NEW YORK (May 6, 2009) – About.com has been named the Best Web site in the “Guides, Ratings, Reviews” category in the 13th annual Webby People’s Voice Awards. In this year’s competition, more than 500,000 people around the world cast votes for their favorite Web sites, videos and ads.
“This is a tremendous accomplishment for the About.com team and our vast network of expert Guides,” said Cella Irvine, president and C.E.O., The About Group. “We are honored to be recognized. We are committed to providing users with accurate and unbiased information that helps them live happier, healthier and more successful lives.”
About.com‘s site is produced and managed internally and recently launched a redesign with the help of HUGE, a leading independent interactive agency.
“We’re deeply proud of our relationship with About.com and all the success their Web sites have enjoyed,” said David Skokna, partner, HUGE. “The new design was launched in a very competitive climate with content providers seeking new ways to generate engagement.”
About.com will be honored at a ceremony hosted by “Saturday Night Live’s” Seth Meyers, on June 8 in New York City. On June 9, fans will be able to watch the ceremony on the official Webby Awards YouTube Channel.
The People’s Voice Awards are part of The Webby Awards, a leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Web sites, interactive advertising, online film and video and mobile Web sites. The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 650-person judging academy whose members include Internet co-inventor Vint Cerf, R/GA’s Chief Bob Greenberg, “Simpson’s” creator Matt Groening, Arianna Huffington and Harvey Weinstein.
A list of both Webby Awards and People’s Voice Awards winners can be found here: http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=13
About The About Group
The About Group comprises the Web sites About.com, ConsumerSearch.com, UCompareHealthCare.com and Caloriecount.about.com. About.com is one of the Web’s leading producers of original content. The site’s expert Guides provide users with accurate and unbiased information to help them live happier, healthier and more successful lives. ConsumerSearch.com analyzes expert and user-generated consumer product reviews and recommends the best products to purchase based on their findings. UCompareHealthCare.com provides dynamic interactive tools that enable users to measure the quality of healthcare services. Caloriecount.about.com offers weight management tools, social support and nutritional information to help users achieve their diet goals.
The About Group is part of The New York Times Company, a leading media company with 2008 revenues of $2.9 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers, WQXR-FM and more than 50 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com. The Company’s core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.
About HUGE
HUGE is a leading independent interactive agency that specializes in building sustainable businesses online for some of the largest and most demanding companies in the world. Founded in 1999, HUGE has evolved a unique methodology and culture that combine the best aspects of research, user-centered design, product planning, and technology expertise. The customer experiences designed by HUGE generate more than $5.6 billion in annual revenue and are visited by more than 130 million unique users each month. With offices in New York, Los Angeles, Portland, Paris, Toronto and London, clients include IKEA, JetBlue Airways, About.com, Scholastic, Time Inc. and Readers Digest.
About The Webby Awards:
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Web sites, interactive advertising, online film and video and mobile Web sites. Established in 1996, the 13th Annual Webby Awards received more than 10,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide. The Webby Awards is presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: YouTube; Microsoft Silverlight; The Creative Group; .ORG; Getty Images; The Barbarian Group; Digital Kitchen; Variety; Wired; IDG; PricewaterhouseCoopers; 2advanced.Net; KobeMail and Museum of the Moving Image.
Contact:
Erica McDonald, 212-204-1724, E-mail: emcdonald@about.com