D&AD has revealed its global brand partners as it readies to open the call for entries for the 2015 New Blood Awards.

Airbnb, Facebook, John Lewis and WPP are among the 14 brands setting challenges as part of the world’s leading program for new creative talent.

Open to any young creative under 24, in addition to current students and those within two years of graduation, the New Blood Awards offer tomorrow’s stars a chance to tackle real briefs, set by real clients and judged by top creatives.

Paul Porral, head of brand creative at John Lewis, said:“Design has always been important to us at John Lewis so we’re thrilled to be working with D&AD and to provide a brief for New Blood. Our brief calls for some true design innovation and inspiration to bring together the physical and the digital worlds; we are looking forward to seeing this year’s emerging talents meet the challenge.”

The 2015 brand partners in full:

• Airbnb
• BBC
• Facebook
• i-D
• John Lewis
• Monotype
• Nationwide
• npower
• Pantone
• TalkTalk
• Vice
• WeTransfer
• WPP
• WWF
  

The Briefs

The 2015 New Blood Awards will feature a mix of topical ideas and craft briefs, encouraging creatives to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach.

Ideas briefs challenge young creatives to consider how ideas can grow across different channels and to seek out collaboration to compliment their own skillsets, whilst craft briefs offer entrants an opportunity to demonstrate creative excellence across graphic design, digital design, photography, illustration, moving image and typography.

Each brief has been designed in collaboration with industry experts to both reflect the real challenges faced by modern brands and develop the skills most sought after by industry. This year, D&AD will also be providing four key real-world trends currently shaping the consumer landscape to fully contextualise 2015 challenges. Delivered through a partnership with The Future Laboratory, it enables access to the same top-level research and insight employed by industry, further preparing creatives to successfully make the transition from education to work.

Kati Russell, Senior Programme Manager at D&AD explains, “Our D&AD New Blood briefs are recognised by education and industry alike as the definitive career entry-level briefs. No other programme offers such a comprehensive test, or a more accurate representation of the challenges that await on the other side.

“This year’s briefs are once again demanding, but are sure to get the pulses racing of any passionate young creative who relishes a challenge. If you can crack these, you’ll earn immediate industry ‘one-to-watch’ status. And for a new creative, there’s few better accolades.”

The New Blood Academy

WPP, the global advertising and marketing services group, is also set to reinforce its commitment to new creative talent by renewing its partnership with D&AD New Blood.

Following a hugely successful programme in 2014, WPP will again offer its substantial support in providing inspiration, learning and genuine breaks for young creatives around the world on the way into industry. Significantly, WPP’s involvement ensures that for the second year, New Blood will offer the ultimate prize for any aspiring creative looking for their break, with paid apprenticeship opportunities up for grabs for the programme’s highest achievers.

John O’Keeffe, worldwide creative director of WPP, said: “Following on from the success of last year we are delighted to continue our partnership with D&AD. Indeed, if we could sum up in two words what our industry is constantly looking for, it is New Blood.”

Tim Lindsay, chief executive, D&AD said: “Over the years D&AD has established itself as the first port of call for industry looking to recruit the best emerging talent. Just as a D&AD Pencil can crown a career at the professional level, New Blood has also become a symbol of creative excellence and a launchpad for so many young creatives. WPP’s invaluable support allows us to reach farther and wider than ever before, closing the gap between industry and education by investing in the next generation of creative leaders.”

The New Blood Academy is open to anyone who receives a Graphite Pencil award (equivalent to silver) or higher in the New Blood Awards. There are also wildcard places available for exhibitors who impress at the New Blood Festival, the UK’s biggest graduate show for visual arts and communications courses.