Handcrafted and deliberately imperfect, the new award, designed by Grey Brazil, recognises the brands backing self-taught talent through D&AD Shift.
D&AD has launched a new version of its iconic Pencil, created specifically to celebrate the brands supporting its global Shift programme for self-taught creatives. Conceived and hand-carved by Grey Brazil, the award serves as a tangible symbol of sponsorship, highlighting the value of investing in emerging talent from non-traditional backgrounds.
The Pencil is intentionally rougher than the polished versions awarded each year at the D&AD Awards. Its uneven edges and hand-sharpened form are intentional, designed to mirror the unconventional paths many Shift participants have taken into the industry. No two are exactly alike, and each was carved with a machete and finished with a knife, embracing individuality and imperfection as core design features.
Grey Brazil explains how the process was about aligning with the values of the programme itself. “The idea is rooted in craft, which is central to D&AD’s mission to celebrate and elevate creative excellence. It also stands for individuality. No two hand-sharpened pencils ever look the same,” the team explained. The result, they added, is a reminder that “the simplest ideas can also be the most effective.”
Since its launch in 2016, D&AD Shift has evolved into a global programme that provides training, mentorship, and live briefs for creatives without formal education in advertising or design. The goal is to open up access to the industry for individuals whose skills have been developed outside traditional pathways.
The design of the new Pencil reflects this journey, as it embodies “resourcefulness and curiosity” – two qualities that perfectly define self-taught creatives. “That journey is rarely polished, but it is inventive and determined. The Pencil embodies that spirit, sharpened by effort into something truly original,” they added.
This ethos challenges an industry that often defaults to hiring talent with conventional qualifications while simultaneously demanding innovation. D&AD says: “Some of the most powerful creativity comes from unexpected places, from lived experience, from people sharpening their skills on whatever surface they can find.”
The new award made its debut at the graduation of Shift São Paulo, where Uber, Natura and Surf (a Unilever brand) became the first recipients. Their role went far beyond financial backing, as each brand provided a real brief to the 19-strong cohort of students, who worked on live projects throughout the programme.
Direct encouragement is crucial to the programme, according to D&AD. “It is the best way for brands to see what happens when people who do not know the ‘rules’ of the industry are asked to solve a problem,” they explained. “Without those limitations, Shifters often push past them in the most creative way possible. That is when brands find themselves saying, ‘How have we not thought of that before?’”
By the end of the programme, sponsors walked away with fresh ideas and perspectives that might otherwise have been overlooked. D&AD is keen to stress that this is not corporate charity but “a strategic advantage”, as it offers a chance to connect with voices and audiences that are often the hardest for established companies to reach.
Sponsored awards can sometimes feel tokenistic, but The Pencil for Sponsors is a deliberate attempt to reframe sponsorship as active participation in shaping the industry’s future. D&AD explains: “When the industry overlooks emerging creatives, it misses out on the very ideas and perspectives audiences are craving.
“This hand-sharpened Pencil is a way to recognise the brands that are willing to take risks and back often overlooked points of view, while also crediting them as ones helping push our industry forward.”
Kwame Taylor-Hayford, global president of D&AD, attended the São Paulo event to present the awards and underline the importance of the Shift programme as it expands internationally. By awarding Pencils to sponsors, D&AD aims to reinforce the notion that meaningful change necessitates collaboration between brands and talent.
As the programme continues in cities across the world, more brands will have the opportunity to receive the Pencil. In doing so, they’re recognised not just for writing a cheque but for opening doors, commissioning work, and giving self-taught creatives the chance to prove themselves.
Leave a Reply