The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences announced the nominees for the Webby Awards on Tuesday, recognizing excellence across the digital world. The selection process involved reviewing over 13,000 submissions originating from more than 70 countries.

Top Nominees and Viral Campaigns Recognized

The list of nominees spans major celebrities and unexpected digital moments. Honorees include Cardi B, Dwayne Johnson, Justin Bieber, and Stephen Curry. Notably, the nominations also recognized highly unusual viral campaigns, such as the promotion involving Sydney Sweeney’s bathwater.

Sports and Political Figures Gain Recognition

NBA superstar Stephen Curry received a nomination for a viral billboard that appeared to show him shooting the moon. California Governor Gavin Newsom also secured nominations for his digital presence.

Other sports figures were recognized, including LeBron James for an Amazon commercial exploring his potential post-basketball careers. Dwayne Johnson earned a nod in the best long-form video category for his surprise visit to the Apalachee High School football team following a shooting incident.

Viral Marketing and PR Stunts Dominate Categories

The category for best viral PR campaigns features a direct competition between Kendall Jenner and Sydney Sweeney. Jenner was nominated for content addressing her dating history with athletes. Sweeney earned her nod for a limited-edition soap by Dr. Squatch that allowed fans to use her bathwater.

Several other unconventional marketing efforts were recognized for their virality. These included Absolut’s Tabasco-flavored vodka and Ricola’s limited-edition scarf infused with Swiss alpine herbs. Panera Bread’s Croissant Clutch handbag and Lidl’s Eau de Croissant fragrance also received recognition.

Duolingo was nominated twice—for best PR campaign and best use of earned media—for its campaign featuring the faked death of its mascot, Duo. This stunt prompted a witty response from Dua Lipa on X, stating, “Til’ death duo part.” Lipa herself is nominated after Apple documented a day on her Radical Optimism tour.

Webby Awards Structure and Timeline

Key Categories and Leading Organizations

The Webby Awards are divided into eight main categories, encompassing games, podcasts, video and film, apps and software, and advertising, media, and PR.

Major organizations leading the nomination count include Google with 46 nods, PBS with 29, and Apple and The Walt Disney Company each securing 23 nominations. NBCUniversal and Netflix followed closely with 22 nominations apiece.

Entertainment and Media Highlights

The finale of “Stranger Things” garnered three nominations for its promotional activities, including a mobile scavenger hunt allowing users to enter the Upside Down by tapping a 20-sided die.

Benedict Cumberbatch received two nominations for performing dramatic readings of Amazon customer reviews for the second installment of its advertising series. SKIMS also earned a nod for an advertisement featuring Kim Kardashian that inspired numerous TikTok recreations.

Lady Gaga was nominated for best events and livestream social campaign for answering fan questions about her album “Mayhem” on Spotify. Justin Bieber earned a nomination for community engagement after live-streaming the behind-the-scenes preparations for his Coachella headlining set on Twitch.

Podcast Nominations Showcase Diversity

Podcast nominations highlighted several popular shows. Nominees for best feature podcast host included “Good Hang with Amy Poehler” and “Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky.” Keke Palmer’s “Baby, This is Keke Palmer” was nominated in both the host and interview/talk show categories.

Sports podcasts in contention include “New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce” and “Pablo Torre Finds Out.” Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers were nominated for their NBC Olympics podcast, “Two Guys, Five Rings,” which featured conversations with “Sesame Street” characters.

Voting and Ceremony Details

The official Webby Award winners are determined by the Academy. However, fans worldwide can vote for the Webby People’s Voice Award.

The winners are scheduled to be officially announced on April 21. The awards ceremony itself will take place on May 11 in New York City, hosted by Josh Johnson, a correspondent and writer for “The Daily Show.”