The One Club for Creativity today unveiled key industry-defining trends based on this year’s entries and comprehensive perspectives from the jury in The One Show 2025 Insights Report.
Based on the nearly 20,000 pieces entered from 62 countries across 24 disciplines, the free 85-page report analyzes this year’s entries and combines it with expert perspectives from all One Show 2025 Jury Presidents and hundreds of jurors to identify key insights and future trends.
The report contains six key insights from this year’s show.
Imperfectly Human: Pencil-worthy work spotlighted how brave brands are embracing imperfection to show their human side, seem relatable, and build lasting connections.
Smart Product Hacks: In 2025, product marketing once again took center stage, and products were hacked and hijacked to break through and grab attention. Brands found rule-bending ways to elevate mundane items into outrageous work.
Augmented Spaces: Pencil-winners showed how brands are bringing people together in virtual worlds, and creating collective experiences with a huge dose of help from virtual reality.
In-House Collabs: In-house agencies collaborated with artists, musicians and designers to produce original content, creating authentic cultural moments that resonate with audiences.
The Creator-Scape: Brands tapped into the growing power of creators to build buzz and cement consumer trust. Pencil winners clearly showed that in 2025, the best ideas are interactive and highly shareable.
Community-First Creativity: Brands are co-creating campaigns and original IP alongside their communities. At the same time, AI-driven tech is being utilized to empower audiences to create.
Also included is the “Disciplines Deconstructed” section, a detailed analysis from jury rooms decoded into 10 major themes and predictions.
The report features perspectives from hundreds of top global creative leaders, including all One Show 2025 Jury Presidents and a collection of other leading creatives who served as judges for this year’s show.
“The One Show Pencil is among the industry’s most respected global accolades, and its entries are a snapshot in time of the very best in global advertising, design, and related fields,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club. “This invaluable report combines unrivaled data with the thoughts of top global creatives to provide a deep dive into where the industry stands today, and where it’s going in the future.”
The One Show 2025 Insights Report is available here free of charge.
The One Club for Creativity – home of The One Show, ADC Annual Awards, Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) awards, ONE Asia Creative Awards, Type Directors Club and competition, TDC Ascenders, Young Guns, Young Ones Student Awards, Next Creative Leaders, ONE School, ONE Creator Lab, Where Are All The Black People conference and career fair, Portfolio Night, Creative Week, and more – is the world’s foremost non-profit organization whose mission is to support and celebrate the success of the global creative community. Revenue generated from entries to its global awards shows goes back into the industry to fund programming under the organization’s four pillars: Education, Inclusion & Diversity, Gender Equality, and Creative Development.
