Entries are being accepted from now until March 31st at www.channel4.com/germ. The competition aims to inspire creative individuals from around the world to use their laptops, cameras and mobile phones to create an attention-grabbing viral.
Individuals will compete in three categories: Best Video Viral, Best Still Image Viral and Best Interactive Viral. The awards are open to international digital creative agencies, vying for the Best Commercially Produced Viral award.
Last year's winners included Neil Hepburn, who won the Best Still Image viral with a spoof signpost outside Camden Town tube station directing visitors to 'Charity Muggers', and creative agency Maverick, who won the Best Commercially Produced Viral for a campaign promoting racing simulation game Juiced.
A shortlist of finalists, selected by a judging panel of online and broadcast practitioners, will be put up for a public vote from the beginning of April.
Adam Gee, new media commissioner at Channel 4, said: "The Germ awards are now a valued annual fixture in the viral calendar.
"Last year we received a phenomenal response from all manner of creative individuals and the level of creativity was exceptionally high. This year's awards will be even bigger as we actively open the competition to individuals around the world."
BoreMe.com was set up in 2001 as a way for users to share entertaining virals with friends, and now has more than 2.1 million unique visitors a month.
The site is also giving students across the UK an opportunity to study virals as part of their degree course. The website's founders will be working with five universities to incorporate virals into graphics, design and advertising degrees and entry to the competition will form part of the coursework.
Jo Addison, education co-ordinator at BoreMe.com, said: "Rather than students seeing virals as an illicit deviation in the computer suite, Germ asks them to study the phenomenon in the context of their education."
Winners will receive media exposure and a one-week listing on the homepage of Boreme.com, which is visited by more than 100,000 people daily. All shortlisted entries will be showcased at the Germ annual viral exhibition at London’s ICA and individual entrants could also win a £2,000 commission by Channel 4.
Pete Brown, founder of BoreMe.com, added: "In 2006, better agency creativity and brand interaction with consumers meant the standard of virals improved. In 2007, we expect companies to seek even more creative ways of getting their message across to consumers as they become more confident about using this marketing channel."