First-timers' yachting lifestyle magazine app wins Award

by Lee Mylchreest on 8 May 2013 You don't have to be an organisation as large as National Geographic or Time to make big waves in the App world. A yachting lifestyle magazine app which was co-founded two first-timers in App creation has won a Webby Award.

BOYD was one of 10 winners in the best user experience category, alongside National Geographic, Mashable and Time.

The annual awards, which honour the best in websites, interactive advertising and media, online film and video, mobile and apps and social media, received 11,000 entries from more than 60 countries.

Sam Laurie, co-founder of BOYD, said: 'We are extremely pleased to be honoured alongside such distinguished icons in media.

'It’s a great achievement for the whole team and reinforces BOYD’s position as a pioneering digital communication platform.'

This is their very first digital creation and the British co-founders, Sam Laurie and Chris Savage, have over 30 years experience in yachting.

The app was launched earlier this year at Les Voiles de Saint Tropez, which is the premier event in the sailing superyacht world. Two editions are now available to download for free on iPad via the Newsstand and App Store.

The two founders recognised that there was a unique opportunity to do something disruptive at time of intense development in the digital space.

'When the iPad came out we noticed a real shift in behavior and expectations,' says Laurie. 'These devices have become instruments of existence and our target audience of HNWI’s (high net worth individuals) are on them all the time.

'So we invested a year of our time researching the future of publishing and BOYD is the result of lateral thinking and zero limitations. BOYD delivers credible and enjoyable content that fits the future of publishing.

But this is just the beginning for the inventive pair. 'Right now we are working towards a system upgrade that will make content more frequently and dynamically available through a customised storefront,' says Laurie. 'We are developing a much more efficient model where features can be downloaded much faster for viewing without internet connectivity.'

For more information about the award-winning App, or to download it to your iPad, http://www.boydapp.com/!click_here.