Created by LA based advertising agency CP+B, the .GIFYS is the first ever award honouring the humble GIF. The digital equivalent of the Oscars, it is an accolade to the very best of the web.

As with the Oscars, it is seperated into different categories, including Animals, News and Politics, WTF and the highly prized GIF of the Year. The shortlist for each category was selected by a guest expert panelist, including members of Buzzfeed, Gawker and Tumblr, and of course, Lil Bub, who himself found internet fame in early 2012 thanks to the GIF format. Voting is open to the public, and already over 500,000 votes have been cast. The winners, who will be announced on January 31st, will forever be immortalised in the internet hall of fame.

There's something universally appealing about the lo-fi looped animated GIF, and its popularity in recent years has seen it evolve something verging on an artform, capable of entertainment and social commentary. "The gif is now 26 years olds" says award co-founder William Sawyer. "It's about time they received their due respect with a proper awards show".