LONDON, UK — Following the second of two digital ceremonies, D&AD announced three Black Pencil winners among Pencil winners across the remaining Craft categories including Illustration, Photography, Typography, and Writing for Design, Side Hustle, Design, Culture and Impact categories, as well as the Companies of the Year.
Since 1962, D&AD’s mission has been to stimulate and celebrate creative excellence with the belief that creativity is a key driver in commercial, economic, social, and cultural success. Now in its 60th year, the awards has grown to incorporate more than 40 categories judged by a cohort of nearly 400 of the world’s leading creative minds. The awards recognize work that has made a significant impact and will inspire seasoned talent as well as the next generation.
D&AD is proud to award three Black Pencils, the creative industry’s most coveted accolade, reserved only for truly groundbreaking work. The recipients are:
- “The Lost Class,” Leo Burnett Chicago, Branding, Tactical
To fight for common sense gun laws, Leo Burnett Chicago held a graduation ceremony for the 3,044 students who would have graduated this year if they hadn’t been killed by a gun. - “Hopeline19,” adam&eveDDB, Creative Transformation, Engagement
On Emergency Services Day, adam&eveDDB launched Hopeline19 – a free phone service for the British nation to leave messages of support for frontline workers. - “Real Tone,” Google, Product Design, Inclusive
Real Tone is a collection of technical improvements to the Pixel 6 camera and Google Photos that more accurately and beautifully highlight the nuances of all skin tones.
D&AD also announced the Pencil winners across the Craft, Side Hustle, Design, Culture & Impact categories. The Side Hustle category reflects the increasing number of creatives applying their skills and personal passions to side projects, something that has become even more apparent during the pandemic. 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.
The total number of Pencils in each of these categories are:
Craft: 45 Pencil Winners
- Illustration: 13
- Photography: 5
- Typography: 10
- Writing for Design: 17
Design: 143 Pencil Winners
- Branding: 30
- Book Design: 9
- Creative Transformation: 4
- Digital Design: 15
- Graphic Design: 22
- Magazine & Newspaper Design: 13
- Packaging Design: 22
- Product Design: 14
- Spatial Design: 9
- Type Design: 5
Impact: 24 Pencil Winners
- Impact: : 21
- Future Impact: : 3
Culture: 62 Pencil Winners
- Entertainment: 40
- Gaming: 10
- Music Videos: 12
Side Hustle: 4 Pencil Winners
The 278 Pencil winning works and all shortlisted entries are showcased on the D&AD website. The winners were announced during the second of two digital ceremonies hosted on the D&AD website, which featured speeches from D&AD President Rebecca Wright in celebration of the winners.
2022 Overall Results
The total number of Pencils awarded for the D&AD Awards 2022 by level are as follows:
Overall Total – 702 Pencils
- Black – 5 Pencils awarded
- Yellow – 78 Pencils awarded
- Graphite – 188 Pencils awarded
- Wood – 421 Pencils awarded
- Side Hustle – 4 Pencils
- Future Impact – 3 Pencils
- White – 2 Pencils
- Collaborative -1 Pencil
Companies of the Year
The top ranking design agency winners of the year are:
- Apple Design Team
- PORTO ROCHA
- Pentagram New York
The top ranking production company winners of the year are:
- Division
- Riff Raff Films
- Iconoclast Germany
The top ranking advertising agency winners of the year are:
- Leo Burnett Chicago
- Droga5 New York
- Ogilvy UK
The top ranking clients of the year are:
- Apple
- Change the Ref
- Unilever
The top ranking countries are:
- United States – 403 winning entries
- United Kingdom – 271 winning entries
- France – 114 winning entries
- Germany – 87 winning entries
- Brazil – 78 winning entries
The rankings are based on D&AD’s points system. This page offers an overview of the methodology the organization uses to determine each ranking.
D&AD Chief Operating Officer Dara Lynch commented, “In the wake of political and social turmoil, creative excellence continues to not only survive, but thrive, as evidenced by the incredible talent we’ve seen at this year’s D&AD Awards. In the backdrop of what feels like a never-ending stream of global crises, it is incredibly reassuring to see that our community remains so resilient, and continues to move in a progressive and vibrant direction. We are delighted to have been able to celebrate this year’s winners alongside our global creative colleagues at our two virtual ceremonies this week, which we have continued to advance and improve, to ensure that each and every pencil winner is celebrated as they truly deserve to be.”
D&AD this year continues to platform the most exceptional work from the past 12 months, following the same rigorous judging process. 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 digital D&AD Annual and online archive – a definitive guide for creatives all around the world.
The President’s Award will be announced at a special in-person event in September to celebrate D&AD’s 60th Anniversary and to launch this year’s D&AD Annual. Further details will be announced.
In addition, D&AD are producing the Jury Insight 2022 series in order to celebrate the great work that has been produced over the last year. Select juries will unpack some of the winning work from the Awards, exploring what creative excellence means in 2022, as well as discussing wider themes and trends across the industry. The panel discussion will be published bi-weekly as a series throughout the summer on the D&AD website and YouTube channel.
