Second Edition of D&AD Impact Awards Open for Entries

Advertising Week and D&AD today announced the second annual D&AD Impact, shining a spotlight on brands, businesses and campaigns that are using creativity as a positive force for change in the world.

The second annual D&AD Impact celebrates real-world achievements generated through creativity across twelve distinct categories: Civic Engagement; Communication & Interaction; Community; Diversity & Equality; Education; Environmental Sustainability; Financial Empowerment; Health & Wellness; Humanitarian Aid; Industry Evolution; Responsible Production & Consumption; and Urban Living. The show premiered in 2016 during Advertising Week and featured a fast-paced ceremony honouring the winning work and culminating with a live performance by Sting.

The 2017 edition of D&AD Impact also features an all-new component: Impact Promise will reward ideas with the potential for impact across one or more of the 12 categories that could benefit from the exposure, funding, mentoring and networking that D&AD Impact can offer. Selected projects, startups, products or initiatives that have an original innovative idea at the core, and that can demonstrate how, once scaled, will have a clear and measurable impact in the chosen category area, will be offered the opportunity to pitch for project support.

“Last year we had submissions from all corners of the earth that inspired and ignited action around the world. This year our mission is not only to reward and champion but to provide the support required to scale some of the incredible projects out there.” said Tim Lindsay, CEO, D&AD. “Together, with our partner Advertising Week, we want to inspire and enable this sort of creative thinking, driving business and brands to behave as responsible global citizens.”

The D&AD Impact juries include some of the most influential and innovative minds in business, communication, media, music, politics, technology and the arts and is representative of the wide range of organisations committed to deploying creativity as a force for good.

 

The 2017 Jury Presidents include:

 

Neil Blumenthal, Founder and CEO, Warby Parker

Anthony Casalena, Founder and CEO, Squarespace

Frank Cooper, CMO, BlackRock

Richard Curtis, Filmmaker, Founder, Project Everyone & Comic Relief

Christian Davies, Creative Vice President, Global Design & Innovation, Starbucks

Colleen DeCourcy, Global Co-Executive Creative Director, Wieden+Kennedy  

Carolyn Everson, VP, Global Marketing Solutions, Facebook

Arianna Huffington, Founder of The Huffington Post; Founder and CEO of Thrive Global

Betsy Lack, Head of Global Brand Strategy, Snap Inc.

Aline Santos Farhat, Global EVP Marketing, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Unilever

Haiyan Zhang, Innovation Director, Microsoft Research

“At a time of such political turbulence all over the world, it is incumbent on business to take the mantle of leadership and attend to the issues that will shape our future. Our continued partnership with D&AD showcases the power of creativity to make an impact and raises the bar for our industry and beyond,” said Matt Scheckner, Global CEO of Advertising Week.

D&AD Impact is open to any agency, studio, media owner, publisher, social enterprise, start-up or brand that has contributed towards a better future and is focused squarely on the role that businesses and brands play within society, the economy, the environment and broader cultural arena. The call for entries is now officially open.