Webit Congress 2011 Gathers in Sofia World Digital Elite for Third Consecutive Year

26 october 2011, Sofia, Bulgaria

Over 5000 visitors from over 45 countries attended the opening of the two-day forum Webit 2011 this morning at Inter Expo Center-Sofia. The Congress became once again a venue for top professionals from the global digital industry, thus positioning Bulgaria as attractive place for digital professionals and investment destination for the leading global digital brands. The Main Stage, which was sold out weeks before the event, was packed in anticipation of the speakers, including Rick Kelley, Head of Mid Market Sales in EMEA for Facebook; Marvin Liao, Commercial Director of EMEA Expansion Markets for Yahoo!; Marc Bresseel, Vice President, Global Marketing at Microsoft Advertising; Sergiy Petrenko, CEO at Yandex Ukraine.

"Webit’s mission is to develop the digital industry in Central and Eastern Europe," said Plamen Rusev, Chairman of the Board, e-Academy, Honorable Ambassador and Member of the Webit Ambassadors Honorary Board, right after the event opening. "The size of the Bulgarian market is still relatively small compared to Europe’s digital map, but this has not prevented Webit from gathering once again in Sofia some the world renowned international experts from the industry and to meet them with professionals from Bulgaria and other 45 countries.”.

In 2011, about EUR 20 million were invested in digital advertising campaigns on the Bulgarian market. According to Plamen Rusev and e-Academy, it is expected that these investments will reach EUR 30 million this year. Despite the remarkable growth, advertisers in Bulgaria allocate a relatively small percentage of their budgets to digital campaigns - only 7% compared to the average 10-15% for other Central and Eastern European countries.

The industry is interested in the instruments available for web activity measurement. In the attempt to address this issue, the First Webit Awards for Digital Effectiveness will be given out tonight at an official ceremony, which will recognize the best digital campaigns in 12 different categories. Nominees from 22 countries in the region are running for the prestigious awards.

For the first time Webit’s intensive programme included events devoted to the digital creative and to the online gaming industry. Webit’s heart was once again the Main Marketing Stage offering topics like mastering the new digital, analysis of the Internet and online advertising market in Central and Eastern Europe, e-marketing evolution, etc.

Webit continues tomorrow, October 27, at Inter Expo Center – Sofia.

Detailed information about the programme and all the speakers as well as high-resolution pictures from the event are accessible on the official website: http://www.webit.bg.

For additional information, please, contact:

Simeon Polimenov, Event Manager, Webit Congress, telephone: + 359 886 606 222, email: simeon@e-acad.eu

Dimitar Sabev, Account Executive, All Channels|PR, telephone: + 359 2 434 03 67, mobile: +359 878 610 600, email: dsabev@all-channels.com