D&AD Announces Briefs for 2024 New Blood Awards and Publishes 'Future Creatives Report 2023'

D&AD unveils the briefs for the 2024 New Blood Awards, inviting emerging creatives to respond to briefs set by some of the world’s leading brands including Adobe, Airbnb, Bumble, Coca-Cola, Kraft Heinz, Nandos, Universal Music and more.

The announcement is marked by the release of the ‘D&AD x Protein Future Creatives Report 2023’. Bringing together an inspiring dialogue between new creatives, the creative industry, and education, the report, co-created with Protein Agency, shines a light on what the next generation needs to thrive and to provide contemporary advice for new creatives entering the industry and demonstrates how education, experts and the industry can better support them.

D&AD New Blood Awards 2024 Briefs 

D&AD New Blood is one of the world’s largest student competitions, representing the best emerging young talent from around the globe. Spanning disciplines such as Advertising, Animation, Branding, Game Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, PR and Typography, this year’s 18 categories are designed to challenge the next generation of creatives with experience working on real client briefs.

Alongside the chance of being awarded a D&AD New Blood Pencil, one of the industry’s most prestigious creative accolades, entrants also have the chance to showcase their work, secure a place in the D&AD New Blood Academy, be featured in the iconic D&AD Annual, and could even get paid to have their work commissioned in the real world. Winners will be hand-picked by a panel of judges made up of industry-leading luminaries from design and advertising.

This year’s client briefs include Airbnb asking for ways to turn digital connections into meaningful IRL experiences; Coca-Cola considers how to create unexpected connections with gen z; Durex wants to break down barriers to sexual freedom; and The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty looks to create a banner of hope for the planet.

To ensure the awards are widely accessible, there are no formal education requirements and anyone aged 18 or over without significant paid creative experience can enter and make a start on their creative career.

New D&AD president for 2023/24, Jack Renwick, creative director of Jack Renwick Studio said, “As a winner of a New Blood yellow pencil back in 1998, I can vouch that this competition is an incredible opportunity for young creatives to get their work seen by top creatives in the industry, hungry to employ upcoming talent. For anyone hoping to start a creative career and wondering how to stand out and get the attention of the companies they want to work for, tackling a New Blood brief with passion and determination is how to do it.

For me, coming from a working-class background with no understanding of how you approached getting a creative job, winning that yellow pencil opened doors that I would have found impossible. This year, stepping into the role of D&AD president, my mission is to help D&AD discover and develop talent from all walks of life who, like me, could never imagine that they could succeed in this amazing industry”

The briefs can be downloaded now via the D&AD website, with entries opening in February and closing on 20th March 2024.

D&AD x Protein Future Creatives Report 2023

More than 3,000 New Blood participants from over 65 countries were consulted to gather insight into the challenges that young creatives face today. This included emerging talent, industry and judges from different cultural, economic and ethnic backgrounds, abilities and gender identities. The report found that financial insecurity, establishing networks and wellbeing are the primary challenges perceived by new creatives entering the industry.

The research reveals a need for more diversity, with over half of New Blood winners rarely seeing representation that reflects their own identity, affecting their decision to pursue a creative career. It highlights tensions around budget cuts; concern for the impact of emerging technologies; and how education can support the next generation. It reveals how university and life experience had least prepared entrants for entrepreneurial thinking, industry knowledge, and software skills. Along with calling for educational bodies to critically evaluate and shape the future of AI, the need to further mentorship opportunities and help with getting initial work experience is clear, with 52% of entrants hungry for guidance from experienced professionals in the field. 

“In terms of getting into the industry itself, it's bloody hard. It was tricky, because I remember when I graduated and I looked at all the job listings they wanted experience and I thought ‘Well, how the hell am I meant to have six months experience if I can't even get my foot in the door?’” - Sarah Gerona, Global Creative Director at BBC Studios, UK.

And, amidst these turbulent times, where change is the only constant, this report underscores the industry's dire need for fresh perspectives, innovative approaches, greater collaboration, and purpose-driven work, with 57% of the New Blood winners considering their entry to be purposeful work that tries to do good in the world. "The good thing is things like empathy, collaboration and accountability, these are skills that you don't have to go to an expensive university to acquire." – Eduardo De Felipe, CEO, Hanza Studios.

In this report, Intention is focused on collaboration, elevation and advice, offering practical guidance for new creatives entering the industry. It demonstrates how a harmonious blend of education, expertise, and industry support can empower emerging talents and set them on a path to success.

Read the full report on the D&AD website here. Read the full report on the Protein Agency website here.

D&AD Supporting New Talent

As a not-for-profit, D&AD provides new talent programs that bridge the gap between education and industry. New Blood has been doing this with further education since 1980, and Shift, a free, industry-led night school, helps self-taught creatives from under-represented backgrounds enter the design and advertising workplace from outside traditional pathways.

20 aspiring creatives make up the class of Shift London 2023. They have been answering client briefs from adidas, Diageo and Airbnb whilst soaking up knowledge live and direct from industry experts at our twice weekly night school sessions. Now, they are ready to take their talent even further to make an impact on the creative industry.

D&AD Shift London Showcase and Industry Private View takes place on Thu, 9th Nov 2023. RSVP here.