D&AD Awards Ceremony

Authenticity is not a genre

25 May | 10:00–10:45

The last few years have seen an explosion of taboo-breaking campaigns and earnest portrayals in an attempt from brands to get closer to their audiences. But authenticity is not a genre, nor a recipe. Libresse & AMV BBDO will look back on their most famous campaigns since Bloodnormal and comment on their journey of constant creativity at bringing authenticity to the fore, in ever more unexpected ways.

Featuring: Tanja Grubner, Global Innovation, Marketing & Comms Director at Libresse (ESSITY) + Nicholas Hulley CCO at AMV BBDO + Margaux Revol Strategy Partner & Head of brand at AMV BBDO.

Has scale killed craft?

25 May | 10:45–11:15

Is excellent craft still possible at a time when everyone demands scale? 600 assets vs 6. 20 sizes vs 2. 10 languages vs 1. There is a dizzy amount of formats, messages, and variations that need to be met with any brand rollout or campaign execution. Each step we take away can feel like it's chipping away at the intended vision. Instead of seeing these parameters and emerging technology as blockers, Lindsey Slaby, Founder, Sunday Dinner & CMO Whisperer explores fresh ways to think about them as opportunities for designers to see the work they show up in the world, the way they intended.

Is design spiritual?

25 May | 11:15–12:00

Design, like spirituality, is concerned with creating meaningful and purposeful experiences. Both are concerned with finding meaning and purpose in life and connecting with something larger than oneself. With Eddie Opara.

Transform: remake, remodel

25 May | 12:00–12:35

As designers and creative practitioners, we are at an unprecedented moment driven by accelerating changes in technology, a moment full of major challenges, unique opportunities, and some fundamental questions about what we do and how we do it.
How do we talk and connect to each other?
How will we respond as brands increasingly shift away from design and more towards always-on activation?
How can we grasp these amazing new opportunities to transform our world for the better, by creating and making in a more circular and inclusive way?
And, most importantly, what is the vital role education should play in this space? Neville Brody explores.

Creativity in the Unlikeliest of Places

25 May | 13:30–14:15

In a discussion chaired by Niklas Frings-Rupp, Educational Instructor at Miami Ad School Europe, we're inviting alumni from the prestigious portfolio school to reunite to share their experience of being a student in Hamburg, and how the unlikeliest of creative locations brought the very best out in them. They'll explore the lessons learned that have carried them through their careers, and how they've moved on to lead some of the world's most successful agencies.

Those ad dudes really f**ked us up, huh?

25 May | 14:15–14:45

Many of us grew up in advertising at a time where diversity wasn’t celebrated. When you're stuck in an environment where limitations are imposed on how much of yourself you can reveal – it inhibits your creativity, compromises your mental health, and makes career growth almost impossible. Unfortunately for us, that toxic, unhealthy culture and behaviour became ingrained in us. And we’re passing it on to the next generation of creatives. Mo Said, Founder & Creative Director of Mojo Supermarket will talk about how we learn assimilation. How it robs us of our creativity. And how we can create spaces that increase and unlock creative potential instead of dampening it.

Richard Brim with Special Guests

25 May | 14:45–15:15

Join us with Richard Brim, this years D&AD President and CCO of Adam&EveDDB, in conversation with special guests.

In conversation with music video director Edem Wornoo

25 May | 15:15–15:45

Since graduating from D&AD Shift, director Edem Wornoo has gone on to direct music videos for music icons like Dave, Stormzy and JME. Recently, his creative journey came full circle as he returned to D&AD to direct two profile films on D&AD Shift alumni, writer Seun Areoye and art director Kayla Tully. Join Edem to discuss how he springboarded his career with D&AD Shift, and how he’s developing his own uniquely identifiable style he describes as “street-level fantasy”.