Ali Rez on what makes work D&AD Impact Pencil worthy

Separating work that appears well-meaning and work that genuinely creates change requires careful discernment

Ali Rez, CCO at Impact BBDO, says that authenticity was on his mind as this year’s Impact Jury President. Not only in terms of craft having a human touch, but also that the work represents a genuine attempt to make a difference. Among this year’s Pencil winners was Bedtime Donations, an app that records the stories parents read aloud and turns them into free audiobooks, giving blind children access to literacy and imagination. To earn a Pencil, the jury were looking for signs that initiatives were intentional, committed, effective, and sustainable over time. “You have to determine whether a case has truly delivered on its objective and how far the impact has reached and how authentic the effort is,” Rez says.

Get more insights straight from this year's D&AD Awards judges in Trends from the Jury Rooms.