Three Black Pencils were awarded at D&AD this year: in graphic design for the Paris Olympics; in digital design for Spotify; and in music videos for Taylor Swift and A$AP Rocky. All outstanding work, but none for the UK to celebrate.
D&AD was once seen – by UK advertising, at least – as the pinnacle of creative awards, at a time when Cannes was considered all a bit too “global” and diluted to represent the real cutting edge of creativity.
The world isn’t like that anymore, and advertising is less and less of a beacon of creativity. But now it’s D&AD that’s diluted, as it attempts to establish itself around the world and find new revenue streams from things like the D&AD Festival. It’s also doing a lot of good work with nurturing the next generation of creative talent, but it’s lost its place as a marker of true excellence in the process.
Maybe it just seems that way because the UK is not winning like it used to, and the “design” bit of “design and art direction” is coming to the fore in the age of online. There were three UK Yellow Pencil winners in the advertising category this year, and three last year, with more in design and craft.
This year’s UK advertising Yellow Pencil winners were VCCP in press and outdoor for Cadbury’s “Made to share”; Adam & Eve DDB London in digital marketing for Twix’s Super Bowl “second screen stare down”; and AMV BBDO’s “Gravy race” for Sheba.
Other UK Yellow Pencil winners include 4Creative in art direction for its Paris Paralympics “Considering what?”; AMV BBDO in sound design for Essity’s “Never just a period” and McCann’s “The everyday tactician” for Xbox. FCB New York won advertising agency of the year and FCB was network of the year, mostly thanks to the “Spreadbeats” campaign for Spotify.
D&AD CEO Dara Lynch comes from a financial background and was the organisation’s COO for five years. She says:
“This year’s D&AD Awards celebrated the power of design not just as a form of art, but as a catalyst for commercial success and behavioural change… The resurgence of craftsmanship stands as a reminder that in an era of automation, true excellence lies in the thoughtful execution of ideas. It’s not enough to just look good, true creative excellence must also leave a lasting impression. The need to further define excellence in craft and raise the standards in areas such as content creation was clear.”
D&AD should be applauded for seeking to carve out its own identity, although its relevance might be better served if it allowed itself to be more a part of the build up to the now-dominant Cannes – especially given its late May scheduling. (Two of this year’s D&AD UK winners were awarded at Cannes 2024: “The everyday tactician” and “Gravy race”.) BAFTA upped its profile and influence hugely when it moved to become a pre-Oscars event.
