WASHINGTON (April 29, 2014) – AARP announced today it has been honored with two Webby Awards, which are hailed by The New York Times as the “Internet’s highest honor.” AARP’s original Web seriesTakei’s Take has been voted the winner of the Webby People's Voice Award in the Technology category and AARP’s Top Ten Technologies for Mature Drivers Website has won the prestigious Webby Awardin the Car Sites & Car Culture category.

"Honorees like AARP are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet," said David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. "It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the 12,000 entries we received this year."

Hosted by actor and social media mega-power George Takei, Takei’s Take is an original Web series from AARP on YouTube that takes a smart, funny, and irreverent look at our shared digital experience. One of the fasting growing YouTube channels for the Boomer audience in 2013, the program reached nearly 100,000 subscribers in its first season and is currently in production for its second season, which will launch later this year. Takei’s Take netted an impressive twenty-four thousand subscribers in the first twenty-four hours of its launch and to date has over 1.5 million video views. AARP partners withFullscreen, a media company for the connected generation, on the production of this original online program.  AARP is a non-profit, non-partisan organization with nearly 38 million members, focused on helping people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities. Follow AARP on Twitter: @AARP and subscribe to Takei’s Take at www.youtube.com/takeistake.

“With Takei’s Take, we wanted to take an innovative approach to reaching adults looking to learn about the latest on the Internet and the response has been outstanding,” said Myrna Blyth, editorial director for AARP Media. “Season one’s performance has demonstrated that the 45+ audience is craving this type of content and we’re honored to be recognized with a Webby Award for our efforts.”

The Top Ten Technologies for Mature Drivers website demonstrates through high definition 3D animations how the best cutting-edge car technologies work that make driving safer and easier for drivers over the age of 50. Based on joint research by The Hartford and the MIT AgeLab, the website showcases, through stunning visual animations in ten beautiful environments, how these technologies improve driver safety in threatening situations such as snow storms, rain, heavy traffic and when stranded. AARP Driver Safety commissioned Cstraight Media (www.cstraight.com), a Washington DC based full-service digital agency, to design and develop the website and produce the gorgeous, realistic 3D animations. The site they produced together serves as a critical learning tool for mature drivers when considering the purchase of a new vehicle or understanding how these advanced technologies work when driving an equipped vehicle. Check out the website at www.aarp.org/cartech. 

“Automobile technology is improving and advancing faster than ever. It’s critical that drivers educate themselves so that these technologies make them safer—not more distracted—on the road,” said Julie Lee, vice president and national director of AARP Driver Safety. “This new tool demonstrates how new technologies—such as smart headlights, blind spot warning systems, drowsy driver alerts and more—help drivers stay safe and confident behind the wheel.”

The Webby Awards are the leading international awards honoring excellence on the Internet and each year present two honors in every category—The Webby Award and The Webby People's Voice Award—in each of its five entry-types: Websites, Interactive Advertising & Media, Online Film & Video, Mobile & Apps and Social. Members of The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) select the nominees for both awards in each category, as well as the winners of The Webby Awards. Through a public vote, the online community determines the winners of the Webby People's Voice.

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About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services.  A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Español, a Spanish-language website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates.  The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.

Media Contact
Michelle Alvarez
malvarez@aarp.org
(202) 434-2555