Campaigns (Silver) - Fred & Farid, France

    •    Democratic Front Row: Mobile Advertising (Silver and The People’s Lovie) - Edelman Deportivo, Sweden

    •    Still The Most Shocking Second A Day: Viral Advertising (Gold and The People’s Lovie) - Don’t Panic, UK

    •    Momondo / The DNA Journey: Branded Content and Brand Strategy (Gold and The People’s Lovie) - NoA / &Co., Denmark

    •    The Power of Swimming: Virtual Reality, Branded (Gold) - M&C Saatchi, Sweden

    •    Beats by Dre: “The Game Starts Here”: Branded Content (Silver) - R/GA London, UK

    •    Close The Loop: Branded Content (Bronze) - Forsman & Bodenfors, Sweden

    •    Interactive Punching Bag: Mobile & Experiential (Gold and The People’s Lovie) - MediaMonks, Netherlands 

    •    The Never Ending Story from Louis Vuitton: Viral Advertising (Bronze) - Publicis 133, France

The Lovie Awards is supported by Google for the third year running as premiere sponsor, joining the Lovie commitment to shining a spotlight on the European Internet’s best and brightest.