Drawn to Create

For over 60 years, D&AD (Design & Art Direction) has been one of the world’s leading creative institutions—championing excellence in design, advertising, and craft through its iconic Pencil Awards. The Pencil has long stood as a benchmark for the industry, symbolizing rigor, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to creative craft. Heading into 2025, the Festival and Awards needed an identity that could re-energize the creative community—driving entries, increasing attendance, and reaffirming the Pencil’s status in an increasingly crowded awards landscape. D&AD needed to remind creatives why the Pencil still mattered.

Our campaign identity was built around a simple truth: creatives aren’t driven by trophies—they’re Drawn to Create. That idea shaped a visual system where graphics, type, and motion were all magnetically pulled toward the D&AD logo—a literal expression of the creative impulse. A flexible “drawn to” copy system extended the thought across campaign assets and throughout the festival environment. The outcome was a bold, unified identity that reignited relevance: D&AD’s highest-ever NPS, record entry numbers, and a renewed belief that the world’s best creatives are, more than ever, drawn to D&AD.