Webby Alert: Digitaria CEO Daniel Khabie Said What?
San Diego- There’s nothing like a little celebrity tie-in, even if it is self-imposed.
At the 12th Annual Webby Awards ceremony on June 10, 2008, Invisible Children, a media-based non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and educating youth around the world, and Digitaria, a full-service digital marketing and technology firm, were awarded the prestigious Webby People’s Voice Award for their site Displace Me (http://www.invisiblechildren.com/displaceme/).
Digitaria’s CEO Daniel Khabie proudly stepped up to the podium to accept the People’s Voice Award and delivered what would be one of the most memorable one-liners of the night. “Angelina Jolie can’t do everything,” he said.
The Webby Awards, which aim to ensure that there aren’t any drawn-out, 30-second-plus speeches, are known for implementing the five-word spiel, and Khabie’s five words were necessary, amusing and appropriate.
Created in conjunction with Invisible Children’s second nationwide event for northern Uganda, the goal of Displace Me was to prove that you don’t have to be a Hollywood celebrity to make a difference. Through Displace Me’s Web marketing efforts, on April 28, 2007 more than 68,000 youth displaced themselves for one night to bring attention to the 22-year war in northern Uganda. And bring attention it did. Displace Me has helped bring Africa’s longest running war close to an end by leveraging the U.S. State Department’s involvement in the current peace talks in Uganda. Three months after Displace Me took place, a senior level diplomat was appointed to ensure that the talks would succeed and peace would finally come to the region. Now, a year later, the final peace agreement is close to being signed by rebel leader Joseph Kony and more than half of the 1.8 million displaced have returned home. Thanks to the youth of America that participated in Displace Me, peace is on the horizon.
Laren Poole, co-founder of Invisible Children and Director of Displace Me, said, “It’s no wonder that thousands of people voted for this site to win the Webby—it made people believe once again that every war has an end.”
This year’s Webby Awards attracted nearly 10,000 entrees from all 50 U.S. states and more than 60 countries around the world. After 500,000 votes were cast in the Webby People’s Voice Awards, Invisible Children and Digitaria were honored to be included as the one of the best of the Web.
“This award recognizes the success that Invisible Children and Digitaria are having in driving social change through the use of social networking and advanced Web technologies,” said Daniel Khabie, Digitaria CEO.
About Invisible Children, Inc.
Invisible Children is a social, political and global movement using the transformative power of a story to change lives. By inspiring youth culture to value creativity, idealism and sacrifice, the movement fuels the most effective, adaptable and innovative programs in the world. Programs on the ground focus on long-term development through education and economic opportunities, while awareness and advocacy efforts focus on educating and inspiring the Western world to use their unique voice for change. The organization was created after the release of the 2004 film "Invisible Children: Rough Cut," a revealing documentary about the life of child soldiers in northern Uganda. For more information, visitwww.invisiblechildren.com.
About Digitaria
Digitaria (www.digitaria.com) is a full-service digital marketing and technology firm headquartered in San Diego with additional offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Since 1997, Digitaria has consistently led the field in creating digital experiences online through Web sites, intranets, extranets, digital asset management, interactive marketing campaigns and business solutions that are both measurable and memorable. Digitaria represents many of the largest brands in the world. Some of our active clients include: Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Bravo Television, CBS Corporation, Cobra Golf, Comcast Corporation, DTS Corporation, International Speedway Corporation, Intel Corporation, FOX Corporation, Game Show Network, Gateway Corporation, Gordon Rush, Hasbro, Inc., KCET Hollywood, Lifetime Television Network, MTV Networks, NBC Universal, National Football League, QUALCOMM, Inc., SOAPnet, Toshiba Corporation and WPT Enterprises, Inc.
Digitaria believes strongly in the power of collaboration and strategic thinking and often integrates internal teams with the talented staff of its clients to ensure all stakeholders contribute to the success of the engagement. For additional information, please visithttp://www.digitaria.com.
About The Webby Awards
Hailed as the "Oscars of the Internet” 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 12th Annual Webby Awards received a record 9,500 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: Adobe; The Creative Group; .ORG; The Barbarian Group; Level3; Adweek; Fortune; Variety; Wired; IDG: Brightcove; PricewaterhouseCoopers; 2advanced.Net; KobeMail and Museum of the Moving Image.
