Dubbed the Internet’s highest honor by The New York Times, the Webby Awards are the leading international awards body which honors absolute excellence online. In 2018, more than 13,000 entries were submitted and over three million votes were cast. GSD&M was incredibly humbled to be shortlisted in six categories for our work for the United States Air Force, Avocados From Mexico, Southwest Airlines and Walgreens, and ultimately took home two Webby Awards for our work for Southwest Airlines and Walgreens.

The Best Visual Design Aesthetic category is geared toward websites and experiences where visual design is intended to be both beautiful and emotional, and appeal to all senses. This year, The Webby Awards honored Southwest Airlines in the Best Visual Design Aesthetic category for its online experience, “Heart of Travel.” Southwest is, after all, the brand with Heart. So it makes sense that the airline would partner with digital artist Joshua Davis to turn its customers’ travel journeys into beautiful works of art. Delivered straight to customers’ inboxes, the art made their miles flown with Southwest personal and truly captured what it feels (and looks like) to travel with the airline that’s all Heart.

Next up, the Corporate Communications Category judges online identities for organizations which promote, market or provide information on the company’s services or initiatives. Taking it a step further, Walgreens was honored in the category for creating not only a website, but an online community. Focused on those recently diagnosed HIV-positive, Walgreens created an environment where people impacted by the diagnosis could come for answers, community and support. Let’s Grow Old Together not only provides helpful medical information about living life after being diagnosed HIV-positive, but it also fights stigmas about HIV, which is critical for those newly diagnosed, bringing them a sense of hope.