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
| This Year | Last Year | Agency | Total 3 Years |
| 1 | 1 | Elmwood | 135 |
| 2 | 5 | Pearlfisher | 90 |
| 3 | 2 | The Team | 65 |
| 4 | 3 | Good | 60 |
| 5 | 15 | BrandOpus | 50 |
| 6 | 15 | Blue Marlin | 45 |
| 6 | 7 | Lewis Moberly | 45 |
| 6 | 20 | Tayburn | 45 |
| 9 | 20 | 999 Design Group | 40 |
| 9 | 15 | Design Bridge | 40 |
| 9 | 6 | Honey Creative | 40 |
| 9 | 4 | Jones Knowles Ritchie | 40 |
| 13 | - | Smith and Milton | 35 |
| 14 | 8 | Coley Porter Bell | 30 |
| 14 | 10 | Creative Leap | 30 |
| 14 | 8 | PDD Group Ltd, London | 30 |
| 14 | - | Ziggurat Brands | 30 |
| 18 | 10 | 20/20 | 25 |
| 18 | 10 | DCA Design International | 25 |
| 18 | - | Design Activity | 25 |
| 18 | 15 | Waitrose Graphic Design - Packaging Team | 25 |
