Jury Process

  • Judging and the Academy

    Winning entries for The w3 Awards are selected by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts. The w3 Awards is sanctioned by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA), an invitation-only body consisting of leading digital marketing and creative experts and all-around luminaries. To learn more about the AIVA, or to request an invitation, please visit aiva.org.

  • Judging Process

    • At the start of the judging process, all jurors are provided with the specific criteria for each category.
    • All work is judged on its own merit, based on a standard of excellence as determined by the AIVA and, as such, a category may have several or no winners at the end of the process.
    • Entries are scored on a ten point scale by the judges.
    • Less than 10% of all entries will be selected as Gold Winners.
    • Other outstanding entries will be Silver Winners.
    • Best in Show selections represent the highest mark of distinction and are also selected by the Academy based on scoring. The judges will award Best in Show honors to only the top 1% of all work entered.
    • All decisions of the judges are final.

  • Judging Criteria

    Entries will be judged by the following criteria as determined by the Academy:

    • Websites: Website entries will be judged on the following factors: creativity, usability, navigation, functionality, visual design, and ease of use.
    • Marketing: Marketing entries will be judged on the following factors: creativity, impact, messaging, copywriting, and use of medium.
    • Video: Video entries will be judged on the following factors: content, technical Execution, implementation, and overall experience.
    • Mobile: Entries will be judged on the following factors: creativity, usability, navigation, functionality, visual design, and ease of use.
    • Social: Social entries will be judged on the following factors: content, creativity, messaging, implementation, and overall experience.
    • Podcasts: Podcast entries will be judged on the following factors: concept & writing, quality of craft and overall experience.
    • Emerging Tech: Entries will be judged on the following factors: creativity, innovation, functionality, visual design, and ease of use.

  • Notification

    Judging for The w3 Awards will be completed in September and entrants will be notified by email and postal mail in early October as to the status of their entries. At that time, Gold, Silver and Best in Show Winners will be provided the opportunity to secure their statuettes & winners’ certificates.