NEW YORK — The digital world’s most prestigious honors are celebrating three decades of recognizing online excellence, with this year’s Webby Award nominees including rap superstar Cardi B, NBA champion Stephen Curry, and an unexpected entry involving actress Sydney Sweeney’s bathwater.
Tuesday’s announcement from the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences revealed nominees selected from more than 13,000 submissions spanning over 70 countries, with The Associated Press receiving advance details.
Political figures made their mark in the nominations, with social media teams for New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and California Governor Gavin Newsom receiving recognition. Kendall Jenner secured three nominations for her humorous Super Bowl advertisement with Fanatics Sportsbook titled “Bet on Kendall,” which playfully referenced her history of dating professional athletes. She’ll compete against Sweeney in the viral PR campaign category, where the “Euphoria” star earned her spot through a Dr. Squatch collaboration offering limited-edition soap infused with her bathwater.
This year’s competition spans eight major divisions: gaming, podcasts, websites and mobile platforms, video and cinema, applications and software, artificial intelligence, plus advertising, media and public relations.
Award recipients will be revealed April 21, followed by a celebration ceremony on May 11 in New York, with “The Daily Show” correspondent and writer Josh Johnson serving as host.
Leading the nomination count, Google topped all organizations with 46 nods, while PBS followed with 29, and Apple, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, and Netflix each earned between 22 and 23 nominations.
Several 2025 campaigns gained recognition for their viral appeal, including Absolut’s Tabasco-infused vodka, Ricola’s herb-scented scarf featuring their “signature Swiss alpine herbs,” and two French pastry-inspired products: Panera Bread’s Croissant Clutch purse and Lidl’s Eau de Croissant perfume.
Language-learning platform Duolingo captured attention once more by staging the fake demise of Duo, their popular owl mascot. This stunt, which inspired Dua Lipa to cleverly post “Til’ death duo part” on X, received nominations for outstanding PR campaign and most effective earned media usage. Lipa herself earned recognition when Apple documented a complete day during her Radical Optimism concert tour.
Last year’s cultural sensation “Stranger Things” finale promotion garnered three nominations, including a mobile treasure hunt requiring users to tap a 20-sided die for Upside Down access. Similarly, Bad Bunny fans participated in a nominated scavenger hunt using Google Maps and Spotify to discover song titles from his “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” album.
A Los Angeles billboard showcasing Curry received viral recognition because it appears he’s shooting a basketball at the moon, while fellow NBA legend LeBron James’ Amazon commercial, depicting his consideration of post-basketball careers including barbering and lounge singing, earned a collaboration award nomination.
Academy members select the main awards, while global fans vote for the Webby People’s Voice Award through April 16.
In the music video competition, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” faces Sabrina Carpenter’s “Tears,” Rosalía’s “Berghain,” Little Simz’s “Young,” and Claude’s Eurovision entry “C’est La Vie.” Lamar previously claimed last year’s music video Webby for “Not Like Us.”
Two-time Oscar nominee Benedict Cumberbatch earned dual nominations for his dramatic interpretations of Amazon customer reviews in the “Five Star Theater” campaign’s second installment. Blackpink’s Lisa received recognition for leading professional ballet dancers and performers in a NikeSKIMS advertisement that inspired numerous TikTok recreations. International girl group Katseye also earned a nomination for their Gap “Better in Denim” commercial.
Dwayne Johnson’s unexpected visit to Apalachee High School’s football team following a campus shooting received recognition in the best long-form video division. Lady Gaga’s Spotify fan Q&A session about creating her “Mayhem” album earned a nomination for outstanding events and livestream social campaign.
Culinary content creator Nick DiGiovanni secured two nominations: one for putting MrBeast through cooking training camp in a video exceeding 71 million views, and another for preparing meals for various animals, including a lion. MrBeast earned his own recognition with the animated series “MrBeast Lab.”
The organizers of a Timothée Chalamet lookalike competition that drew thousands of attendees, including the actor himself, received recognition. Chalamet’s Cash App advertisement, featuring a large spiky tropical fruit, earned a nomination in branded entertainment short-form video and film.
Justin Bieber’s live Twitch broadcast of his Coachella headlining set preparations received a community engagement nomination, while Sonic’s commercial featuring Terry Crews instructing athletes in acting earned recognition for best long-form branded entertainment.
Feature podcast host nominations went to “Good Hang with Amy Poehler,” “Next Question with Katie Couric,” “The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky,” and “Baby, This is Keke Palmer.”
Palmer’s podcast also competed in the entertainment and culture interview category alongside “Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim,” “All There Is with Anderson Cooper,” “Office Ladies,” and “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard.”
Sports podcast nominees include “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” “All the Smoke,” “New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce,” “Bussin’ With the Boys,” and “7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony.”
Cardi B’s “Am I The Drama?” album promotion, featuring a Harlem street performance where she sold her album for $9.99 alongside incense, earned two nominations. Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s short film “I Said I Love You First” received recognition, as did Gomez’s Rare Beauty cosmetics line.
Science educator and new mother Emily Calandrelli gained a Webby nomination after her TSA confrontation over breast pump equipment and stored milk sparked the #HandsOffOurMilk movement. Former “Saturday Night Live” performer Bowen Yang and actor Matt Rogers earned recognition for their Olympic discussions with “Sesame Street” characters on NBC Olympics podcast “Two Guys, Five Rings.”
