India secures 24 final shortlists at D&AD Awards 2025

New Delhi: 24 entries from India were among the final shortlists for the 63rd annual D&AD Awards, to take place on Thursday, May 22, 2025, in London.

McCann Worldgroup India leads Indian charge with 7 shortlists, followed by Ogilvy India with 6 nominations.

Havas Creative India and Early Man Film bagged three final shortlists each.

Full list of final shortlists from India:

D&AD Awards announced the final shortlist from all 44 Awards categories across the following disciplines: Design, Advertising, Craft, Engagement and Experience, Health, Luxury, Entertainment and Impact.

As a globally respected and famously hard-to-win awards, D&AD celebrates creative excellence, believing creativity is critical to commercial, economic, social and cultural success. 

The non-profit organisation goes to great lengths to ensure a rigorous judging process, focused on integrity, with industry leaders selecting only the most exceptional creative work. Their focus on creativity, originality, and effectiveness ensures that winning entries represent the pinnacle of excellence in advertising and design. 

Reflecting on the volume of submissions received this year, D&AD President for 2025 Kwame Taylor-Hayford said, “The 2025 Awards saw our broadest participation yet, with submissions from 86 countries around the world. It’s also been our strongest year ever in terms of company participation—an encouraging sign that groundbreaking creativity and a deep commitment to craft continue to thrive across the globe."

Commenting on this year’s judges, D&AD CEO Dara Lynch said, “Our real superpower rests with our judges and community, who ensure the Pencil retains its place in history as the one to win; driving the industry forward and setting new standards for creative excellence in an industry that’s going through transformation.”

The Awards incorporates more than 44 categories judged by 330 of the world’s leading creatives from over 45 countries (52% female-identifying), recognising work that will inspire both seasoned and emerging talent. As a charity, Awards entries enable D&AD to fund educational programs such as D&AD Shift, a free, industry-led night school for self-taught creatives from under-represented backgrounds, currently running in London, New York, Berlin, Hamburg, São Paulo and Sydney with more locations to be announced.

A new Creator Content category reflects the evolving landscape of the creative industries and  allows the international awards to stay current and inclusive, while the division of the branding category into two distinct categories: New Brand Identity and Brand Identity Refresh addresses the significant volume of entries received in previous years (over 900+ in 2024), ensuring each submission receives the focused attention it deserves by the jury.