Six Filipino designers claimed victories at the D&AD New Blood Awards 2025
Six Filipino Creatives Shine at D&AD New Blood Awards
A wave of recognition swept through the creative industry as six Filipino talents were honoured at this year's D&AD New Blood Awards. Among them were Shania Janine, Rohan Carlo Sugapong, and a group of three creatives who won for their work on HSBC.
Shania Janine's Journey
Shania Janine, a creative strategy executive at Unrest and Notion ambassador, embarked on her creative journey by joining Brixton Finishing School and completing two briefs outside of university modules. Her hard work paid off when she won a Wood Pencil at the D&AD New Blood Awards for her campaign 'Wait: A Time to Be Alive' for Christopher Ward.
The campaign aimed to transform anxiety into excitement, a message that resonated with the judges. Janine's daily routine during the project was a whirlwind, with her working at Christopher Ward around the campus, Uncommon Creative Studio, and Wise, and an occasional celebratory kebab.
The Filipino Triumph at D&AD
The trio of Eugene Corpuz, Charisse Saculingan, and Karin Huitfeldt also won a Wood Pencil for their work on HSBC, emphasizing the bank's commitment as a dependable partner for international students. Their project showcased the bank's services, focusing on the ease and convenience they offer.
Rohan Carlo Sugapong, an AI developer and marketing automation associate at Scrubbed, also won a Graphite Pencil at the D&AD New Blood Awards. His winning work was for a project on Xbox, focusing on fitting gaming into everyday moments. Sugapong's advice to future Filipino creatives is to embrace their imagination and not let external limits define their dreams.
Overcoming Traditional Money Transfer Challenges
Shania Janine and Joseph Ariyibi won a Wood Pencil for their work on Wise, a money transfer service. Their campaign highlighted the speed and seamlessness of the service, addressing the problem of traditional money transfer systems eating away at money and time due to hidden exchange rates and long processing times.
Innovative Design for a Cause
Patricia Tuazon won a Yellow Pencil for her work on War Child. Her design symbolized the dichotomy in a song by cutting up squares of digitally scanned photography. The design was a powerful representation of the organisation's mission to protect children affected by war.
Embracing the Creative Process and Kindness
Rohan Carlo Sugapong emphasizes the importance of loving the creative process, rather than chasing awards. He also encourages kindness, stating that while talent makes great work, kindness makes great partnerships. Sugapong's advice to future Filipino creatives is to be kind, embrace their imagination, and not let external limits define their dreams.
The D&AD New Blood Awards honoured these talented individuals for their exceptional work on projects created in response to real briefs from brands like HSBC, Xbox, Depop, Monotype, and others. The awards serve as a testament to the potential of the Filipino creative industry and the innovative solutions it can provide.
