150 Entries Shortlisted after Stage One of D&AD Awards Judging
D&AD announced the Shortlisted Entries for categories across Impact, Side Hustle and Film Craft, as well as an official partnership with Adobe that will bring D&AD Awards 2020 and a selection of D&AD Festival keynotes to the creative community via Adobe Live from June onwards.
The Shortlist follows the organisation’s recent announcement to continue their prestigious annual Awards programme despite disruptions caused by the global coronavirus outbreak. Entrants across these categories will have to wait until 9 June to find out whether they have won a Pencil, which will be announced digitally across the D&AD website and social channels.
Across these categories, the Top 5 ranking countries by number of Shortlisted Entries are: United Kingdom (37 Entries), United States (33), Germany (12), France (9) and Canada (8)
The top ranking companies for these categories, by number of Shortlisted Entries are:
- Apple, Iconoclast France and Jung von Matt AG – 6 Entries each
- Cossette – 5 Entries
- AMVBBDO, Droga5 (London and New York), Goodby Silverstein & Partners and Stink Films – 4 Entries each
The entries per category divide as it follows:
Impact – 38 Entries
Side Hustle – 12 Entries
Film Craft
- Animation – 25 Entries
- Casting – 10 Entries
- Cinematography – 8 Entries
- Direction – 16 Entries
- Editing – 8 Entries
- Production Design – 5 Entries
- Sound Design & Use of Music – 22 Entries
- Visual Effects – 6 Entries
The Impact categories highlight work that addresses some of the globe’s most pressing issues and showcases how creative thinking can be a force for driving positive change, in the belief that purpose can enhance business success and value, alongside promoting collective responsibility for the global sustainability agenda.
Introduced last year, the Side Hustle category reflects the increasing number of creatives applying their skills and personal passions to side projects. From creating new businesses to developing initiatives to address social and environmental issues, this category aims to spotlight world class creativity beyond people’s day jobs.
All 150 shortlisted pieces are showcased on the D&AD website.
Today’s shortlist announcement only includes 10 out of the total 34 categories. Further shortlists will be unveiled once the judging for each category closes, with subsequent category announcements scheduled for 28 May, 4 June and 2 September. A full list of dates can be found below.
While hosting a 2020 ceremony is not possible due to coronavirus, D&AD will be announcing this year’s Pencil winners via their website and in a social campaign designed by Studio Dumbar.
D&AD announce an official partnership with Adobe that will see the insights from D&AD Awards 2020 showcased on the Adobe Live platform throughout June and July. Adobe Presents: D&AD Awards will feature a series of panel discussions and Live Q&A interviews with the D&AD judges, as well as behind the work live talks with Pencil winners to explore the components of creative brilliance, uncover why the winning work was awarded and discover how it was made.
In addition, creative innovators will take to Adobe Live to present their D&AD Festival keynotes as part of an inspirational series of monthly talks from June to November to inspire, galvanize and drive forward creative thinking. A full schedule will be announced soon.
Tim Linsday, D&AD Chairman, commented:
“Each year, the foremost thinkers and practitioners from across the global creative industries submit outstanding work to D&AD Awards. 2020 is no exception, despite the extremely difficult situation the world is facing. We believe it is now more important than ever to spotlight creative and innovative brilliance during these trying times and recognise all of the outstanding work that is in consideration for a Pencil. D&AD are excited to announce the first shortlists today and look forward to sharing further shortlists across the coming weeks. Though we are disappointed that we are unable this year to display shortlisted work at D&AD Festival and celebrate the winners at the D&AD Awards ceremony, our exciting lineup of insight sessions, Q&As and Behind the Work series will continue to give exceptional creative thinking the platform it deserves.”
Simon Morris, Senior Director of Marketing, at Adobe, commented:
“At Adobe, we’re passionate about enabling creativity for all and through our partnership with D&AD, are delighted to celebrate some of today’s best creative minds. Times like these show us the power of creativity, its impact on the way we think and live. We’re incredibly proud to have a hugely active creative community on Adobe Live, and can’t wait to use this platform to inspire and engage them even further with insights from the D&AD Awards and the D&AD Imagine Everything series.”
D&AD this year continues to platform the most exceptional work from the past 12 months, following the same rigorous judging process that holds creativity to the highest standards. Famously tough to win, there are no quotas for D&AD Awards, meaning that the number of awarded entries fluctuates each year. In some years, no Black Pencils – the highest creative accolade – are awarded. The highest ever awarded in one year currently stands at seven.
Winning work will not only receive an esteemed D&AD Pencil, it will also be featured in the D&AD Annual and online archive – the definitive guide for creatives all around the world.