The 57th D&AD Annual is here

In her last act as D&AD President, Harriet Devoy tasked Richard Turley, famed for his work on Bloomberg Businessweek, with designing the D&AD Annual '19.

Harriet noted that the task of designing 'The Book' in this world-renowned collection is no small feat. D&AD Annuals hold a special place in the hearts of many creative professionals and are one of the only historical records of the design and advertising industry. They are the touchstones of creativity and are called upon time and again, for creative inspiration and insight.

With that in mind, her brief to Richard was simple: ‘On a shelf of D&AD Annuals, make this year’s stand out.’

In response to this, Richard’ stated: “Previous iterations of the Annual have excelled in graphic design as precision engineering. I wanted this one to feel warm and human. Vulnerable maybe. And a bit dumb.”

For a book that exhibits the previous year's pinnacle of creative excellence, the design of the D&AD Annual '19 touches on themes of doubt, vulnerability, risk-taking and humour. Turley embeds ‘in jokes’ and tongue-in-cheek moments that you will continue to uncover the deeper you go. From playful page numbers to hand-scrawled titles, this year's Annual aims to shine a light on the work within, creative work that has real conviction and work that drives social change, while celebrating, with a mischievous wink to, the people and process behind it all.

W+K Basement created a Max Headroom inspired video that takes us into the mind of Richard.

You can view all the photos from the Annual Launch here, and get your own copy of the Annual here.

“The Annual this year is like a beautiful painting that actually lets the work jump out, rather than trying to overtake it. It’s a blank canvas that frames the work. I like the brutality of the design and the anti-design nature. It’s of the moment.” — Wayne Deakin, ECD EMEA, Huge

“The D&AD Annual looks great, it's vastly different to last year’s but it carries a different message. I’m on the page where D&AD recognises environmental change and the responsibility that we all have. I didn’t get a chance to go to the Global Climate Strike but I think it’s great that we’re acknowledging it and encouraging work like this to be done.” — Ben Conway, Junior Creative at McCann London

“The design was done by Wieden+Kennedy’s very own Richard Turley, who needs no introduction. I think Richard is someone who is very good at designing for the times. If you think about a lot of the D&AD covers in the past, they’ve been incredibly detailed at times. I feel that Richard's tried to strip everything back and do very little in a fun way, letting the work speak for itself. I think he’s trying to do the simple thing. It's nice that Harriet chose Richard. She’s barking mad, and so is he.” — Tony Davidson, ECD, Wieden+Kennedy London

“The D&AD Annual is a really great platform for new creatives. The Next category, which is new this year, gave me a platform when I didn’t have one. I think the design is beautiful, I love the front cover. I love the looseness of it.” — C F Sherratt, Freelance Creative

“This year’s Annual means a lot to me and my writer Ben Usher, because it’s the first time we’ve been featured in it. It has a nice feel, and it’s made from sustainable materials, which is good to see.” — Rob Farron, FCB Inferno