1 Year Long Global Competition
365 Site Of The Day Winners
12 Site Of The Month Finalists
66 International Judges
2 Rounds of voting
1 Site Of The Year Winner
Description: The world’s first 24 hour music video.
Credits: We are from L.A (http://www.wearefromla.com/); ICONOCLAST INTERACTIVE (http://www.iconoclastinteractive.tv/); i am OTHER (http://iamother.com/); anonymous (http://weareanonymous.fr/)
Reactions from the winner:
“When I wrote this song for Despicable Me 2, I never imagined it would have a 24 hour video, amazing interactive website or win the FWA SOTY. This is an incredible honor. I am super grateful for the creative vision of the “Happy” team—We Are From LA, Iconoclast and i am OTHER—for creating a project that truly seems like it’s inspiring happiness all over the world.” – Pharrell Williams
“First of all, we would like to say that we are really happy to receive the 2013 best website award. We have been perceiving and then carrying out digital projects for some years now and we are aware of this reward’s significance in the digital world.
This interactive music video project is not our first project but it has a special meaning for us: it allows us, as well as all the music and digital lovers, to think about new prospects.2013 has been a real turning point in the interactive video clips’ evolution. We really felt the tables turning inside the labels we are in contact with. The examples of artists such as Pharrell or Bob Dylan demonstrated that the biggest global artists, as well as their labels, were ready to take the digital’s challenge on.
We need, as any lovers of these new ways to communicate, to share strong examples. And this will really make things move forward and allow the digital creatives to really enter the musical universe. Mixing the musical universe with the digital one is an incredible opportunity.We have been really privileged working with Pharrell and sharing our mutual interests, creating together this interactive object. We have an idea of the digital area as being tremendously enjoyable, participative, allowing, as no other medium have ever allowed so far, to create a public complete participation. And so, the directing of the interactive video clips is bright since it allows capturing the energy of the music while upgrading it, making it interactive.
Pharrell Williams – Happy (Official Music Video)
*thefwa.com
*twitter.com/pharrell
Iconoclast Interactive, the production company we work hand in hand with, really helped us in this and believes in the development of the digital area thanks to the entertainment and musical communication. This year, we also have created a live completely interactive for the Ed Banger label, in partnership with Youtube. Thanks to the improvements of the flows, it is now possible to create really interesting live experiences and certainly the future will bring even more positive aspects. The artists and the digital world need to be more connected, bridges between those two needs to be created. Showing that an interactive clip is not only made for to some small groups of geeks but that it can also create a really strong global enthusiasm, even bigger than a common video clip would do. The digital and the technological aspects is not for us a goal by itself but one of the means, a support allowing creating hybrid objects and opening on a wholly new creation field. If we wish for the digital to become an evidence for the artists and the labels, we have to present it as easy to get hold of in the conception as well as in its ergonomics.
This reward means a great deal to us since we are aware that the FWA standards are based on ergonomics, technology and creativity. It is extremely encouraging to see that a prize as the FWA SOTY has been given to the website we created since it opens really positive doors for the future of those who love digital. Next year we hope to be doing projects which could try to win this award again! In any case, thank you FWA !!!” – Clement Durou & Pierre Dupaquier, We Are From LA
A few words from FWA Founder, Rob Ford:
“It’s fantastic to see that such a simple idea has been selected as FWA Site of the Year 2013. Even though the idea itself is simple, being so bold to create a 24 hour video is quite incredible, especially in the new era of playing things safe. This project oozes charm, personality and definitely leaves those who experience it… feeling happy. The quality of this project is amazing and the end result is definitely the best project the world saw in 2013 and I hope this will inspire many to be as brave and as bold by making their ideas become a reality in years to come.” – Rob Ford
FWA judge’s comments:
Nicolas Roope, Poke:
“On a web saturated with content and experiences, the things that work best are both incredibly simple and yet have depth, texture and feeling in abundance. The 24 hour video is a single minded, simple idea which makes it talkable, spreadable and remarkable, but the experience on arrival is equally rich and rewarding and just like the song itself, lifts your spirits and warms every visitor to the product (artist and single). Great!”
Jens Karlsson, Your Majesty:
“Evoking emotion isn’t a simple ask. Neither is keeping a visitor stuck by the screen for hours. Simplicity at it’s essence combined with a solid concept and magical content truly makes this experience stand out on top of anything we witnessed in 2013.”
