Best Online Newsletters to Be Named by Web Marketing Association

SIMSBURY, Conn., Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Web Marketing Association judges will select the best online newsletters in 86 industries as part of their 10th annual Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) Awards. The IAC Awards are the first and only industry-based advertising award competition dedicated exclusively to online advertising. Companies or agencies wishing to nominate their work for consideration may do so at www.IACAward.org before the deadline of January 31, 2012.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101214/NY16851LOGO )

"Online newsletters are a critical marketing tool for many companies trying to maintain an ongoing relationship with customers and prospects," said William Rice, president of the Web Marketing Association.  "Each online newsletter will be judged on copywriting, creativity, innovation, design, impact, and use of the medium. The IAC Awards provides an opportunity to find out who is doing an outstanding job creating online newsletters. It's also a great marketing opportunity for the winners to promote their work to senior management, customers and prospects."

The 2012 Internet Advertising Competition Awards will accept entries from 86 industries, including health care, biotech, airline, B2B, professional services, consumer goods, education, financial services, technology and travel just to name a few. Entries judged to be outstanding will receive an IAC Award. The entry receiving the highest score in each industry will be recognized as the best online newsletter for that industry.

"We believe that winning an industry specific award is more valuable to the participant.  It allows the participants to be judges against their peers, just like in the marketplace," said Rice.

The 2011 Best of Show winner for Online Newsletters was BlueRush Digital Media Corp. for Manulife Solutions    . The newsletter was also recognized as the Best Financial Services Online Newsletter campaign.

Other Award Winning Online Newsletters for 2011 included:

The 2012 Internet Advertising Competition Awards are open to all organizations and individuals (advertising and interactive agencies, corporate marketing departments, etc.) involved in the process of developing Internet advertising. Entries may be submitted online at IACAward.org. The deadline for entry is January 31, 2012 and will be judged on design, creativity, impact, innovation, copywriting, and use of the medium.

In addition to online newsletters, Awards will be presented within each of the industry categories and advertising formats such as:

Online ad (including banner, pop-up or interstitial)
Online ad campaign
Mobile Apps
Social Media Campaigns
Web sites (including microsites and landing pages)
Rich media ad campaign
Rich media online ad
Online newsletter campaign
Email message
Integrated ad campaign
Online Video
Ads the client did not choose

Industries represented in the 2012 IAC Awards include the following: advertising, advocacy, airline, application service provider, arts, associations, auction, automobile, b2b, bank, beverage, biotechnology, broadcasting, brokerage, catalog, computer hardware, computer retailer, computer software, construction, consulting, consumer goods, credit union, design, directory or search engine, diversified business, education, email, employment, energy, entertainment, environmental, events, e-zine, faith-based, family, financial services, food industry, game site, general interest, government, health care, home building, hotel and lodging, information services, institutional services, insurance, interactive services, international business, internet service provider, intranet, investor relations, investment, legal, leisure, magazine, marketing, manufacturing, media, medical, military, movie, music, mutual fund, news, newspaper, non-profit, online community, other, pharmaceuticals, portal, professional services, public relations, publishing, radio, real estate, regional, restaurant, retail, school, shopping, small business, social network, sports, telecommunication, toy & hobby, transportation, travel and university.

Best of show award for each format will be selected from among the industry winners. Ads eligible for entry in the competition must have run during the period from January 1, 2011 through January 31, 2012 (except for the Ads the client did not choose format which do not have to have run.)

The 2012 Internet Advertising Competition Awards are sponsored by Burst Media, BGT Partners, PR Newswire, ExactTarget, EContent Magazine, ad:tech conferences, Internet World UK, MycroBurst, Search Engine Strategies, We Build Pages, Webmaster Radio and Website Magazine. The Web Marketing Association thanks all of its sponsors for helping to make this annual competition possible.

About the Web Marketing Association

The Web Marketing Association is an organization working to create a high standard of excellence for Web site development and marketing on the Internet. Staffed by volunteers, it is made up of Internet marketing, advertising, PR and design professionals who share an interest in improving the quality of online advertising, Internet marketing and promotion used to attract visitors to Web sites. The Web Marketing Association's two annual award programs, the WebAward Competition and the Internet Advertising Competition Awards, have been helping interactive professionals promote themselves, their companies, and their best work to the outside world since 1997.

SOURCE Web Marketing Association