Netoscope.ru, November 2, 2001

An official award ceremony was held for winners of the 'Brand of the Year / EFFIE 2001' contest in the Noviy Manezh exhibition hall on November 1. Such IT-brands as RBC, MTU-Inform, Genius iRu and 2Sun reached the finals this year.

100 projects were introduced in 18 nominations this year. The result of the fourth contest, held in our country, can be declared rather significant for the Internet market. Thus, RosBusinessConsulting holding won the gold in a category 'Mass Media Sources.' Well-known IT-brands MTU-Inform and Genius iRu. were the second and the third in a category 'Hi-tech Goods And Services.' At the same time, network advertising agency 2Sun reached the finals in a category 'Goods and Services,' even though it didn't receive an award. This is not the only success of this company in the contest. It is worth mentioning that 2Sun was promoting the Genius trademark on the Internet since it hit the market. In addition, another client of the network advertising agency, i.e. Aquarius, won bronze in the category 'Corporations And Organizations.'

2Sun's contribution to the success of its clients in the contest can be described in different ways, but it can't be denied. Genius is actively using the Internet as an efficient marketing communications tool now. Since January 2001, it was conducting monthly advertising campaigns on the Internet. About 17.5m banners were shown over the first one year and a half, and attracted more than 30,000 visitors. A user can hardly be found on the Russian Internet, who didn't see Genius advertisements at least once.

'Brand of the Year' was held for the first time in 1998, when the word "brand" itself was familiar to only representatives of transnational companies. This time, the contest reached a new level - it became a member of the EFFIE Award international system, which operates in 19 countries. According to organizers of the contest, "a huge amount, and especially a high level of applications for the participation in the 'Brand of the Year / EFFIE 2001' showed professionalism of Russian brand-managers and their ability to establish real competition with western companies in the struggle for Russian consumers."

The EFFIE contest was organized by the US Marketing Association in 1968. The contest is held in 19 countries annually, including the USA, the majority of Western Europe, China, Mexico, Chili, India and Peru.

It is worth mentioning that the 'Kirill and Mefody' project is the first Russian Internet-brand that won the 'Brand of the Year' contest in 'High-tech Goods And Services.' A similar award was given to an Internet project and a collection of CD-encyclopedias.

A full list of this year's awardees can be seen on the web site of the contest.