Inspired: Stuart Price – Thoughtful

For me, the D&AD’s Black Pencil award simply radiates inspiration.

Here are just a few reasons why: The Great Schlep, Autumn Intrusion, Fruit and Veg stamps, Million, All is Full of Love, Guinness Surfer, Harvey Nichols packaging, Volvo’s Twister, Channel 4’s identity, the National Gallery’s Grand Tour, …comment, Cadbury’s Gorilla, ’Grr’, Nike Plus, the Millau Viaduct, Britart.com, the iPhone and even the coins in your pocket.

I look at the Black Pencil and see sheer breathtaking creative brilliance, mixed with a little luck, a lot of balls and an astounding amount of hard work. The Black Pencil tells me if I want one of my own, I’d better start thinking bigger, and be ready to take greater risks.

But above all, the Black Pencil reminds me that there are clients out there who place as high a value as I do on great creativity, and share a belief that the biggest prizes – whether in terms of commercial gain or social impact – go to those prepared to put their faith in brave, original and untested ideas.