Apple took the top prize not once, but twice, for Direction at the D&AD Awards. Hogging the spotlight or true creative brilliance? Jury President, Sara Dunlop, shares the inside scoop and answers your burning questions on what it takes to sweep the judges clean off their feet.

Dunlop says she’s attracted to work with a purpose. “I’ve always been attracted to work that has a bit of a social conscience, sometimes that balance in advertising is a difficult one to strike,” she says. Her favourite submissions include Hope is Power by Uncommon for The Guardian, Pulse Films’ Wise Words for Comic Relief, and BBDO’s Point of View for Sandy Hook Promise for its narrative, performances and its subversion of the back to school genre.

One of Dunlop’s absolute favourites this year was The Underdogs by Smuggler, a filmic ad that tells the story of a diverse work team preparing for a pitch that seamlessly integrates the full range of Apple products from the Apple Watch to the iPad Pro. The level of craft, the casting, the use of narrative and the showcasing of the product were simply on another level, according to the director.

Hosted by Adobe Content & Community Manager Emma Lextrait
Originally broadcast on Adobe Live, the community where creatives share ideas online.