Per Stenius, McCann:
“Such a brilliantly simple, yet complicated concept. Flawlessly executed. Every SOTY winner should create a site people want to watch all day long. That’s just what 24hoursofhappy did.”
Pascal Leroy, group94:
“One of the best productions I’ve seen in years. Smart idea. Clever interface. Very engaging. Huge viral potential. It truly makes me happy. I wish I’d made it :)”
Hoss Gifford, OneMethod:
“It takes a huge amount of work to deliver so much joy from something so elegantly simple. I’ve chosen 24 Hours of Happy as the FWA SOTY 2013 for all the things the makers were brave enough to persuade the client not to include, as much as I have for what made the cut. It made me happy.”
Nick Law, R/GA:
“It’s beautifully produced, pitch perfect for the song and a delightfully consistent experience for 24 hours.”
James Baker, WDDG:
“The next generation in web development has truly arrived.”
Craig Kroeger, Miniml:
“A perfect union of concept and execution.”
Vassilios Alexiou, Less Rain:
“This is interactivity at its simplest and most powerful. Going beyond tech gimmicks, this music video is a piece of journalism, even voyerism and certainly a snapshot of LA moving and grooving in 2013. In a time where we are struggling to keep the attention of our users for more than two minutes, this has kept some of us watching for several hours.”
Mike Geiger, JWT:
“Thank God for 24 Hours of Happy. It actually made me happy playing around with it. It wasn’t one of those sites with overuse of the latest technology but a great and simple idea extremely well educated.”
Mathias Appelblad, Deutsch LA:
“In a world where the window of opportunity for communicating gets smaller and smaller every day, 24hoursofhappy, does everything right. It immediately pulls you in and gets more engaging with every beat. Slam dunk. Home run. I’m running out of sports metaphors here, but this is truly great.”
Jason Harris, Mekanism:
“I am a sucker for a good handle, and this project has a superb title + flawless execution. The site also delivers massive repeatability based on what time of day you decide to visit.”
Lynda Weinman, Lynda.com:
“Mesmerizing, addictive and joyful. Extremely clever concept and perfect execution.”
Vivian Rosenthal, Snaps!:
“24 Hours of Happy transcends what a music video has been and offers something far deeper, a view into the lives of others, and what makes them happy. As we see how the movement of the body and the connection to music comes to life in their lives, we realize that we too can find that happiness in ourselves.”
Winston Binch, Deutsch LA:
“This is the definition of original and shareable work. It feels like news, it’s dead simple, clever, and infectiously fun. It doesn’t hurt that it’s built around a terrific song, but the execution fits perfectly. It made me jealous. My only complaint is that it doesn’t work on mobile. It would have been even more shareable. Everyone could use a little happy on the go.”
Serge Jespers, Adobe:
“Even if you don’t like Pharrell this song will make you happy and the 24 hour video is really well done. I love seeing artists embrace the technological advantages of the web to promote their music.”
Peter Van den Wyngaert, NRG:
“Interactive video done right!”
Michael Lebowitz, Big Spaceship:
“Such a cool idea and so well executed.”
Martin Cedergren, M&C Saatchi:
“Simply brilliant!”
Rich Lee, Adobe:
“Very slick!”
Benjamin Laugel, Soleil Noir:
“A bit of joy and happiness to start 2014 is priceless!”
Niklas Lindström, Forsman & Bodenfors:
“This is a fresh, innovative and beautiful way to do a music video that really stands out in this day and age.”
Brendan Dawes:
“Made me smile.”
Tim Rodgers, rehabstudio:
“IT’S LIKE A WHOLE 24 HOURS OF MUSIC.”
John Noe, Rokkan:
“I love how the interactivity delivers the message of the video and extends the story. It brings it to life and makes you want to dive in. You feel connected.”
Joshua Corliss, The Martin Agency:
“A truly unique idea wrapped in a beautiful user interface.”
Matthew Atkaz:
“Happiness is the truth.”
About FWA
FWA, established in May 2000, is an industry recognized recognition program for cutting edge digital work. FWA specializes in identifying emerging trends whilst showcasing the latest progressions in digital creativity. The FWA network showcases not only cutting edge digital via its flagship website but also the best in mobile via the FWA Mobile Showcase and the best in photography via FWA Photo. FWAwebTV is a video channel featuring one great video per day from previous FWA winners.