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14 April 2008 Big Chip Ten shortlist announced

Press Release

April 14 2008

10TH ANNIVERSARY OF BIG CHIP AWARDS SEES RECORD ENTRANTS SETTING NEW STANDARDS IN TECHNOLOGY

Shortlist Announced For Big Chip Awards

The Big Chip Awards, the North West’s annual awards for digital excellence has again attracted a record number of entrants who have set new standards for its 10^th birthday. Numbers were up this year with more than 120 companies submitting 215 entries.

More than 35 North West entries have been short-listed for the Big Chip Awards, which boasts the North West Development Agency (NWDA), Merseyside Special Investment Fund and Microsoft among this year’s sponsors. Projects short-listed for the awards include work for a range of UK and international household names including Thomas Cook, HMV, Vision Express, Granada TV and Clipper Round The World Race. The new Game of the North and International Innovation awards are being judged separately and shortlists will be announced later this month.

Organised by Manchester Digital, the trade association for the region’s digital sector, and supported by Manchester Digital Development Agency, winners will be announced at The Big Chip Awards Dinner, on Thursday 22^nd May 2008 at New Century Hall in Manchester.

Compere for the awards event, which includes reception, four-course meal and entertainment, is broadcaster Terry Christian who will pay a special tribute to the late Tony Wilson who hosted the last four Big Chips.

The Big Chip judging panel includes a host of high profile figures from the UK digital sector, including Jon Williams from Grey Worldwide, Matt Locke of Channel 4 and Michael Nutley of New Media Age. The panel also includes special guest judge Yvette Livesey, who will select and award from the entries a dedicated ‘Anthony Wilson Original Modern Award.’

Celebrating a decade of digital excellence year, this year’s Big Chip Awards boasts 21 awards including sub-regional awards for Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cheshire & Warrington.

This year the Big Chip 10 celebrates with bigger and better categories reflecting the changing digital landscape, for the first time launching two awards open to entries from outside of the North West.  New categories include Game of the North and the Big Chip International Award for Innovation and a ‘green’ award for technology designed to help protect the environment.

Sponsors of this year’s event include Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA), North West Development Agency (NWDA), ICDC, Northwest Vision, MIDAS, Microsoft, MMU Business School, Merseyside Special Investment Fund, [Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus – Kat will confirm by tomorrow], Orchard Suits, British Computer Society, CIDS and Ralli Solicitors.

Companies nominated in this year’s awards include Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Code Computerlove, Trader Media Digital, Creative Cultures and Amaze.

Companies nominated for an award will automatically be entered into the relevant sub-regional category for Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Merseyside. Winners of the regional awards will then be entered into the Grand Prix category for the best overall entry.

Chair of Manchester Digital, Shaun Fensom, said: “This year is of particular importance because it represents a decade of IT excellence for the north west. The quality of entries is very high and it shows the strength of the digital industry in Liverpool and the North West, which continues its rapid growth. It is the first time that we have taken the awards out of the North West and the response has been exceptional as has the response from across the region which has been at its highest in the nine years of awards. We have all enjoyed investigating the work that our entrants have produced and look forward to rewarding their efforts.”

The companies shortlisted for this year’s Big Chip Awards are:

Best Application of Technology

• Skylab - Clipper Round The World Race - Race Viewer
• Trader Media Digital - Used Vehicle Search Implementation
• Transitive Ltd - QuickTransit

Best Digital Marketing and Brand Development

• Code Computerlove – Digital Marketing Boosts Online Sales for HMV.com
• Code Computerlove - Digital Marketing increases First Transpennine Express Online Sales by 84 percent
• Code Computerlove – Huggies Moviestar Viral Doubles Number of Visitors to Brand’s Website
• Creative Cultures - We Love...Space Campaign
• Fast Web Media - Carling Pub Football
• LOVE. - Design A Boot
• w00t!media - Goovies

Best E-business Project

• EduNation Ltd - First Tutors
• Flame Digital - Parkdean Holidays
• Mccan-I - Vision Express Consumer Website
• Thomas Cook Sports  - Thomas Cook Sports Web Site

Best E-Learning Project

• 3T Productions Limited - MagicPage
• Stardotstar - Quantum Sheep and the Wonderful Wolds!

Best Freelancer/Micro Enterprise

• Evolve
• Kisky Netmedia
• Flashtemple
• Monster Music Videos

Best Not for Profit Project

• Hydrant - The Cumbria Network Website
• Ichameleon Ltd - Zion Arts Centre Website
• Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

Best Public Sector Project

• Aerelink Limited - Wide Area Network Connectivity Project
• Photolink Creative Group - Manchester Conferences
• Reading Room - Glasgow 2014 bid website

Best Use of Animation

• Firestep - Dr Who
• Image Foundry Studios Ltd - The Street - Opening titles
• Jon Turner – Kilogramme - Edith- Christmas Card
• Smoothe – Cooling Towers
• The Neighbourhood - Stories from the Neighbourhood

Best Use of Visual Design

• Amaze - Lexus European website
• Fudge - www.fudgestudios.com
• Fudge - www.kitty-cooper.co.uk
• Ichameleon Ltd - Zion Arts Centre Website
• LOVE. – Website

Best Use of Search

• eBusiness – RU Comfy
• PushOn – Contract Store Search Marketing

Big Green Chip Award

• Higgins and Bowers Freelance - Development of Slipstream Energy Web Site
• UKFast.Net - UKFast's Ecoserver Project

The Game of the North and the Big Chip International Award for Innovation are being judged by special guest panels and shortlists will be announced later this month.