D&AD Awards Four Black Pencils and Reveals 2026 Global Rankings

Sep. 25, 2026

D&AD has awarded four Black Pencils across three projects at its 2026 Awards Ceremony in London, celebrating the people and work setting the benchmark for creative excellence around the world.

Isle of Any's Your Way Out for Coinbase received two Black Pencils, for Visual Effects and Production Design. Uncommon Creative Studio’s The Periodic Fable for DECIEM was awarded a Black Pencil for Art Direction, while Publicis Conseil’s Three Words for AXA received a Black Pencil for Impact. The Black Pencil is D&AD’s highest accolade, reserved for work considered truly groundbreaking in its field.

Celebrated Dutch graphic designer Irma Boom received the 2026 D&AD President’s Award, presented by D&AD President Lisa Smith.

Lisa Smith, D&AD President and Uncommon Global Chief Design Officer, said:

"I chose Irma because her work is a reminder of what it means to care deeply about making something specific. She doesn’t simply design books, she continually challenges what a book can be, through scale, material, structure and extraordinary craft.  At a moment when our industry focuses so much on speed, automation and AI, Irma represents something incredibly important: curiosity, conviction and a point of view. After more than four decades, she is still experimenting, still questioning and still finding something new to discover. Her work has inspired generations of designers, myself very much included, and she continues to show us what a book can be."

 

The ceremony also saw D&AD reveal the agencies, networks, brands and clients topping its annual global rankings, based on performance across this year’s D&AD Awards.

Uncommon Creative Studio London was named Advertising Agency of the Year, with Ogilvy Singapore ranking second and US independent Isle of Any in third. The Advertising Agency Top 10 spans seven countries, with agencies from the UK, Singapore and US occupying the top three positions.

Japan’s DENTSU INC. took Design Agency of the Year, ahead of Pentagram New York in second place, with SMLXL and Mallandrich both in third. Pentagram also placed seventh through its London studio, making it the only agency represented twice in the Design Top 10. SMLXL and Mallandrich were also jointly named Small Independent Design Agency of the Year.

Isle of Any was named Independent Agency of the Year, adding to its third-place finish in the overall Advertising Agency ranking plus it was named Small Independent Agency of the Year. Mother took second place, followed by Serviceplan Germany in third.

Ogilvy topped the Agency Network of the Year ranking, ahead of TBWA\ in second and Havas Creative Network in third.

On the brand-side, Apple was named Brand of the Year, with Coinbase taking second place and Vaseline third. Apple also took the top spot in the Brand-Side Agency of the Year ranking through Apple Marcom, ahead of The New York Times and BBC Creative.

Unilever was named Client of the Year, followed by Apple in second and Coinbase in third.

The United States topped the country rankings, followed by the United Kingdom and France. Brazil and Germany completed the top five, with Canada, Spain, Japan, Australia and the Netherlands also featuring in the Top 10.

David Patton, D&AD CEO, said:

“What stands out in this year’s rankings is the breadth of creative excellence at the very top. The three highest-ranked Advertising Agencies come from three different countries, while independents are competing alongside the major networks at the highest level. Isle of Any embodies that – winning two Black Pencils, being named both Independent Agency of the Year and Small Independent Agency of the Year, and placing third overall in Advertising. With Mother and Serviceplan Germany also in the Advertising Top 10, it’s a reminder that exceptional creative work isn’t defined by geography or agency model.”

D&AD’s annual rankings recognise the companies, networks, brands, clients and creative practitioners behind the year’s most successful awarded work. Rankings are determined by points accumulated through D&AD Awards results, with points awarded for Black, White, Yellow, Graphite and Wood Pencils and Shortlisted work.