2026 DBA Design Effectiveness Award winners revealed at The Design Effect

The DBA Design Effectiveness Awards recognise and reward the integral role design plays in transforming businesses, improving societies and enhancing people’s lives. Judged by a broad range of business leaders, and entered jointly by client and designer, these awards are the most rigorous standard for measuring the effectiveness of design.

The winners were announced during an inspiring afternoon and evening of talks, panel debates, effectiveness case studies and dinner discussions at The Design Effect, which brought together design leaders, pioneering businesses and leading lights from across the globe in spectacular surroundings at the iconic National Gallery. 

Spanning work for FTSE 100 companies, international retailers, start-up challengers, consumer services, museums, public sector organisations and beyond, the 2026 winners clearly demonstrate the value of design. Says Sean Carney, Chair of the DBA Design Effectiveness Awards Judging Panel: “The DBA Design Effectiveness Awards provide clear evidence of how design drives better business results, and how it has the ability to improve lives and shape a better world. Against a background of uncertainties, the winners’ case studies offer some amazing insights into how design can deliver better outcomes, building brands, generating value, and truly helping business and society grow inclusively and responsibly.” 

Explore images from The Design Effect. 

GoSolr shines with Grand Prix win

GoSolr and Xfacta picked up Gold and the Grand Prix for the launch of the solar-energy brand.

The business reframed the way solar energy is positioned and delivered in South Africa with a disruptive subscription model, and its brand world has driven trust with a hesitant public.

In a category where most of the competition feels technical and impersonal, GoSolr feels like a human service. At a time of national uncertainty, GoSolr literally and emotionally has given people power.

Find out more >

7 Gold, 22 Silver and 11 Bronze Awards

Seven Gold, 22 Silver and 11 Bronze awards were celebrated at the event, including:

Posman Books’ joyful and adaptable brand experience by Beardwood&Co, which enabled the bookstore to open in multiple US cities, adding 55 new jobs to the team. Read more about the Silver award winner > 

The Plastic Free Poppy by The Royal British Legion and Matter, which has removed 70 million pieces of single-use plastic annually from the production of the iconic Remembrance Poppy following a redesign. Read more about the Gold award winner >

Canon EMEA’s flagship experience by 2LK at the world’s leading print tradeshow, which helped the brand capture more new leads than at any event in Canon’s history. Read more about the Silver award winner >

Glasgow Life and Museum Studio’s collaboration which secured £16.5million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and transformed the visitor experience at The Burrell Collection through an inclusive design approach. Read more about the Silver award winner >

The portable Tympa Ear and Hearing Health Solution designed by Team Consulting allows access to hearing health from high street pharmacies to the jungles of Cambodia, and over 400,000 patients have had a Tympa ear exam since launch. Read more about the Silver award winner >

A new experience at the Guinness Storehouse by Diageo Brand Homes and Dalziel & Pow, which cinematically brings to life Guinness’ ingredients supply and is accessible to all visitors, no matter where they sit on the sensory spectrum. Read more about the Silver award winner >

CleanCo’s redesign by Knockout Design & Innovation which lightweighted the non-alcoholic drink’s glass bottle by 13%, saving approximately £140,000 annually in materials and freight costs and preventing 120 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Read more about the Gold award winner >

The strategic response from Lloyds Banking Group’s Internal Design Team that transformed the digital origination, onboarding, fulfilment and servicing journeys of Business Customer Deposits, and has become a road map for future complex projects. Read more about the Bronze award winner >

Wild, the world’s first refillable deodorant with plastic free refills; designed by Morrama and launched in 2020, the product redefined the market and has since been acquired by Unilever for a reported £100million. Read more about the Gold award winner >

Congratulations to all the winning agency and client partnerships and thank you to our fantastic judges who brought their insight and experience to rigorously judge the entries this year. Browse all the 2026 DBA Design Effectiveness Award winners’ case studies and view the judging panel.

2026 DBA Design Effectiveness Award Winners