D&AD New Blood Awards 2026 Welcomes New Entries
Being at the early stage of one’s career, whether as a final-year student or a fresh graduate, often means facing the same fundamental question: how do you build a portfolio that is relevant to the design industry while opening up real pathways into it? Amid an increasingly competitive global design landscape, the opportunity to work on “real” briefs from international brands has become a valuable form of capital. This is where the D&AD New Blood Awards play a crucial role.
The D&AD New Blood Awards is a global awards program dedicated to students and emerging designers who are just beginning their professional journeys in design, advertising, and other creative industries. Unlike conventional competitions, New Blood does not assess work solely on visual appeal, but also on how effectively participants respond to real-world challenges faced by brands. Each year, D&AD collaborates with a range of global brands to develop authentic briefs drawn directly from the industry’s current needs and challenges.
Through this structure, participants are not merely competing; they are also training themselves to think and work like professionals. They are required to understand brand context, target audiences, and communication objectives, and to translate these elements into creative solutions that are both relevant and strategic. Selected works are then curated and judged by a panel of jurors comprising experienced practitioners from the international creative industry. For winners, the New Blood Awards often serve as a gateway to broader career opportunities.
Last year, students from BINUS University in Indonesia responded to a brief by the Berlin-based agency 21GRAMS for Cetaphil. They created Consent Soap, a color-coded product designed to teach body boundaries: red for private areas, orange for trusted help only, and green for areas open to touch–with consent. By integrating these lessons into everyday bath time, the project fosters autonomy and awareness of body rights, while addressing the alarming rates of sexual assault within these communities. Consent Soap went on to win two Pencil Awards.
The year 2026 marks a particularly significant moment. For the first time, Kahf, an Indonesian men’s personal care brand, has joined the D&AD New Blood Awards as one of the brands providing a brief. Kahf’s participation represents an important step, not only for the brand itself, but also for Indonesia’s presence on the global creative competition stage. Kahf’s logo now appears alongside those of other international brands involved in the program.
Kahf’s involvement opens up strategic opportunities for Indonesian students and fresh graduates to compete within a culturally closer context while still operating at a global standard. The brief set by Kahf allows participants to explore issues surrounding identity, lifestyle, and values relevant to younger generations, while framing them through creative approaches that can resonate internationally.
D&AD New Blood Awards 2026 will officially open for entries on 2 February 2026, with the submission deadline set for 17 March 2026. This timeframe gives participants room to develop their ideas thoroughly: from research and concept exploration to final execution.
For students and fresh graduates who are shaping their career paths in design, visual communication, advertising, or creative strategy, the New Blood Awards can function as a learning laboratory, a proving ground, and a bridge into the industry. With Kahf joining as one of this year’s brief-giving brands, the participation of Indonesian talent is expected to become more visible and impactful.
If you are at the beginning of your creative career and looking to test your capabilities on a global stage, the D&AD New Blood Awards 2026 is a moment worth considering. Real brands, real briefs, and tangible opportunities to move forward–all of it begins with the courage to take part.
