About Banner

About the Awards

Good design means good business.

The Design Business Association is the UK's most vocal champion of the role of effective design in the creation of business growth. The DBA was founded in 1986 to recognise, communicate and reward the integral role that design effectiveness plays in commercial success.

The most important way of communicating the value of design is by measuring its true effectiveness. The DBA's annual Design Effectiveness Awards are both prestigious and authoritative, the only award scheme that uses commercial data as a key judging criteria. Year after year, winning case studies demonstrate that successful projects require the integration of the design brief with business aims and objectives from the outset. This sets the stage for a transparent and accountable relationship between client and designer that provides the best creative and commercial environment for success.

The case studies also serve to demonstrate the excellent value for money and return on investment that a coherent, well-thought-out and professionally executed design strategy can achieve. In a crowded marketplace, there is no place for one hit wonders; good design and good business are a long-term relationship.

Design delivers. Here’s the proof.

Every year the results from the Design Effectiveness Awards are plotted into the Design Effectiveness League Tables. These show the successful companies who are consistently outperforming their competitors because they value, invest in and effectively manage design.

Gold = 15Grand prix = +10
Silver = 10International Export Award = +5
Bronze = 5 

 

Design Consultancy League Table

Position 2011 Position 2010 Agency Total 2008 to 2010
1 1 Elmwood 135
2 4 The Team 70
3 9 Good 65
4 6 Jones Knowles Ritchie 60
5 2 Pearlfisher 55
6 8 Honey Creative 45
7 3 Lewis Moberly 40
8 5 Coley Porter Bell 35
8 9 PDD Group Ltd, London 35
10 15 20/20 30
10 9 Absolute 30
10 18 Creative Leap 30
10 9 Red Bee Media 30
14 - Blue Marlin 25
14 - Brandopus 25
14 13 DCA Design International 25
14 15 Design Bridge 25
14 7 Landor Associates 25
14 - Waitrose Graphics Design-Packaging Team 25
20 18 999 Design Group 20
20 18 The Alloy 20
20 - Kinneir Dufort 20
20 18 Tayburn 20
20 - The Design Group (tdg) 20
20 18 Virgin and Pearson Lloyd 20

The DBA Design Effectiveness Awards recognise the return on investment that a coherent, well-thought-out and professionally executed design strategy can achieve.

THE COUNTDOWN