Northridge Interactive, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner in Atlanta, has been nationally recognized by the Web Marketing Association’s Internet Advertising Competition with a Best of Toy & Hobby Website Award for the RHIP Toyz: Freedom Ops Network website found at www.FreedomOpsNet.com.

The Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) Awards are produced by the Web Marketing Association to honor excellence in online advertising, recognize the individuals and organizations responsible, and showcase the award winning Internet advertising. This is one of the only competitions to recognize only online categories of advertising. IAC Award entries are submitted by advertising and interactive agencies or corporate marketing departments worldwide.  Entries compete head-to head with others in their specific category and are judged on creativity, innovation, impact, design, copywriting, and use of medium.

The Freedom Ops Network is the first officially licensed toy line of authentic military soldiers and vehicles.  The Freedom Ops Network website is an additional dimension to the product purchase that connects the physical Freedom Ops Network products to an online experience, specifically via a unique product tracking code for each figure or vehicle in the Freedom Ops Network product line.  The Northridge team developed an algorithm for creating codes unique to each action figure or vehicle.  These individual codes are engraved on a replica military “dog tag” enclosed with each soldier or vehicle purchased, and the codes are then used for registration and personalization on the Freedom Ops Network website.

While the website presentation layer is built entirely in Flash, the “dog tag” code entry, registration verification, and personalization is custom built Microsoft .NET functionally.  Once the “dog tag” code registration has been completed, visitors initiate a full interactive and customizable experience within the Freedom Ops Network Command Center website.  Each Freedom Ops Network Command Center includes unique training exercises as well as interactive missions gaming experiences for specific Special Operations soldiers and vehicles within the website visitor’s personal collection.  The Freedom Ops Command Center also features Special Operations branch facts, history, videos and photos licensed by the United States Military.

“We are honored to be recognized by our industry peers with this IAC award again this year,” said Stephen Love, Group President, Northridge Interactive.  “The Freedom Ops Network website is a testament to the limitless nature of Flash design combined with Microsoft .NET, offering our team a unique opportunity to work with United States Military licensed photos and videos to enhance our design efforts.  We look forward to seeing what the IAC holds for us in 2010 as we continue to strive in providing creativity, innovation, and value to our clients.”

About the Web Marketing Association

The Web Marketing Association (WMA) was founded in Boston in 1997 to help set a high standard for Internet marketing and corporate web development on the World Wide Web. Staffed by volunteers, this organization is made up of Internet marketing, advertising, PR and design professionals who share an interest for improving the quality of advertising, marketing and promotion used to attract visitors to corporate Web sites.