FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For information contact:
Gita Chandra: gita@pkpr.com(for The Webby Awards)
PKPR, 212.627.8098
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide (for Microsoft), rrt@waggeneredstrom.com
(503) 443-7070
Angela Richmond (for Boys & Girls Clubs of America), arichmond@bgca.org,
404.487.5813
STATION FOUR WINS $50,000 GRAND PRIZE FOR
MICROSOFT PHIZZPOP DESIGN CHALLENGE
Jacksonville, FL’s Station Four delivers best site
strategy and design for redesigned Boys & Girls Clubs of America website
Las Vegas, NV (March 16, 2010) – Microsoft Corp. and The Webby Awards today awarded the $50,000 grand prize in the Phizzpop Design Challenge to Station Four from Jacksonville, Florida.
The prize was presented to Station Four for developing the best site strategy and design aimed at helping Boys & Girls Clubs of America, one of the nation’s oldest non-profits, upgrade its website for a growing Web 2.0 audience.
Station Four (www.stationfour.com) is an interactive design and strategy firm founded in 2007 by two University of Florida graduates, Chris Olberding and Chris Lahey.
Station Four and fellow finalists Metia (www.metia.com) and Bradley and Montgomery (www.bamideas.com) were selected to pitch their concepts before a live audience at MIX10, Microsoft’s annual conference for web designers and developers in Las Vegas. The winner was selected by a panel of judges from Microsoft, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, which presents the Webby Awards.
To participate in the challenge, entrants were required to propose a new site design and strategy leveraging Microsoft Silverlight and the Microsoft Web Platform that would help the organization better engage donors, parents, volunteers and the media.
Station Four’s winning proposal was singled out by the judges for its fun and modern design, solid site architecture, easy-to-use navigation, and innovative integration of social media tools, including a Boys & Girls Club Hub on the home page that that would bring all social media related information, such as Facebook and Twitter updates, into a common interface.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs of America provide invaluable services to children across the country,” said Jon Roskill, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s U.S. Business and Marketing Organization, and King County (Wash.) Boys & Girls Club board member. “As the internet continues to create exciting new ways to connect online, it’s essential that nonprofit organizations like BGCA develop a Web presence that actively engages the communities they serve. The Phizzpop Challenge combines the very latest software from Microsoft with cutting-edge Web design support to help the Clubs reach millions of kids nationwide.”
“What’s especially exciting about the Phizzpop Design Challenge is that it gives up-and-coming agencies like Station Four a chance to compete on a level playing field,” said David-Michel Davies, executive director of The Webby Awards. “All of the finalists presented new and innovative ideas using Microsoft technologies that will benefit not just the vital work of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, but all organizations seeking to enhance their online presence.”
“We are grateful for the opportunity to benefit from some of the brightest and most innovative design talent, especially as it relates to the Web and interactive media,” said Boys & Girls Clubs of America President and CEO Roxanne Spillett. “In an increasingly competitive marketplace, nonprofits must meet donors and the general public where they live, and the Web cuts across all socioeconomic dynamics.”
About MIX10
MIX10 is a three-day conference for designers and developers who build innovative consumer Web sites, held in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay on March 15-17, 2010. Attendees are coders, strategists, information architects, visual designers, user experience professionals and digital marketers. They represent top Web sites, Web start-ups, interactive agencies and other organizations that do business on the Web. To learn more or register, visit http://live.visitmix.com.
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 Websites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile web sites. Established in 1996, the 13th Annual Webby Awards received nearly 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: Microsoft Silverlight; The Creative Group; .ORG; YouTube; Getty Images; Wieden + Kennedy; The Barbarian Group; The New York Times Company; Behance; Limelight Networks; IDG; PricewaterhouseCoopers; 2advanced.Net; KobeMail and Museum of the Moving Image.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has helped kids BE GREAT providing hope and opportunity for those who need it most. Today, some 4,300 Clubs serve some 4.5 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Boys & Girls Clubs can be found throughout the country and on U.S. military bases worldwide, providing young people 6-18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. Clubs positively impact lives and help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. Key programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration; community service; technology training; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a recent Harris Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.