British-based D&AD was established in 1962 as a non-profit organization representing the creative, design and advertising communities, with a recent emphasis on demonstrating the impact of creativity and innovation on enhancing business performance. Of its many activities, perhaps the best known is its D&AD Global Awards, as well as the related Annual, which features some of the best global design and advertising work each year.

Early next year, hundreds of the world's leading creatives will gather to judge the tens of thousands of pieces of work entered in the 2010 awards contest. The judges sit on 25 specialist juries, spending up to four days assessing the work, with voting always private and never by a show of hands. Works are initially chosen for inclusion in the D&AD Annual, with a subset nominated and then chosen to receive a Yellow Pencil, a mark of creative excellence. Yellow Pencil choices proceed to Black Pencil judging, with juries split into Advertising, Digital and Design, and work only receiving this distinction if it's deemed groundbreaking or redefines its medium. Pencil-winning work will be announced at the D&AD Awards Ceremony and Dinner.

More information is available on the D&AD site, with previous Pencil-winning work available for viewing. The photo below, of Kinetic Sculpture for the BMW Museum, took home a Black Pencil last year in the Environmental Design/Installations category. The deadline for entries is January 27, 2010.