Ellena Mills’ D&AD Diary – Part 1: Kerning, Craft and Creative Envy

Ellena Mills, Head of Design at Howatson+Company, is representing Australia on the D&AD Packaging Design Jury in London. In Part 1 of her D&AD Diary, exclusive to Campaign Brief, Ellena takes us inside the jury room where everything is up for debate, from the integrity of an idea to the kerning that’s just slightly off.

First day judging D&AD packaging design was equal parts jet lag, excitement, and that awkward new-kid feeling. However, my fellow jurors, a global collection of ridiculously talented people, quickly dispelled any outsider feelings.

333 entries awaited our judgment. The great thing about judging packaging is it’s all hands-on. We touch, we turn, we test, all while Big Ben and Westminster Abbey stand just outside the window.

The voting begins, followed by the robust debates. Is a great idea still great if it’s not perfectly executed? Does beautiful craftsmanship matter if it’s lacking substance? Does it serve a purpose or is it just showing off? We challenge, vote, challenge again. There is something incredible about sitting in a room where everyone notices that the kerning is just a little off. It’s like having your visual intuitions simultaneously validated and questioned. And when we had those entries that made us beyond jealous, we knew we were onto a winner.

By the end of the day, we had a shortlist of only the best. Tomorrow the fun continues.