Insights from The D&AD Annual Trend Report (Los Angeles, USA)

Join D&AD for an evening delving into the trends coming out of the D&AD Awards with a focus on Augmentation and AI, with networking before and after the main presentation, hosted by Saatchi & Saatchi LA/Team One.

The D&AD Awards celebrate the very best creative work across advertising and design. 300+ world-leading designers, advertising experts and skilled creatives cast their eye over a record number of over 12,000 entries across 40 categories in 2023.

For work to win at D&AD, jurors needed to see flawless execution supporting the big, bold idea. This year only two winners took home the ultimate Black Pencil and 69 entries were awarded the iconic Yellow Pencil.

This report delves into nascent trends that dominated the D&AD Pencil-winning work in 2023. It distils the catalogue of insights gathered from the jury rooms, as well as the impact of wider cultural and societal shifts in the world at large.

Speaker: D&AD Awards & Festival Director, Donal Keenan

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Image Reference

Mindcraft by BETC Paris / 2023 Wood Pencil Winner

Donal Keenan, Awards & Festival Director at D&AD

An Awards & Festival expert, Donal has spent much of his career at D&AD, having first started in 2007 Donal has risen through the ranks of D&AD, where they now operate as Awards & Festival Director of D&AD’s Global awards and festival programmes, rewarding the very best in global design, advertising and creative communications.

Donal has overseen many developments in the expansion of the Awards programme, with recent additions of Health, Luxury, and Gaming through to the additions of public relations and media awards in previous years.

Donal has been involved in D&AD Impact from in its origins in 2012 to leading the current development and running of Impact Awards and accelerator programme, which seeks out and supports initiatives with the potential to drive positive impact in our society today.
In 2013 new projects meant Donal also acted as a consultant managing the development and operational launch of the Kyoorius Awards in India, a now well-established regional Awards rewarding the best in Indian Design and Advertising.

Prior to D&AD, Donal graduated with a first-class bachelor’s degree in fine art and a degree in Art and Design from Cluain Mhuire Art Campus – Galway Institute of Technology, Ireland.
Donal is also a mental health first aider, industry speaker, LGBTQI+ community advocate, husband and loving parent to his miniature Schnauzer Stevie.

Host or Publisher D&AD