The D&AD Festival returns bigger than ever, bringing together the world’s most brilliant creative thinkers. The festival continues to serve as a platform for shaping ideas that resonate and make a lasting impact across the globe.
The D&AD will hold its annual Pencil Awards to honor exceptional work that redefines what is possible in the creative industries.
To offer a deeper look into the entries and the judging process for this year’s excellent work, D&AD will host several jury insight sessions titled “Straight From the D&AD Awards 2026 Jury Rooms: Trends and Creative Excellence in the Work That Entered.”
Attendees will get an exclusive first look at standout projects, reflections, trends, and conversations revolving around design, advertising, and creativity.
The event will be held from May 19 to 20, 2026, at London’s South Bank. The venue will be confirmed upon booking.
Check out the complete schedule of sessions below:
Day 1
Culture Club – 10:00–11:00 a.m.
Opening the day is “Culture Club,” a session featuring judges from the new Cultural Influence category. During this session, the judges will discuss emerging trends and share specific works that stood out to them during the judging process.
The panel includes Geoff Edwards, Managing Director, Creative, at GALE; Daniel Fisher, Global Chief Creative Officer at INGO; Juliana Leite, Vice President of Special Projects & Creative Content at Africa Creative; and Nourhan Moaz, independent Creative Director. The session will be moderated by Eliza Williams, Editor of Creative Review.
Scroll-Stopping or Soul-less? – 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
This session will focus on the creator economy and explore how creators navigate engagement, identify content that drives the most traffic, and adapt to the fleeting trends of a fast-moving online space.
The panel includes jury members from the Creator Content category: Raphaella Martins, Program Manager at Creative X, Meta; Josiah Hyacinth, Content Creator and Digital Strategist; Nova Dando, Global Creative Director at TikTok; and Akanksha Goel, Founder of We Are Social. The discussion will be moderated by editor and journalist Tom Banks.
From Fans to Fandoms – 1:00–2:00 p.m.
This session focuses on the buzz of branded entertainment, with judges from the Entertainment and Sports Entertainment categories tackling work that has made a lasting impact on audiences, effectively turning casual fans into dedicated fandoms.
The panel includes Justine Armour, Chief Creative Officer, International at 72andSunny; Nadege DeCastro, Digital Director Creative at Adidas; and Josy Paul, Chief Creative Officer and Chairperson at BBDO Group India. The discussion will be moderated by Alex Reeves, Managing Editor, EMEA, at Little Black Book.
Type Talks Back – 2:30–3:30 p.m.
Typography is a powerful medium, used not only to express creativity through design but also to convey emotion and clarity. This session features judges from the Typography and Type Design & Lettering juries as they discuss their favorite entries from this year’s awards.
The panel consists of Zeynep Akay, Creative Director at Dalton Maag; Felix Sng, Design Director and Lecturer at SWELL & LASALLE College of the Arts; Veronika Burian, Co-founder and Type Director at TypeTogether; and William Richardson, Co-founder and Creative Director of Studio DRAMA. The session will be moderated by Georgia Coggan, Editor at Creative Bloq.
Frame by Frame – 4:00–5:00 p.m.
The beauty of the well-crafted moving image has been applauded by this year’s judges from the Animation Direction and Music Videos categories. In this session, they share the creative decisions and technical artistry that led them to recognize the winning entries.
The panelists include Mateus de Paula Santos, Chief Creative Officer at LOBO; Gabriel Moses, Director at DIVISION; child., Director at De La Revolución; and Dinga Haines, Partner, Producer, and Director at Fauna. The session will be moderated by Angel Guerrero, Founder, President, and Editor-in-Chief at adobo Magazine.
Day 2
Brand, Reborn – 10:00–11:00 a.m.
Reinventing a brand is inherently risky, but when executed correctly, it can truly stand out. This session explores the year’s most significant rebrands and transformations, examining the impact of change in today’s evolving landscape.
The panel features judges from the New Brand Identity, Brand Identity Refresh, and Brand Transformation categories: Melissa Baillache, Executive Creative Director at Koto; Alice Mourou, Designer and Studio Founder at .Oddity Studio; Nathan Reddy, Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Grid Worldwide; and Lee Rolston, Chief Growth and Strategy Officer at Jones Knowles Ritchie. The discussion will be moderated by Clare Dowdy, Editor-at-Large at Design Week.
Creativity That Counts – 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Creativity exists not only for the viewer’s eyes but also for its ability to drive real-world change. This session dives headfirst into how creative work is being leveraged to generate measurable impact in today’s landscape.
The panel features judges from the D&AD Impact category: Jo Barnard, Founder and Director of Morrama; Mukund Olety, Chief Creative Officer at VML; Kate Waters, Director of Client Strategy and Marketing at ITV; and Camila Moletta, Founder and Design Director at MORE GRLS. The discussion will be moderated by Charlotte Rawlings, Deputy Creativity and Culture Editor at Campaign UK.
Still Rolling – 1:00–2:00 p.m.
What does cinematic creativity look like in the advertising landscape today? The judges from the Film jury are ready to reveal the standout work that captured their attention during the deliberations. The session features Charlene Chandrasekaran, Deputy Executive Creative Director at BBH London, andMicah Walker, Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Bear Meets Eagle on Fire. The discussion will be moderated by Brittany Kiefer, Creative Editor at Adweek.
Desire, Redefined – 2:30–3:30 p.m.
The D&AD Awards celebrate creative excellence in high-end brands under the Luxury category. In this session, judges explore how craftsmanship and cultural relevance are being shaped by creativity in the modern market.
The panel features: Jasmine Loignon, Chief Creative Officer at Publicis Luxe; Bunny Kinney, Global Executive Creative Director at Dazed Media; Justina Zun-Zun Chang, Global Integrated Art Director at HAKUHODO Inc.; and Martin Mangez-Casey, Founder and CEO of PAINPERDU & PARTNERS.
Attention Economy
Attention is a critical metric in the creative industry, as it measures how work truly captures its audience and the depth of the ideas behind it.
This session features judges from the Direct and PR categories: Juan José Posada, Partner and Chief Creative Officer at (anónimo); Ashika Chauhan, Group Executive Creative Director at krow Group; and Jen Speirs, Chief Creative Officer at Droga5.
How to buy tickets
Tickets are priced at GBP 30 + VAT per session, but discounts are available for students, charities/non-profits, freelancers, small businesses with under 10 employees, and retired people.
You may purchase your tickets here. For more information, you may send an email to [email protected].
adobo Magazine is an official media partner of the 2026 D&AD Festival.
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D&AD Festival 2026 to spotlight innovation, leadership, and creative excellence
