Mumbai: D&AD has officially revealed the full programme for its highly anticipated 2025 Festival, set to take place on 21–22 May at the iconic Southbank Centre. As a global beacon for creative excellence in design, art direction, and advertising, the event will bring together industry leaders, innovators, and emerging talent for two days of inspiration, learning, and celebration.
Marking its 7th edition, the D&AD Festival will feature over 80 international speakers across two stages – one focused on large-scale keynotes and inspiration, and another dedicated to insight-rich learning sessions. Brands such as Skyscanner, KFC, OpenAI, and The New York Times will headline, along with masterclasses, live jury sessions, interactive activations, and a showcase of the 2025 D&AD Award-winning work.
“Stimulating, enabling, and celebrating creative excellence is very much at the heart of the festival. It’s what D&AD does 365 days a year, and we’re delighted that we can provide an accessible creative focal point in the calendar year where authentic speakers, excellent practical insights and real-life learning can be explored. We have all been drawn to creativity in some way, shape, or form, so what better place to delve into that connected experience with the world’s best creative minds than at the D&AD Festival,” said Donal Keenan, D&AD COO and Awards & Festival Director.
This year’s festival is accompanied by a new creative identity under the “Drawn To” campaign, developed by global branding agency Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR). The campaign taps into the shared desire to create – from casual sketches to full-scale productions – and visually centres around the magnetic pull of the iconic D&AD Pencil.
“Across the creative industries, we’re all drawn to create—whether it’s to break the mold, chase excellence, or just make something that leaves a mark. With this campaign, we wanted to capture that shared drive and spotlight what makes D&AD so special. It’s the pinnacle of creative excellence, where you get to learn from the best and stand alongside your heroes. Whether you’re chasing your first Pencil or adding to a shelf full of them, everything culminates at D&AD,” said Gustavo Dao, Design Director at JKR.
Developed in collaboration with Studio DRAMA, the campaign design emphasizes themes of magnetism, momentum, and creative gravitational pull, using type-led visuals that orbit the D&AD logo and Pencil symbol.
Programming Highlights
The festival promises to cover the most compelling trends shaping the creative industry in 2025 – from AI, craft, design, and advertising to storytelling and tech innovation. The programme includes:
Keynote Talks & Fireside Chats with industry giants
D&AD Masterclasses led by renowned creative trainers
Live Jury Insight Sessions unpacking what made 2025’s winning entries stand out
Hands-on Workshops, Networking Events, and Interactive Activations
The D&AD Awards 2025 Ceremony closing the festival on May 22
D&AD also announced its first sponsors, including HP Industrial Graphics, returning with a sponsored Masterclass. Other category sponsors include Procreate (Illustration) and Verizon (Digital Marketing), underscoring the event’s strong industry partnerships.
From deep creative insight to practical learning and community-building, the D&AD Festival is poised to once again set the global standard for creative engagement.
For more information, visit dandad.org or follow @d_and_ad on social platforms.
