Format-3, the London-based digital product studio, has been recognised with a Webby Award for its innovative digital work on The Pendragon Cycle, winning in the category of Best Websites and Mobile Sites in Television, Film and Streaming. The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) and described by The New York Times as the “Internet’s highest honour”, are widely regarded as a benchmark for digital creativity and success.
How The Pendragon Cycle redefines digital experiences
The project that earned Format-3 the award is The Pendragon Cycle, an immersive digital experience that deliberately moves beyond conventional website design. Instead of treating a website as a static page, the team built an environment where interaction functions as narrative and the interface itself becomes a medium for storytelling. Officially launched in December 2025, every element — from structural layout to motion design — was shaped to produce a cohesive, intentional experience that draws the user into the world of the series.
The Pendragon Cycle is a seven-part epic titled Rise of the Merlin, which explores the time before King Arthur’s reign and focuses on the rise of the legendary wizard. Filmed in multiple global locations, the production emphasised practical sets, historical accuracy and cinematic scale. Episodes began streaming on DailyWire+ in January 2026, released weekly. To promote the series, The Daily Wire — the production company behind the show — launched real-world stunts including models posing with bull statues in various cities to evoke ancient symbolism, and an interactive augmented reality booth in Miami that let participants transform into characters from the series. Format-3’s digital experience complemented these efforts by creating an online world that extends the narrative beyond the screen.
CEO on the significance of the award
Hardy Sidhu, founder and chief executive of Format-3, said: “Winning a Webby Award in such a competitive category, spanning television, film, and streaming, places our work with The Pendragon Cycle alongside some of the most ambitious digital experiences produced globally. It’s an incredibly proud moment for the entire Format-3 team, where the significance extends beyond the award itself. For us, it reinforces a belief that the future of agency is not defined by size, but by focus. Not by layers, but by clarity. Not by process alone, but by the quality of thinking and execution behind the work. This moment stands as proof that a different model cannot only compete at the highest level, but lead, and is something I am incredibly proud of.”
Sidhu, who has more than 15 years of experience leading teams for major brands including Samsung, Volvo, Nike, Rolls-Royce and Amazon, previously spent three and a half years at AKQA as director of product development. His philosophy emphasises challenging the traditional agency model by prioritising collaboration, innovation and transparency. He has described larger, established agencies as risking becoming “dinosaurs” and argues that designers should have a strategic role in business decisions.
Company background and growth
Format-3 was established in January 2023 with a stated mission to “stamp out the negative attributes of the agency world and build a business that is synonymous with collaboration, innovation and transparency”. Headquartered in London, the studio also has offices in Nashville and operates across the UK, the US and the Middle East, working across seven industries and four time zones with a global team of 25 digital experts. The company saw rapid growth, accelerating by 300% during 2024 alone, and has supported technology start-ups in raising more than $100 million through its innovation accelerator incubator model.
Its client portfolio includes Alpiq, Weir Group, Euronet, The DailyWire, Majid Al Futtaim, EPAY, AKA, BBC, Disney, Prime Video, DMS, Once Upon A Time, Karmarama, Kream London, Sandisk, Intel, P&G, Accenture Song, Warner Music, Netflix, HBO, Beefeater, CNA, SOLT, Prince’s Trust, Classic FM, The Body Shop, Diageo, Stand Up to Cancer, Polydor, Carphone Warehouse, EE, Somerset House, Thumbstoppers, VW, Maybelline, Coca-Cola, Discovery, RGA, Mercedes, World Class, EasyJet, ITV, O2, Google, Betty, SU2C, Ghost, Provoke, ABC, Heineken, Deveries Slam and Global. The studio has also collected numerous other awards: induction into the BIMA 100, winning “Best Startup Of The Year” from the British Business Bank in 2025, and being shortlisted for “Young UK Entrepreneur of the Year”. It has also won multiple Awwwards, FWA Site of the Day, CSSDA recognition, a Silver Global Agency Award, a Silver UK Agency Award, recognition as a “Top Innovation Studio” by Clutch in 2024, and the Microsoft GameTech Innovation Award in 2023.
The 2026 Webby Awards ceremony
The 2026 Webby Awards marked the 30th anniversary of the programme. The ceremony took place on 11th May 2026 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, hosted by Emmy-nominated stand-up comedian, creator and The Daily Show correspondent Josh Johnson, noted for his sharp wit and understanding of internet culture. IADAS, the judging body with more than 2,000 members, selects nominees and winners by invitation only, comprising industry experts, visionaries and past recipients. Among the night’s notable winners were Apple Pay, Google Gemini, LEGO®, Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar & SZA – Luther, Shonda Rhimes (Webby Streaming Person of the Year), Pete Davidson, Taraji P. Henson (IADAS and NAACP Webby Advocate of the Year), Kylie Kelce (Webby Podcast of the Year), and Druski. Google was named Brand of the Year, PBS was Media Company of the Year, and winners in the AI category included Google Gemini 3 for Best AI Technical Achievement and Claude Code for Best Product or Service.
