TBWA\HAKUHODO has been awarded both a Graphite Pencil and a Wood Pencil at the D&AD Awards 2026, held in London, UK. Recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious honors in design and advertising, the accolades come following a stream of wins across industry awards including Spikes Asia, ADFEST, The Clio Awards, The NY ADC Awards and The One Show, further cementing the agency’s standing on the global creative stage.

 

Winner of the Graphite Pencil Award was the “Smart Eye Camera” (SEC), a smartphone-based ophthalmic diagnostic device developed by OUI Inc., a medical startup originating from the Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo. While providing diagnostic performance equivalent to traditional slit-lamp microscopes, SEC is low-cost and highly portable, making it a vital tool for regions with limited access to eye care. Driven by OUI Inc.’s vision to “reduce global blindness by 50%,” TBWA\HAKUHODO has served as a strategic creative partner to scale this life-changing innovation.

 

Awarded the Wood Pencil was the “CHEER SIGNS” project, a visual cheering system developed for deaf athletes competing in a world without sound. Marking the 100th anniversary of the Deaflympics, CHEER SIGNS was created in close collaboration with the Deaf community and active Deaf athletes. The project disrupted the conventional “auditory” nature of cheering—such as clapping and shouting — transforming it into a purely visual experience that allows everyone to deliver their support without relying on sound.

 

The D&AD Awards, hosted by the UK-based non-profit organization D&AD, celebrate outstanding creative excellence and are widely regarded as one of the most influential benchmarks in the industry. For its 64th edition this year, entries from around the world underwent rigorous evaluation and judging by a panel of world-renowned designers and creators. The awarded Graphite Pencil (equivalent to Silver) and Wood Pencil (equivalent to Bronze) are exclusive distinctions reserved for world-class works that surpass exceptionally high standards and merit inclusion in the iconic D&AD Annual.

 

The two winning projects were highly praised for leveraging technology and creativity to solve critical social issues in healthcare and sports, establishing new global standards. Throughout 2026, both works have achieved remarkable success across major international advertising and design awards, and this latest triumph at D&AD further reinforces TBWA\HAKUHODO’s position as a beacon of world-class creativity, endowed with the ability to execute disruptive, impactful, real-world solutions.

 

The details of the winning works are as follows:

 

【Awards Results】

Project: Smart Eye Camera

Client: OUI Inc.

Award: Graphite Pencil (Silver equivalent)

Category: Product Design / IP

 

Project: Cheer Signs

Client: Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Award: Wood Pencil (Bronze equivalent)

Category: Cultural Influence / Sport & Esports