The Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) has honoured 24 winners of its 15th annual AIMIA Awards at a ceremony at Sydney’s Australian Technology Park.

Hosts Adam Spencer and Airlie Walsh kept the crowd entertained, with returning AIMIA president Guy Gadney using his speech to highlight how rapidly business models are changing and the need for the digital industry to promote new revenue opportunities.

The ‘Amys’ have over 21 categories represented in 2009, ranging from retail to government, sport to content for children. The winners this year beat out stiff competition from a huge number of entries, up 15% on last year (see below for the full list of winners).

This comes on the back of the association’s latest Digital Service Index, which predicts revenue generated through digital services in Australia will rise close to 25% in 2009.

“Digital continues to grow beyond marketing and advertising and has quickly established itself as the medium of trust for commerce and government. These awards prove that with representation this year from major banks, the defence department, large retail brands, and leading NGOs including the United Nations,” John Butterworth, AIMIA CEO, explains.

Notable winners included Soap Creative and 20th Century Fox for their work on the Jumper campaign, receiving a gong for Best Advertising and Marketing, and BMF/Sony Computer Entertainment winning a ‘Best of the Best’ award in the Entertainment category.

Winner – Best Advertising or Marketing – Jumper – Soap Creative and 20th Century Fox
Highly commended – Best Advertising or Marketing – Project 696 – BMF, Lion Nathan Australia
Winner – Best Children’s – The Playground – ABC Television
Winner – Best Classifieds & eTrading – TrueLocal website – TrueLocal.com.au
Winner – Best Cross-Platform Content or Content Integration with an Offline Advertising Campaign – United Nations Voices Project – United Nations, Saatchi & Saatchi, The Hyperfactory & Mobot
Winner – Best Cultural, Lifestyle or Sport – 12 Canoes – Wanted Digital
Winner – Best Use of Social Media – Sony Australia: The Quantum Code – Euro RSCG Australia
Winner – Best Enterprise – Resn 08 – Resn
Winner – Best Entertainment – PlayStation Games Universe – BMF & Sony Computer Entertainment
Winner – Best Export Achievement -  TigerSpike Phoenix Platform – TigerSpike Pty Ltd
Winner – Best Financial Service – BankWest – Happy Banking Host
Winner – Best Learning & Education – 12 Canoes – Wanted Digital
Winner – Best Mobile Advertising or Marketing – United Nations Voices Project – United Nations, Saatchi & Saatchi, The Hyperfactory, Mobot
Winner – Best Mobile Product or Service – EA direct-to-consumer mobile site – Electronic Arts; Front Foot Media
Winner – Best News, Media or Reference – Wotnews.com.au – Wotnews Boomworks
Winner – Best Non-profit or Government – United Nations Voices – Project United Nations, Saatchi & Saatchi, The Hyperfactory, Mobot
Winner – Best Retail – Champagne Gallery – R&B Creative Communication
Winner – Best Science, Health or Environment – Catchment Detox ABC Science/ABC Local Radio – CSIRO & eWater CRC
Winner – Best Student Project – iWiFi Bondi iWiFi – Institute of Interactive Media and Learning(IML) & UTS
Winner – Best Tourism or Travel Web – TV portal for Tourism Queensland – Tourism Queensland, Clemenger Harvie Edge Brisbane, Viocorp
Winner – Best Word-of-mouth, Peer-to-peer or Viral – Sony Australia: The Quantum Code – Euro RSCG Australia
Winner – Effectiveness Award – Tree People – Lowe Sydney, Genesis Energy
Best of the best – Best Entertainment – PlayStation Games Universe – BMF & Sony Computer Entertainment
Outstanding Contribution – Peta Pash, Project National Manager, mega (mobile enterprise growth alliance)