Celebrating the Unsung Heroes of the Internet: Proud To Be A Part of "The Hive Awards"

I'd like to call your attention to a very different Awards Show, of which I'm proud to be a part. And by "a part" I mean it's a labor of love--because I love all it represents and the genius talent it's been created to recognize. They're called The Hive Awards and in the case you've not yet heard about them, I'm featuring information about them in this post, but far more information is located right here.

Why do I like love this set of awards?

Because it celebrates those who do the heavy-lifting, burn some serious midnight oil on a regular basis, roll-up their sleeves and get deep in the trenches to ensure the quality and integrity of the finished product... but rarely receive the praise that comes along with it.

And it's high time these unsung heroes were given the spotlight.

What, exactly, do they mean by "unsung heroes"?

The “unsung heroes” are all the coders, programmers, user-experience designers, information architects, content strategists and the like who do most of the work to build websites and applications but who never seem to get any of the credit.

They’re the real Internet heroes who put in the time, trouble and effort and the show's organizers thought it was high time to recognize them. (I couldn't agree more.)

What's with the quirky name?

The name Hive Awards refers to the “hive mind” mentality of the web--and how it necessitates constant collaboration on projects which is a real change from previous ways of working. And with so many people working on a project, it’s easy for someone to get overlooked. Their goal is to change that. (How not to love that goal?)

What's different about these awards?

Besides recognizing those who've until now been behind-the-scenes, these awards also compare work on an apples-to-apples basis. For example, if the professional did some great work on a business-to-business aerospace industry site, they won't be competing against another professional who did great work on a business-to-consumer cable TV network site. 

(And as a marketer who focuses most of her time on B2B-centric efforts, I've seen too many projects miss their shot at any recognition due to being placed in catch-all categories from the very start; so I'm elated that they're making these important distinctions.)

What's my part in it?

I'm just one judge among many fine professionals, with all voting 100% individual, completely confidential and fully focused on the merits of the work.

What do I need to end this post on?

A BIG thank you.

Thank you to Alan Wolk, the Executive Director of the show, and everyone at The Hive Awards for letting me be a part of this special initiative, and in its inaugural year. But most of all, thanks to everyone who works so hard every single day to make the 'Net one helluva hive to work within!

PS: I've had people email me with questions on entries (you have until 1/31/10 to enter), but as it pertains to sponsorship opportunities and some other areas, I might need to refer you to the show producers who can better answer some questions. That said, comment and email away, and I'll ensure you get answers.