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2009 Canadian New Media Awards Finalists Announced

Canadian New Media Awards [1]Toronto – The Canadian New Media Awards [1] recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of individuals and companies in the Canadian digital media industry, in 19 prestigious award categories. Winners will be announced on December 1, 2009 at a gala ceremony at The Design Exchange in Toronto. This is the night our community really comes together to showcase excellence in interactive, and celebrate the promising future of Canada’s new media industry.

HOTTEST NEW DIGITAL KID ON THE BLOCK – PART OF THE DIGITAL HOT LIST
Once again nextMEDIA is on the hunt for Canada’s next digital superstar. We’re looking for a startup digital media property that demonstrates innovation, original concept or content, and above all user engagement. Open, but not limited to blogs, portals, videos, social networking groups, twitter accounts, mobile applications and games (anywhere where digital eyeballs hang out).

ChickAdvisor.com [2] |  ChickAdvisor Inc.
KWAD9 [3] | Trinôme Inc.
Spark City /AllGirlArcade.com [4] | Fuel Industries

BEST CROSS-PLATFORM PROJECT
Excellence in interactive enhancement of a television property on digital platforms. Eligible projects could include games, websites and/or mobile applications associated with a television program.

The Listener Online Experience [5] | A51 Integrated & Smokebomb Entertainment Inc.
Total Drama Island – Totally Interactive! [6] | Xenophile Media
Waterlife Interactive [7] | National Film Board of Canada

BEST ONLINE VIDEO PORTAL
An online video portal that distributes video content via the internet or mobile. Videos can be any length and any genre, and may include music videos, movies, news clips, videos, and full-length TV shows. Portals will be judged according to value of content for the audience, brand distinction, functionality and enhanced features such as social networking tools.

MovieSet Inc. [8] | MovieSet Inc.
National Film Board of Canada: Online Screening Room [9] | National Film Board of Canada
Who We Are [10] | KungFu Numerik Inc./Turbulent

BEST KIDS INTERACTIVE
Excellence in the development of interactive platforms for both entertaining and informing children aged 13 and under. Entries include online video, websites, cross-platform media, and products with a digital environment.

Kids CBC Wonder World [11] | Tribal Nova
Spark City /AllGirlArcade.com [4] | Fuel Industries
Titanium Chef [12] | mod7

BEST IN CANADIAN CULTURE, INTERACTIVE
Interactive property which helps diverse Canadian communities share their stories and cultural collections, from national, provincial, municipal to local, with new and growing international audiences. Must add visibility to Canada’s cultural experiences through an online exploration of our heritage and culture.

Canadian Centre for Architecture [13] | Bluesponge
inTouch: Connecting Cloth, Culture + Art [14] | ecentricarts inc.
Isuma TV [15] | Insuma Distribution International

BEST IN MOBILE MARKETING
Brand, agency or campaign who has demonstrated innovation and exceptional execution in mobile marketing. Entrees will be judged according to potential to influence consumer perception or purchasing habits.

Brisk ARTwist [16] | Addictive Mobility
Coors Light Colder Than [17] | MyThum Interactive Inc.
Rogers MTV Leak Live Tour [18] | MyThum Interactive Inc.

BEST MOBILE APPLICATION
Any application that delivers services to a mobile phone. This application demonstrates excellent functionality, innovation, audience reach and frequency, and demonstrates excellence in the use of the mobile medium.

Air Canada iPhone App [19] | IBM Canada
Food Network Mobile App [20] | Canwest
STREAMTHEWORLD [21] | StreamTheWorld

BEST LOCATION BASED SERVICE
Any mobile website, application or experience that obtains a geographical location to provide enhanced services and experiences. These services may include navigation and mapping (your nearest restaurant or gas station), weather services, traffic updates, mobile commerce (location based advertising) or highlight points of interest (health, work or personal).

Buzzd for iPhone [22] | Xtreme Labs Inc.
Scotiabank Nuit Blanche Night Navigator [23] | POIfriend.inc/Simply Good
Poynt [24] | Multiplied Media

BEST WEB-BASED GAME
Innovative games playable in a web browser created by Canadian developers for any market or audience. Entries may include games with either single or multiplayer experiences.

Avastar Social [25] | Social Game Universe
Build-a-Bearville [26] | Frima Studio Inc.
Junk Battles [27] | Antic Entertainment

BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Demonstrates excellent use of social media for business, arts and community or non for profit organizations.

Invoke Media, creator of HootSuite [28] | Invoke Media
KWAD9 [3] | Trinôme Inc.
Rip! A Remix Manifesto + Open Source Cinema [29] | EyeSteelFilm

BEST IN INTERACTIVE MARKETING
Excellence in the creation, delivery and execution of interactive advertising campaigns. Including but not limited to video, websites, banners, pop-ups, microsites, email, digital out of home, and rich media. Entries will be judged according to level of user engagement and awareness.

Doritos White Bag [30] | BBDO/Proximity Canada
Montreal Canadiens Historical Website [31] | Bluesponge
Polar Ice Vodka [32] | BSTREET
The Sweetest GiveawayYet [33] | Sweetspot.ca

BEST BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT
Demonstration of content that uniquely positions a brand, product or service within the context of a digital entertainment property.

Build-A- Bearville [26] | Frima Studio Inc.
Worldwide Short Film Festival: Short Attention Span [34] | doug agency
Waking Up Hannah [35] |Ogilvy Toronto

BRAND OF THE YEAR
Brand that has leveraged digital media to promote, enhance products and engage audiences/consumers.

Coors Light [17] | Molson Coors
Doritos [30] | BBDO/Proximity Canada
Bitchin’ Lifestyle [36] | B360 Media Inc.

PROMISING NEW COMPANY OF THE YEAR

They have a vision, a two-year game-plan, a team of enthusiastic stars and a regulation-sized pool table. Now all they have to do is rise above the fray and make their mark. Award for the “up and coming” company of 2009.

Syncapse Corp. [37]
CoveritLive [38]
Polar Mobile [39]
Stitch Media [40]
Zoompass (EnStream LP) [41]

COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Ground breaking Canadian new media company. Start-up or established, same category- the winning company will have taken digital media to the next level. Must make a minimum of $2 million in revenues.

Cyberplex Inc. [42]
Vision Critical [43]
Silverback Media [44]
Frima Studio Inc. [45]
Vantrix [46]

LEADER IN SOCIAL CHANGE
Someone who has contributed to social and charitable causes by using digital media to develop awareness and promote key messages.

Mark Surman, Executive Director, Mozilla Foundation [47]
Tonya Surman, Executive Director, Centre for Social Innovation [48]

BEST ONLINE COMEDY PERFORMANCE
Someone who has excelled in the pursuit of making online audiences laugh. Demonstrating excellence in the development of online comedic content that engages viewers and makes use of the interactive medium (Online video, website, or convergence media, Fiction or Non-Fiction.) Must be funny.

Têtes à claques [49]

BEST ONLINE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Artist or band successfully using online, mobile and digital technologies to promote music and connect with fans in new and innovative ways.

K-os [50]

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Red Burns, Chair, Interactive Telecommunications Program, Tisch School of the Arts [51]