D&AD: The US leads the shortlists

D&AD Awards has announced its 2025 shortlists. The US leads the shortlist tally with 499 finalists, plus 30 in the New Blood Awards. The UK has 349, plus 49 in the New Blood Awards.

Australia has 58 shortlisted entries. It also has 3 in the New Blood Awards.

The winners will be revealed at the closing ceremony Southbank Centre, London, on Thursday, May 22 (London time).

View the shortlists here.

D&AD President for 2025, Kwame Taylor-Hayford, commented, “The 2025 Awards saw our broadest participation yet, with submissions from 86 countries around the world. It’s also been our strongest year ever in terms of company participation—an encouraging sign that groundbreaking creativity and a deep commitment to craft continue to thrive across the globe.”

D&AD CEO, Dara Lynch, added, “Our real superpower rests with our judges and community, who ensure the Pencil retains its place in history as the one to win; driving the industry forward and setting new standards for creative excellence in an industry that’s going through transformation.”

The D&AD Awards incorporates more than 44 categories judged by 330 of the world’s leading creatives from over 86 countries (52% female-identifying), recognising work that will inspire both seasoned and emerging talent. As a charity, awards entries enable D&AD to fund educational programs such as D&AD Shift, a free, industry-led night school for self-taught creatives from under-represented backgrounds, currently running in London, New York, Berlin, Hamburg, São Paulo and Sydney, with more locations to be announced.

A new Creator Content category reflects the evolving landscape of the creative industries and allows the international awards to stay current and inclusive, while the division of the branding category into two distinct categories: New Brand Identity and Brand Identity Refresh addresses the significant volume of entries received in previous years), ensuring each submission receives the focused attention it deserves by the jury.

The total number of entries shortlisted in each category are: