Norwich students win at D&AD New Blood Awards 2025

Every year, the D&AD New Blood Awards attract thousands of submissions from graduating students around the world.

The awards showcase the most impressive recent graduate work across design, advertising and craft. Winning a D&AD Pencil not only brings valuable exposure to the global creative industry, it can also serve as a powerful launchpad for a graduate’s career.

The competition features briefs developed in collaboration with leading global brands across a range of sectors.

Norwich’s winning entries for 2025, from our BA (Hons) Graphic Communication course, were:

Write to Roam– Sam Butler

Brief: Monotype, Wooden Pencil

England’s Right to Roam laws lag behind other progressive policies, creating tension between the public and the government. While England is seen as a rural country, most people are unaware of the restrictions limiting their freedom to explore nature. This campaign aims to highlight shocking statistics through typography-led visuals, making the issue tangible. By encouraging people to write to their MPs, the initiative seeks to drive meaningful change and expand access to outdoor spaces.

The Cult of Connection– Sienna Torres Bavins and Will Fletcher

Brief: giffgaff, Wooden Pencil

This guerrilla campaign transforms giffgaff’s community-powered ethos into a satirical ‘cult’ that spreads the gospel of true mobile freedom. Through preachers, street graffiti and confession booths, we invite the public to experience what it truly feels like to be with giffgaff. Join us and experience true enlightenment!

Once Upon a Giffgaff– Jack Charlesworth, Reiss Badhasha and Matthew Mallett

Brief: giffgaff, Graphite Pencil

Once upon a giffgaff, aims to take the mystery out of mobile by marketing the goodness of giffgaff through the lens of a quirky magical cast of characters, and unexpected, interactive OOH advertising, as well as a comprehensive social media approach in a fun and fresh new take on giffgaff’s existing brand platform.

Secret 7″ Black Rain– Ciaran Burling

Brief: War Child, Graphite Pencil

This submission for Secret 7″ illustrates a vinyl cover for ‘Black Rain’ by Keane. The song communicates feelings of longing and uncertainty, through the metaphor of ‘black rain’, symbolizing emotional struggles or a sense of being lost. My design illustrates the focus of the song, ‘Black Rain’. I used repeated lines in a grid, but made them collapse in the center. This communicated the idea of rain as a literal piece of imagery, but also uncovered a conceptual way of seeing the design.

Having irregularly moving lines that communicate collapse or falling down links well to Keane’s message in the song. The links to mental and emotional struggle, uncertainty, fragility, and vulnerability are all communicated through the design.

Secret 7″ Warsong– Ciaran Burling

Brief: War Child, Wooden Pencil