D&AD Creative Insight Report 2020

This year, over 25,000 pieces of work passed through D&AD's doors to be judged by over 260 esteemed creatives from across the world. 718 pieces of work were chosen to receive D&AD Pencils, with winning projects showcased in our archive, Annual publication, and exhibition. But more importantly, the work offers a snapshot of the world we live in. It shines a light on the issues we face and the stories we are told. It offers insight and inspiration for the creative paths we next take.

To make sense of this, we worked together with strategic insight consultancy Flamingo and their Futures and Semiotics teams, to understand the changing definition of creative excellence. We brought together findings from panel discussions and points raised by speakers at D&AD Festival 2019, alongside Flamingo Futures’ in-house expertise, to carry out an in-depth cultural analysis. This allowed us to delve into the patterns occurring across categories and uncover four key themes that put today’s awarded work in context, and point the way for the future of creativity.

We hope this report inspires people across the creative industry to continue creating work that makes a lasting contribution to society, whilst being mindful of the future.