Norwich graduate Sophie Ross wins Black Pencil at D&AD New Blood Awards 2023

BSc (Hons) User Experience Design graduate Sophie Ross wins highest accolade from D&AD New Blood Awards, one of only two Black Pencils awarded worldwide. BA (Hons) Graphic Design graduates Isabella Atkinson and Emma Smith took home a yellow pencil for their project, while Katie Reeder, Eoin O’Kramer and Joe Gregory won a wood pencil.

The D&AD New Blood Awards draws thousands of entrants from graduating students across the globe, and winning any level of pencil is an incredible achievement.

The coveted Black Pencil represents the best of the best, reserved only for ground breaking and industry-leading work. All the Yellow and White Pencil winners go up against each other in a final round of judging to decide on the Black Pencils, the ultimate award for new creatives. Sophie, Norwich’s Black Pencil winner, takes home not only the famous Black and Yellow Pencil trophies, but also £1,000 in prize money.

D&AD is an education charity that promotes excellence in design and advertising. The D&AD New Blood Awards celebrate the best recent graduate work from across the commercial design, advertising and craft disciplines. Winning a D&AD Pencil earns graduates’ work exposure to a global audience in the creative industries and can be a platform to a future career. The competition sets briefs in partnership with some of the world’s leading brands, spanning a wide range of industries.

Further details of Norwich’s pencil winning projects are below:

Sky React – Sophie Ross

Black Pencil and Yellow Pencil – Responding to brief from Sky

People love to share their reactions to great TV and movie moments online. However, this discussion occurs on various social media platforms and is not connected to the timeline of the content, unlike live tweeting during a TV show. Additionally, with such a wealth of great content on Sky, it can be challenging for viewers to decide what to watch next, even with the help of recommendation engines.

Sky React lets you express your emotions and opinions in real-time with quick reactions and comments tied to the show’s timeline. This feature brings the live TV experience to any pre-recorded content, anytime you want and fosters a sense of community. Beyond sharing your thoughts, the quick reactions will contribute to a new form of categorising from the viewers’ emotional perspective.

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Heineken Turf War – Isabella Atkinson, Emma Smith

Yellow Pencil – Responding to a brief from Heineken and Design Bridge

We’re declaring a turf war! Our cities have been invaded by grey, making them feel miserable and uninviting. Heineken is bringing green back to cities around the world by launching a community beer garden revolution. Urban dwellers unite, building their own community beer gardens, growing fresh connections in the fresh air… with refreshment! Our green-fingered army stake their claim on their turf, reclaiming and re-greening cities. Our bold graphics take over the urban environment with surprise growing installations. Beer gardeners take to social media to share the real change our gardens create, continuing the turf war online.

Heineken Dark Skies – Katie Reeder, Eoin O’Kramer, Joe Gregory

Wood Pencil – Responding to a brief from Heineken and Design Bridge

Our future looks bright, but not in the way we expected. 83% of people live under light-polluted skies, affecting sleep and mental health, and making stargazing an endangered activity. ‘Heineken Dark Skies’ is a campaign dedicated to reclaiming our lost darkness.

Hiding the signature Heineken star on pack highlights the effects of light pollution and skyglow, and stars hidden in cities around the world invite people to rooftop stargazing events to create new connections away from the sensory overload of modern life. Heineken will also black out digital billboards in light-polluted cities as an additional step towards brewing a better world.

Explore BA (Hons) Graphic Design