UK’s Premier Internet Business Communication Awards

Closing Date: Friday 1st October 2004
Awards Ceremony: The Lewis Media Centre, London
Date: 8th December 2004

WHAT ARE THE BIZ-NETS?
The IVCA Biz-Net Awards were established 4 years ago in partnership with the Design Council, the DTI and the industry itself, to promote excellence in the effective use of digital business and public information online. The IVCA Biz-Net Awards invite entries from the Internet and related technologies. Each entry will be judged on the quality of its content, how well it is delivered to its audience, and how its effectiveness is assessed.

WHAT IS THE IVCA?
The IVCA is the professional body for leaders in strategic business and public sector communications who employ film, video, interactive media and live events as part of the communication process and subscribe to an ethical code of practice. The Association values all members equally and promotes the importance of a united sector whereby production companies, hire and facility providers, freelancers and clients of the industry are represented and supported.

THE BUSINESS CASE
IVCA Awards are internationally accepted benchmarks for excellence.
Winning an IVCA Award will ensure:

• A showcase presentation before leading business and government figures
• A published case study of each winning entry circulated to key markets
• The opportunity to deposit each winning entry in the Best Practice Library at the IVCA which is regularly accessed by senior clients
• Full promotional media support
• An award plaque suitable for display at company headquarters

JUDGING CRITERIA
The Biz-Nets will celebrate the fusion of content, design, strategy and technology in the creation of effective sites and programmes.
All entries will be judged by leading figures from industry and the media on their business strategy and the degree to which they meet their communication objectives.

ENTRY PERIOD
For all awards, except the Award for Innovation, there is no set period for the origination of entries. Sites can be entered in several categories, but they cannot be re-entered in subsequent years unless there has been considerable re-development. Projects for the Innovation Award must have been developed or launched between 1st June 2003 and 30th September 2004.
All entries must reach the IVCA by 5pm on Friday 1st October 2004.

THE PRESENTATION
The IVCA Biz-Net Awards will be presented at The Lewis Media Centre, in London, on the morning of 8th December 2004. This will be followed by a networking luncheon. The event will be attended by clients, chief executives and senior government figures.

ENTRY ADVICE
For advice or help on any category please e-mail the IVCA at biz-nets@ivca.org or telephone 020 7512 0571. For further information regarding membership, contact Nick Gardiner at nick@ivca.org.

AWARD CATEGORIES

BUSINESS TO CONSUMER AWARD This category is for any website intended to maximise sales and promotions that sets out to communicate with its customers and give them an added-value experience during their visit via links to related sites, community support services, educational materials etc. This category also includes any site that makes products or services available to the consumer and allows the ordering of those services to take place on the Internet e.g. sites intended to sell products such as appliances, food, cars or services, including pensions, insurance and legal advice.

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS AWARD This category includes any site that allows transactions and/or general communication to take place between businesses – e.g. extranets designed to handle transactions between manufacturers and suppliers, dealers, distributors and general business-to-business promotional sites.

BUSINESS PROGRAMMES/MAGAZINES AWARD This category will be for an outstanding, rigorous and appropriate business news, business information, or business discussion site e.g. online news and magazine sites and support sites for paper and video-based business news media.

KNOWLEDGE AWARD This category is for any site designed specifically for use as a teaching aid or study support, for schools, colleges, home study etc or for any website designed specifically to communicate and raise the understanding of staff within an organisation. Both Internets and intranets will be considered. Intranets submitted will be judged with appropriate confidentiality.

PUBLIC INFORMATION AWARD This category is for any site that carries public service information – e.g. government and local authority, NGO, charity and public welfare services, tourism, or sites accompanying broadcast programmes which provide background information.

OUTSTANDING USE OF BROADBAND AWARD This category, which was developed with support from the Department for Trade and Industry, aims to stimulate excellence in the use of broadband. Websites that make full use of broadband technology to communicate content can be submitted. It is, however, possible to enter the same site into both this and another category.

INNOVATION AWARD This Award is for technical developments that have extended the boundaries of what can be achieved by the Internet or Interactive Television, e.g. webcam, flash, new technology plug-ins etc. Projects must have been developed or launched between 1st June 2003 and 30th September 2004.

THE WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY AWARD This category will be presented for a website which provides a high level of accessibility to people of all physical, visual and aural abilities.

GRAND PRIX AWARD This will be presented to the most outstanding new development, concept or programme selected from amongst the other category winners by a jury of industry leaders.

The application form for these awards can be found in the Biz Nets section on the IVCA website (www.ivca.org)