Coinbase ad wins two 'Black Pencils' at D&AD 2026
The Coinbase "Your Way Out" campaign by Isle of Any won two Black Pencils at D&AD — for Visual Effects and Production Design. Only four such awards were given in 2026.
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase's "Your Way Out" campaign has won two Black Pencils from D&AD — one of the most prestigious awards in the advertising industry. In 2026, the jury awarded a total of four such prizes. The winners were announced at a ceremony in London on Wednesday, September 23.
D&AD describes the Black Pencil as a prize "reserved for work considered truly groundbreaking in its field." Thousands of projects competed, but only four received the top mark.
Two Awards for Coinbase
The "Your Way Out" video, created by independent agency Isle of Any, won Black Pencils in the Visual Effects and Production Design categories. The ad aired during the 2026 Academy Awards ceremony.
The action unfolds in a video game world, but the creators built it using traditional craft techniques. The campaign's idea was to urge people to break free from restrictive financial systems. In June, the same project won the Grand Prix in the Film Craft category at the Cannes Lions festival.
The Ordinary and "The Periodic Fable"
Skincare brand The Ordinary, together with agency Uncommon Creative Studio, won a Black Pencil for art direction. The "The Periodic Fable" campaign deconstructed harmful marketing language in the cosmetics industry: elements of the periodic table were replaced with trendy beauty terms. The project also took the Grand Prix at Cannes Lions in the Health & Wellness category this year.
AXA and Domestic Violence Insurance
The fourth Black Pencil — in the Impact category — went to insurer AXA and agency Publicis Conseil for the "Three Words" campaign. The project changed the terms of home insurance contracts: the policies were supplemented with assistance for people escaping domestic violence. The campaign has already collected top awards at other industry awards, including the Grand Prix at Cannes Lions in the Creative Effectiveness category this year and the Titanium Grand Prix the year before.
Agencies and Clients of the Year
D&AD named Uncommon Creative Studio London as advertising agency of the year. Isle of Any received the title of independent agency of the year, and Ogilvy — agency network of the year.
Apple became brand of the year. Unilever — client of the year.
The D&AD 2026 President's Award went to Dutch graphic designer Irma Boom. She is called the "queen of books" for her groundbreaking work in book design. This award is given to people who have made outstanding contributions to the industry.
Source: Adweek
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