When it comes to adapting to technology, Pinoys are definitely not far behind but oftentimes, waaaay ahead! And we have taken like fish to water as well with social media, making the Philippines known as the Social Networking Capital of the world.
Recognizing that as many as 95% of online Pinoys are into social media, Globe Tattoo has launched the first ever Tatt Awards — a series of awards recognizing Filipinos who have used their passion and energy to create a strong, unforgettable social media presence.
Timed to launch last June 30 with the second annual celebration of Social Media Day, an initiative of award-winning social media and tech news site, Mashable, the Tatt Awards seek to find 10 awardees in 10 different categories to be the first to be recognized in the field of social media.
Judging will consist of social media peers as well as the Tatt Awards Council of Judges including veteran journalist and the force behind ABS-CBN’s News and Current Affairs initiatives Maria Ressa; Rock Ed Philippines founder Gang Badoy; prolific blogger and entrepreneur Cecile Zamora-Van Straten; tech blogger supreme and Tattoo ambassador Rico Mossesgeld; Flippish star and YouTube personality, director, and video blogger Kring Elenzano; RX radio DJ Chico Garcia; President of the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association (IMMAP) Hans Roxas-Chua; and Tattoo Head of Nomadic Broadband Business, Dong Ronquillo.
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| 4 of the 8 judges (L-R): Dong Ronquillo, Gang Badoy, Rico Mossesgeld, Kring Elenzano |
Nominations are already open and will run till July 14, 2011. After the nomination period, the nominees in each category will be shortlisted and will undergo another screening round with the judges.
You can nominate anyone (or in the case of some categories, any group) and you can nominate as many people as possible. Here are the 10 categories:
1. Word Slayer: Here’s an award for a blogger whose mastery of words showed wit, humor and grit to the Philippine blogosphere. Others followed and tried to copy but can’t. The person should maintain a blog heavy with stories told dominantly through text, as opposed to photos and videos. At least 60% of the blog’s content from June 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 should be posts with 200 words or more. It can be on any platform (Blogger, WordPress, Tumblr, etc.).
2. Video Slinger: Moving pictures do not just speak a thousand words, they speak millions. This award is for that one video maker (individual or group) who shook the Pinoy web space with his creations, ignited thoughts, and entertained people online. The person can have one video or a collection of videos with original content. It can be hosted in their very own video channel like Youtube or Vimeo or embedded on a blog, Facebook page or other social media channels.
3. #Thought-Mover: Twitter ain’t for geeks. Twitter is for changing the world. Here is an award for a person that started fire in the Philippine Twittersphere and united people around one thought. In 140 characters or less! The person should have a Twitter account which started one unique hashtag between June 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011. One unique hashtag per nomination.
4. The Artiste: Hundreds if not thousands of people share their art goodness to the world via the web. We look for an inspiring person whose fiery passion for creating visual art through original graphic design, animation or photography has caught fire in the Philippine online art scene. The art can be in the form of photo or video in any format. It can be hosted in their very own photo or video channel like Flickr, Tumblr, or Youtube. It can be on a blog, Facebook page or other social media channels.
5. The Advocate: This award goes to a person or a group of individuals who worked to improve the state of a societal cause in the Philippines through social media. This person or group invested time and effort (and sometimes even money) for the betterment of other people’s lives. The nominees can have a photo/video/audio channel, a blog, a Facebook page/app or a Twitter account on environmental, political, educational and other relevant advocacies.
6. Indie Rocker: This is for musical bands and indie artists who fought hard to claim their space in the hearts of the Filipino audience who knew that webtime is better than airtime. They created, shared, and now they lead people’s hearts through original music. The person can be part of a group or a solo artist. The songs can be in the form of audio or video in any length and format. They should be dominantly original (more than 50% of musical content). The content can be hosted in their very own music or video channel like MySpace or Youtube. It can be on a blog, Facebook page or other social media channels.
7. Stylisimo: This is for that one person that not only reviewed fashion but also set one that everyone followed and loved. This covers all Philippine fashion niches like clothes, events, and personalities. S/he can have a photo/video/audio channel, a Lookbook account, a blog, a Facebook page or a Twitter account to showcase his/her stylish posts.
8. Ballbreaker: For the opinion that launched tons of comments or retweets, from the person with so much balls to make that legendary post in the first place. S/he should be a blogger or a Twitter user who started a debate or revolution of opinions with just one (1) hard-hitting post. Everyone linked to it, posted a comment, shared it on their walls and retweeted the person’s thoughts because of an idea that’s meant to trend and spread like virus. It sparked a series of conversations in the Philippine social media space that will be remembered for a very long time.
9. Tech Junkie: Informed, in tune and in check with the latest in tech, this person do not only present us with access to the latest in trends, but also the backstage of the fast pace world of e-knowledge. From ground breaking gear to life changing technology, this netizen is always in on the action. Whether a blogger, a Twitter user, or a podcaster, S/he is always on the forefront of all things tech-related in the Philippines.
10. The One: The most influential trendsetter that shaped opinion, moved people, and ultimately starting fire in Philippine internet. This person is ahead of the pack in terms of online popularity and content. S/he may come from any background and engages on any platform. S/he can have one channel of engagement or an ecosystem of social media channels that you handle under your brand or name.
Nominations are HERE.
Rules are HERE.
And here’s a short video of what it’s all about.
Come and join. Nominate your social media peer and participate in the voting!