D&AD – New Blood Winners

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In dispatches here is the 2026 D&AD New Blood Awards update:

Joey Cheetham and Sam Wilson have both won graphite pencils at this year’s ceremony. Joey winning his for his response to the Carrefour brief, and Sam receiving his for his work on the giffgaff brief. And it’s worth noting that Sam is currently on his placement year, so will have another opportunity to enter next year as well.

Once again, the New Blood Festival provided a great opportunity for students and staff to reconnect with our friends in London. It was pleasing to hear industry feedback on this year’s students’ branding, with a particular nod to once again delivering sharp, well-crafted ideas.

In other news the stand also received five ‘ones to watch’ prizes, a course record we think!

See all the class of 2026 here.

D&AD New Blood entries 2026

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A roundup of submissions to the New Blood Awards, 2026.

Carrefour

Celebrate the 45th Anniversary of Tex

by Emily Dainty

 

by Joey Cheetham

 

by Libby Kenyon

 

by Szymon Zalewski

giffgaff and Big Issue

Using the power of connection to build pathways out of poverty

by Hamza Malik

HSBC

HSBC Red: Owning a Pantone

by Nicole Grealis

Kahf

Redefine masculinity for men in 2026

by Humera Naeem & Umai Shah

L'Oréal

Giving new life to “I'm worth it” in today's age

by Olivia Peet

Monotype x Penguin Random House

Shape how the world reads

by Aiysha Begum

Tuborg

Create experiences that release negative pressure

by Emma Noble & Liv Hayward

 

by Grace Gorton

Twix

Twix gives people a good thing, twice

by Emma Noble & Joey Cheetham

 

by Liv Hayward & Pete Morgan

Wise

Get parents to grant their kids their travel wings with Wise

by Callum Ogden

 

by Shahzad Ansar

D&AD – New Blood Winners

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We’re happy to share our annual D&AD New Blood Awards update:

This year, we have two more pencils to be proud of. Mohamed Makkan (aka Jibby!) brough home the much coveted yellow for his response to the Christopher Ward brief. And Chris Dempsey took away a wood pencil for his work on the Morris & Co. brief; both awards were picked up at this year’s D&AD New Blood ceremony in London.

The New Blood Festival provided a great opportunity for students and staff to reconnect with our friends in London. It was pleasing to hear industry feedback on all students’ work, with a particular nod to sharp ideas which cut through the noise of a visually noisy environment.

We were also chuffed to receive three ‘ones to watch’ prizes, awarded to Sannah Ali, Connie Dickinson and Emma Yeomans.

For staff, all work on display was true to Preston thinking and craft, work we are proud to show; and the above prizes just ice the cake. See all the class of 2025 here.

Soak up the work below, look at other entries; and enjoy a few snaps from the Festival.

ThE TIME MAKERS
BRIEF: CHRISTOPHER WARD
– by MOHAMED MAKKAN


yellow Pencil Winner

bringing the outside in
brief: morris & Co.
– by christopher dempsey

wood Pencil Winner

Awards night!

The Festival

The ClASS OF 2025, some old friends below:

D&AD – New Blood Winners

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Great news from this year’s D&AD New Blood Festival.

Congratulations to University of Central Lancashire graduates, Zakiyya Mulla and Amir Patel. From the Preston class of 2024, Zakiyya was awarded a graphite pencil, while Amir earned a wood pencil at this year’s D&AD New Blood ceremony in London.

Both designers impressed the judges with their incredible work on the IMAX brief, have a look at the projects below.

Reframe with IMAX
– by zakiyya mulla


Graphite Pencil Winner

IMAX CHEVRONS
– by amir patel

WOOD Pencil Winner

D&AD – New Blood Winners

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Big, big congratulations to Olivia Kelly and Phil White who both won a wooden pencil at this year’s D&AD New Blood Awards!

 
 

Olivia and Phil

Olivia answered the OMO, Unilever Persil copywriting brief.

The problem set was to encourage a new generation to dream and dare, because you don’t achieve your dreams by playing it safe.

Olivia took the insight ‘6 out of 10 British adults are afraid of taking risks. With Persil wanting to bring their ‘Dirt is Good’ message to a new audience of young people who don’t have families, it is time for Persil to encourage their new audience to dream, even if it's only for a minute’ and flipped the proposition on its head and asked the audience to dare to dream instead.

This new angle led to the copy based solutions below.

Phil answered the Heineken brief. The problem set was to reposition Heineken as the catalyst for making a fresh connection. Phil’s response was inspired by the notion of Dutch Courage:

Fear has no cultural or geographical restraints. There are so many different phobias but the affects they have on us are the same emotionally and physically. Fear can inhibit us from achieving goals or strive to make a positive change.

Heineken Dutch Courage is a festival based event, where people are challenged to reinvent themselves and come face their fears head on. The goal is for people to meet, support, share and bond over their fears through a fresh and rewarding experience.