The 2016 D&AD New Blood Awards are open for entries until March 16 2016, with 17 briefs from 17 brands. That’s real briefs set by real clients – and judged by top industry creative. Accept the challenge of any one of them to kickstart your career perhaps with a Pencil. WPP has also continued its partnership with D&AD, supporting the New Blood Academy.

The 2016 briefs are:

• Adobe – Remix the Adobe Creative Cloud Identity for Future Creators
• Amnesty International (in collaboration with WPP) – Make Injustice Personal
• BBC Crimewatch – Design a digital Solution to Enhance the Crimewatch Experience Beyond Broadcast
• D&AD – Fortune Favours the Brave
• Dazed – Declare Independence in 15 Seconds
• Design Bridge – Break New Ground in Beauty Branding
• Desperados (18+ only) – Unleash Urbanites’ Party Spirit with an Unforgettable Experience
• Martens (in collaboration with Radiocentre) – Reboot Radio Writing
• Ford – Mobilise Citywide Change
• John Lewis – What’s in Store? Create a Window into the Brand
• Monotype – Use the Power of Typography to Activate Your Cause
• Nationwide – Focus Nationwide’s Service for the Next Generation
• Newsworks – Champion the Written Word in Print and on Screen
• Shutterstock – Capture Dramatic Narrative in Everyday Reality
• The Telegraph – Inspire a Digital Audience to Think Again About The Telegraph
• TOMS – Engage a New Audience with the ‘Purchase with Purpose’ Movement
• WWF – Activate a Global Conservation Community

As always, the 2016 New Blood Awards will feature a mix of topical ideas and craft-based briefs. The briefs are intended to be both a comprehensive test of young creatives’ abilities and an accurate representation of the challenges they’ll conquer when they start working. Creative briefs ask creatives to look at ideas from different angles for different channels and find collaborators to compliment their own skillsets. Craft briefs offer entrants an opportunity to demonstrate ability across copywriting, graphic design, digital design, photography, illustration, moving image and typography. 

Each brief has been designed to reflect the real current business challenges faced by modern brands so that the future superstars of tomorrow are ready for the challenge.

Paul Drake, D&AD Foundation director explained, “New Blood is at the heart of everything D&AD does. This is an often -repeated statement, but it is the truth. We offer graduates a step-up into the real world of the creative industries, aided by answering briefs that are set by brands who feel as passionately about emerging talent as we do.” 

“New blood briefs are designed to be both challenging and demanding, but every year we are delighted by the strength of talented and passionate individuals who enter the awards. If you can shine and win a Pencil, you’ll earn immediate industry ‘one-to-watch’ status. And for a new creative, there’s few better accolades.” 

WPP’s involvement ensures that, for the third year, New Blood will offer the ultimate prize for any aspiring creative – paid apprenticeship opportunities are up for grabs for the programme’s highest achievers.

The New Blood Academy is open to applications for all New Blood Awards winners. There are also wildcard places available for exhibitors who impress at the New Blood Festival.

Still wondering if New Blood is for you? Here’s some advice from the New Blood sponsors:

“New Blood offers Amnesty International an incredible opportunity to tap into the power and energy of a new generation of creative minds. We hope their work will inspire new audiences to take injustice personally and engage with our global movement of activists and campaigners.” Matt Haigh, head of design, Amnesty International  

“The WPP/D&AD partnership goes from strength to strength and, as in previous years, the New Blood brief we’re setting, from our client Amnesty, is a real project. Remember, great ideas don’t care where they come from and are no respecters of age or reputation. Today’s student is tomorrow’s creative director. Good luck.” John O’Keeffe, worldwide creative director, WPP  

“We really wanted to explore how tribes and subcultures now exist in a fragmented, digital world and specifically how a brand like Dr. Martens could retain its USP of non-conformist authenticity and rebellious self-expression whilst still trying to appeal and remain relevant to a much broader, fast-paced, digital, mix and match society.” Dan Freeland, UK marketing manager, Dr. Martens

Want to become a 2016 New Blood creative? Briefs and guidelines here. Information about the New Blood Awards here.