D&AD Announces Key Updates to 2024 Awards

Today D&AD reveals key updates to the D&AD Awards 2024, introducing brand new categories dedicated to Health & Wellbeing, Pharma, Luxury and Sustained Impact. Additionally, D&AD is excited to announce that the D&AD Judging, Festival and Ceremony will have a new home at the Southbank Centre over two days in May 2024.

D&AD is a world-leader in awarding creative excellence with the belief that creativity is a major driver in commercial, economic, social and cultural success. The awards incorporate more than 40 categories judged by over 300 of the world’s leading creatives, recognising work that will inspire established talent and encourage the next generation. As a charity, entries to D&AD fund educational programs such as D&AD Shift, a free, industry-led night school for self-taught creatives from under-represented backgrounds.

With ever increasing prominence around both physical and mental health, and following the successful introduction of eight Health & Wellbeing subcategories in 2022, D&AD is giving this crucial space its own discipline. Introducing two new categories for 2024: Health & Wellbeing and Pharma. The judges are looking for exciting industry-leading campaigns, designs and initiatives across these industries. The jury president Tim Hawkey, CCO of Area 23, is considered a global leader, having broken records in healthcare for worldwide response and engagement with award-winning campaigns.

A new category exclusively for Luxury work will acknowledge and celebrate the very best of creative excellence and innovation in one of the world’s most daring and crafted creative sectors. This category launches with its own jury due to the distinct challenges and approach to creativity associated in this space. Jury President Ravi Amaratunga Hitchcock, co-founder of Soursop, brings his experience from leading initiatives such as Gucci Changemakers, the new scholarship program for creative students, and overseeing long-term creative campaigns for clients such as Nike and Maserati. 

Another new category, Sustained Impact, celebrates long-term impact. The category moves to recognise work that not only drives one or more of the UN’s SDGs, but that generates increased behavioural, environmental, social or policy change over time. This complements the existing Impact and Future Impact categories, and will also be judged by the Impact Council. With an eligibility period of five years, entered work should be meaningful and have a long-term impact. This category will be led by jury president Harsh Kapadia, the chief creative officer for MRM New York.

D&AD are supporters of Ad Net Zero, committed to decarbonising the advertising industry and promoting sustainable consumer behaviour change. In order to help understand the level of commitment and progress towards net zero targets D&AD has joined Ad Net Zero supporters in asking whether agencies and brands have science-based Net Zero targets in place. Submitting this information is mandatory but is for research purposes only. Your response will not be passed on to the judges or affect your eligibility for the awards.

AI is everywhere and the use of it will undoubtedly redefine creative excellence, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. All entrants will now be asked if AI was used so judges know if, or how, it’s been used.

To make entering the D&AD awards more accessible, the freelancers and small business discount has increased from 25% - 30% across all categories.

The D&AD Festival and Ceremony 2024 has a new home at the Southbank Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hall Building. On 21-22nd May, the Festival will gather 350+ global creative leaders and feature 80+ speakers, two main stages, the Masterclass stage, activations, Jury insights, networking, parties and a first view of some of the shortlisted work on display, closing the two day event with the D&AD Awards Ceremony.

Speakers will include industry experts such as Malika Favre, Illustrator; Chaka Sobhani, global CCO, Leo Burnett; Priya Prakash, founder and CEO of Design for Social Change; Brian Collins, founder and CCO, Collins; Verònica Fuerte, creative director, Hey; Nils Leonard, founder, Uncommon Creative Studio; and Andrew Sandoz, global CCO, Deloitte Digital.

The stage tracks will include: Leadership, Jury Insights, Sustainable Impact, Crafting Excellence, Embracing Tech and Transforming Brands.

Donal Keenan, D&AD Awards director, “As the industry landscape changes so do our Awards but that pursuit of creative excellence and the outstanding standard of work awarded each year will never diminish. D&AD not only reflects changes but drives future trends. Along with our category changes I'm really excited about our festival's new home on the London Southbank which will give an even bigger platform for our community in the year ahead.”

D&AD Awards 2024 is now open for entry. Key dates below, and for full details on categories, judging criteria, pricing and deadlines, please visit the D&AD website.