Hartru.com Named Official Honoree in the "Oscars of the Internet"

Source: Har-Tru Sports

CHARLOTTESVILLA, Va. -Har-Tru Sports, a global sports company with its roots in the tennis industry, is pleased to announce that its website, www.hartru.com, has been recognized as an Official Honoree in the 16th Annual Webby Awards. Presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, the Webbys honor excellence in design and content on the internet. Out of the 10,000 sites submitted this year, less than 15 percent were given nominations or honoree awards in their particular categories.

Designed and developed by Baltimore-based advertising agency Planit, the Har-tru website was honored in the Professional Services category. Websites are selected for recognition based on excellence in criteria that include, but are not limited to: content, structure and navigation, visual design, functionality, interactivity and overall experience.

Har-Tru enlisted Planit's expertise to establish a new web presence that appealed to the athlete consumer and delivered the message that training on clay tennis courts helps develop players into champions. The website was also intended to help promote Har-Tru as a major public sports brand. By appealing to the athlete, the goal was to create more demand for Har-Tru courts as junior tennis players realize the advantages and benefits of training on clay courts to help develop key skills.

"Har-Tru's selection as an Official Honoree is testament to the skill, wit and pioneering vision of our website's creators at Planit," said Pat Hansenn, director of marketing and sales for Har-Tru Sports. "We loved the energy, reverence and confidence that Planit was able to inject into the site, which has given it a definite personality. Planit was an ideal partner because they understood the essence of the Har-Tru brand and challenged us on how we could bring it to life digitally. We're thrilled to see their efforts recognized by a group who truly understands this type of work and who are well-respected experts in the digital world."

The Webby nod isn't the first industry praise the Har-Tru website has received from the online community. The American Advertising Federation of Baltimore awarded Planit with a Gold ADDY® Award in the Interactive Media category for its work on Hartru.com. Gold award winners will move on to the regional District Two competition, competing with agencies from Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Virginia and Washington, D.C. A win at the District level guarantees moving on to the National ADDY Competition. Har-Tru Sports Based in Charlottesville, Va.. Har-Tru Sports is the leading provider of clay courts, lighting and court accessories. The company has been developing innovative tennis products and making clay court ownership a reality for avid and competitive tennis players for more than 40 years. The company has a passion for tennis and is taking a leadership role in advancing the game while enhancing the playing experience through innovative products. Har-Tru Sports is best known for its Har-Tru brand of clay courts and uses its products and product knowledge to further the development of tennis champions around the world. The company's global expansion now includes courts in Australia and China, and about the innovative materials used to create the clay surface, such as billion-year-old metal basalt green stone.