LIA announces new ‘Social Influencers’ category for 2017 chaired by Phil Ranta, CCO, Studio71

LIA has revealed a new category in the 2017 competition, ‘Social Influencer’ chaired by Phil Ranta, chief creative officer, Studio71, a leading media company focused on digital talent.

TV, Print and Radio are no longer the only platforms for advertising; it has gone beyond Ambient or Digital, it has gone viral via social media. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter have become the platforms for brands, agencies and marketers.  The hours spent in front of the TV or reading the newspaper or magazines; are now hours spent in front of a computer, a tablet or a phone. There is a new generation of artists emerging from these platforms.  Ones who own there audience, analyze data and creates content that reaches all kinds of demographics around the world……the Social Influencer.

LIA has added the new competition to validate the importance of the Social Influencer. These Influencers hold the key for brands and marketers to get their message out to a large audience quickly. With social media marketing expenditure likely to increase by 10 billion in the US alone over the next 3 years, many companies are turning to these modern platforms for their next advertising campaign. The newly established relationship between social influencer, brand and agency is one of the upmost importance.

Says Barbara Levy, president, LIA: “In 2004 LIA removed the word “Advertising” from the competition’s name to reflect the fact that we observe more than just “advertising” in this ever-changing industry.  We are proud to be the first major award show to recognize the importance of online branded entertainment created by Social Media Influencers. As social media continues to grow, it is crucial that we keep up with the current state of the industry.”

Studio71 has a YouTube network of over 1,200 creators receiving over 6 billion monthly views, and has become a leader in digital brand solutions, premium content creation including movies and television programs, and talent management.

Says Ranta: “Digital influencers have revolutionized the advertising industry through the creation of authentic branded content attached to loyal fan-bases. I am honored to work with LIA to shine a light on the best work in this booming sector.”

Social Influencers judging will take place at Encore Las Vegas from October 4th through October 6th  

The Entry System is open for entries. The initial entry deadline is the 9th June.

For more information on submissions and eligibility, please visit the LIA website at www.liaawards.com.