In an unexpected move, the judging panel of the 2010 MOBI Awards have selected an app focused PR & Marketing agency, Appency, as one of three finalists for best mobile agency of the year, giving credibility to the expanding world of apps and their role in the mobile ecosystem.

When people think of “Mobile Agency”, they typically imagine a text message sending, WAP page creating shop plugging away on behalf of brands with a little extra money to spend in their interactive media budget.  With the expanding world of mobile applications however, a new type of agency has begun to take shape, the mobile app agency – specializing in mobile app promotion and how to get them noticed in an ever crowded marketplace. Leading the way is Appency, a PR & Marketing agency focused on helping developers bring apps to market. The agency scored a big win this week as mobile experts at Digiday selected them as a finalist in the 2010 MOBI Awards for Best Mobile Agency.

“We are honored to be selected as a finalist for this prestigious award,” said Aaron Watkins, Co-Founder of Appency. “It gives credibility to the growing app ecosystem and its place in the overall mobile mix. Developers and brands can no longer just send an app to market and expect it to be an overnight success – app promotion requires the same careful planning and execution as marketing a candy bar, a lawn mower or a new car.”

A young agency, Appency was founded in October of 2009 by mobile industry executives Aaron Watkins and Liz Jones who bring a combined total of more than 20 years of mobile industry experience from both the agency and brand side of the equation.

“In 2009 the app world was exploding”, said Jones, “and developers were finding it more and more difficult to succeed. In iTunes alone, the number of apps reached 100,000 and continued to grow at an extremely rapid pace. Now there are now almost 300,000 apps to compete with, and with ever changing rules and regulations for how apps can be sold, developers need someone not just with PR and marketing skills, but with an in-depth knowledge of the nuances of this environment.”

Appency’s success rate has been astounding; with more than 75% of their clients being featured by Apple or reaching the top ranks of their categories after Appency began working with them. Their clients span across every category from games to news, business, entertainment, big brands and more.