The D & AD Annual can be digitized
It is evidence of the strength of the sentiment that D&AD tends to provoke in the UK advertising and design industry that the news that its annual report has switched from print to digital was so high when announced last month caused consternation. This is a move that is long overdue in 2020, but the creatives used social media and pondered to express their love for the "book" and their sadness about its demise. A petition for a print version to be created was even submitted by a group of anonymous creative “vigilante groups”.
While many believe there are more pressing problems for creatives to put their energies into this year, the D&AD yearbook has a significant history. This is especially true for creatives who entered the industry in the pre-digital age. Access to a library of D&AD yearbooks meant access to a history of key moments in design and advertising rarely documented elsewhere, as well as a measure of quality of life up to.
Such symbolic moments in youth have a strong pull, and the early rumor that D&AD simply replaced the book with a PDF certainly didn't help. Even a rash comment by Chairman Tim Lindsay in a column for Campaign on the subject that seemed to devalue the power of books in general was never a wise position to take with a design crowd.
Still images from the D&AD Annual online
So here we are on the launch day for the digital version. And after all that hoo-ha, it's great. Created by Studio Dumbar – D&AD will continue its tradition of having an ongoing program of designers working on the look of the year despite the move to digital. It offers an easy-to-use, visually-engaging guide to all this year's winners. And all for free.
For those lamenting the loss of the random moments you might find in the book version, the site's home page has a random selection of winners from all categories that changes with each update. Then there are tabs that you can search the traditional way – by sector, geography, type of award, etc. For those who like a list, there is a ranking of winning companies as well as a whole range of insights from judges, winners, and too the trends that can be observed this year.
D&AD's primary work is supporting undergraduate and graduate students, as well as newcomers to the creative industries, which it advocates through its excellent New Blood and Shift programs. His awards – whose entrance fees are of course vital – often seem to be separate from this side of his work, as they are expensive to participate and the winning work, when only displayed in print, is difficult to access. This new digital version bridges that void and brings all of this incredible work straight into the hands of people in the industry and around the world to inspire and delight them.
Still images from the D&AD Annual online
Printing still has tremendous power and a sense of persistence that digital often cannot. But the two media have different uses in the modern world, and if everyone is looking for research online, a resource like the D&AD Annual – where apparently 60% of the content is either moving image or digital – should be in that area.
This is especially the case when it comes to reaching future generations and helping them understand the power of design and advertising – industries that often still seem frustratingly opaque to those outside of them – where a free online -Resource like the D&AD Annual is invaluable. And one day, hopefully, it will spark the kind of romantic memory the print version offers for creatives today.
View the online D&AD yearbook at dandad.org/annual/2020