Briefs launched for D&AD's New Blood Awards 2019
To support this year’s briefs, D&AD has partnered with WPP to launch Make and Break, a six episode podcast themed around lessons from the Academy. Hosted by Beats Radio presenter Naina Sethi, the series sees New Blood alumni in conversation with leaders from design, advertising and media, discussing the top issues people need to know when starting out in the industry.
Briefs from diverse brands
The first episode, released today, sees Warner Music’s Chris Bovill join Cullen and Ola, a creative duo who graduated from the New Blood programme in 2016 and now work alongside Chris. Future episodes will feature Mr President CCO Laura Jordan Bambach and screenwriter Andrew Ellard (Red Dwarf, Chewing Gum, The IT Crowd).
Creatives entering the 2019 awards for a chance to win a Pencil and attend the Academy have 18 briefs to choose from – set by some of the world’s most iconic brands. Adobe, Microsoft Surface and Bacardí return, with The Times and The Sunday Times, Durex and Ladbible joining the lineup for the first time. The briefs are developed with brands and strategists to reflect industry trends and wider societal issues, giving students the opportunity to apply their skills in solving real business challenges.
Paul Drake, foundation director at D&AD, says: “New Blood challenges emerging creatives to work on real briefs set by some of the world’s top brands. This year we have a fantastic set of briefs from diverse brands which can broaden students’ horizons as to what can they achieve given the right platform of opportunity and encourages thinking beyond the confines of a discipline or subject. It is also great to have past New Blood winners featured in our Make and Break podcast with WPP and includes just a small sample of the excellent talent that passes through our New Blood Academy. I’m always in awe of the raw talent and potential showcased by the young entrants every year, and this year will be no different.”
Click here for eligibility criteria and to view the full New Blood Awards briefs. Candidates have until 20 March 2019 to submit their entries. Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony in July 2019 in London. Winning work will be selected by a panel of judges and awarded a Wood, Graphite, Yellow, White or Black Pencil.
Podcast schedule
All podcasts will be hosted on the D&AD website.
| Release date | Topic | Old Blood | New Blood |
| 11/10/18 | Authenticity in action | Chris Bovill (Head of Firepit at Warner Music) | Cullen & Ola |
| 18/10/18 | Getting the most out of your first job | Craig Oldham (Creative Director, Founder at The Office Of Craig) & Robyn Frost (Creative at Poke) | Adam Morton-Delaney |
| 25/10/18 | Culture and relevance | David Speed (Art Director at Graffiti Life), Jenny Zhang (Strategy Director at Superimpose) | Ian Nabong |
| 01/11/18 | Thinking: a skill for tomorrow? | James Hilton (Co-founder of AKQA) | Cath Shayler |
| 08/11/18 | Beauty of deadlines. How deadlines should not be seen as the enemy | Laura Jordan Bambach (CCO of Mr President) | Elise Smidt & Karina Bonnin |
| 15/11/18 | Storytelling | Andrew Ellard (Script Editor & Writer) | Nodee |
