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Two Berghs Teams Named Finalists in D&AD New Blood, Joining the World's Leading Emerging Creatives

July 3, 2026

Two student teams from Berghs School of Communication have each been awarded a Wood Pencil at this year's D&AD New Blood Awards in London, one of the world's most prestigious competitions for emerging creative talent. The awards challenge students from around the globe to solve live briefs from leading international brands, with entries judged by some of the industry's most accomplished creative professionals. The two winning projects from Berghs demonstrate the breadth of creative thinking and its ability to address very different challenges.

"Creativity isn't about having an idea. It's about refining it, challenging it, and expressing it in a way that truly resonates. D&AD celebrates exactly that combination of bold thinking and exceptional craft, which is why these pencils mean so much," says Camilla Wallander, CEO of Berghs School of Communication.

One of the winning teams explores how creative communication can inspire behavioural change through Parrot, a playful and engaging concept developed in response to a brief from Monotype x Penguin Random House. The other, Redacted Type, uses typography as a powerful medium to highlight issues surrounding censorship, freedom of expression, and access to information.

In addition, former Berghs student Matilda Olsson, now studying at Ravensbourne University London, was part of the team behind Better Unbottled, a brand experience campaign for Tuborg that transforms frustration into music. The project received a coveted Yellow Pencil, D&AD's highest award.

Berghs has maintained a strong international presence at the D&AD New Blood Awards for many years. Students from the school consistently reach the finals and receive top honors, reinforcing Berghs' reputation as one of the world's leading creative schools with recurring international recognition.

Award-winning projects

Brief: Monotype × Penguin Random House
Concept: "Parrot"
Students: Barsin Nissan, Emilia Palm, Leo Karlsson (Communication Design Programme, Berghs School of Communication)
Award: Wood Pencil
View the project

Concept: "Redacted Type"
Students: Elina Sundqvist, Josefin Täfvander, Josefine Alfvegren (Communication Design Programme, Berghs School of Communication)
Award: Wood Pencil
View the project

Brief: Tuborg
Concept: "Better Unbottled"
Student: Matilda Olsson, together with fellow students from the Advertising and Brand Design programme at Ravensbourne University London
Award: Yellow Pencil
View the project