WIA2025 – Longlist Category Highlights: Advertising
The Longlist is finally here! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be showcasing some of the amazing entries from across the globe.
Image Credit: Duckie The Duck – Safe Spectrum: Beforeplay National Health Campaign
This year The World Illustration Award saw 4,700 entries across 85 countries. Our 500 strong Longlist showcases the very best illustration talent in the industry. Having celebrated illustrators for over a decade we delight in championing illustrators from the longlist stage right through to our awards evening.
This year’s Advertising Category showcases a breath of fresh air within the commercial illustration industry. With illustrators seeing their work on billboards, online, in magazines in 360 campaigns. All WIA categories accept commissioned and speculative work by New Talent and Professional illustrators.
Find out more about the very best New Talent and Professional Illustrators in the industry from our Advertising Longlist, as we highlight a few projects below.
Cho Kang – Rebrand Project for Levi’s
New Talent
This project created as part of a school project at The Rhode Island School of Design, highlights the power of taking inspiration from your favourite brands and creating self-initiated campaigns.
Using dynamic poses and a playful use of scale to create a modern and bold illustration differing from Levi’s previous campaigns. These angular poses further emphasise the comfort of Levi’s jeans. The digital illustration fuses gestural sketch lines with graphic block textures to capture the denim Levi’s is known for. Using a minimal palette to keep all attention on clothing.
Cho Kang is an illustrator born in South Korea and raised in the U.S.
Click here to see the Full Project
Eva Wünsch – Poster Series for z-bau garden, house of contemporary culture
Professional
Zbau-garten hosts a series of events of the summer, inviting people to the garden to connect and unwind.
The poster series playfully explores the theme of small connections. Illustrating two figures submerged in the grass together – creating a sense of closeness and romance.
The sketchy quality has a care free quality created using analog sketches before transforming digitally. All of which reflect the lighthearted feeling of a summers day.
Eva hoped to transform everyday scenes into poetic works of art by inviting viewers to discover the beauty in the unspoken charm of small gestures.
Eva Wünsch, is an illustrator, graphic designer, and author based in Germany.
Yijun Zuo – The Legacy of Changsha Kiln Porcelain
New Talent
A beautiful celebration of China’s Ceramic Museum. Bringing to light a rich history by celebrating everyone who is part of this. From the Tang Dynasty to the Scholars in the museum preserving remarkable pieces of history today.
This un-commissioned piece was created using procreate, with a tapestry like composition that plays with scale. The underwater themes highlighting the1998 shipwreck in the Java Sea that brought to life the remarkable cargo of Changsha kiln porcelain from the Tang Dynasty.
Yijun Zoo is an illustrator based in the USA.
Basak Notz – Into the Blue of Bodrum
Professional
These illustrations for luxury brand Cartier, capture a nostalgic holiday snapshot showcasing their new boutique in Bodrum, Turkiye.
The illustrations were printed as a souvenir for guests. Bringing to life memories of the adventure in a beautifully hand printed book.
Created digitally on Procreate, the illustrations have a raw feeling similar to a holiday sketchbook that perfectly captures the beautiful surroundings.
Başak Notz is visual artist/illustrator in Chicago.
Duckie The Duck – Safe Spectrum: Beforeplay National Health Campaign
New Talent
This bold and energetic illustration was created as part of a campaign to raise awareness about STIs among ages 15 to 34. Commissioned by The Australian Government – Department of Health. The campaign hopes to educate and enlighten young people on the serious consequences of STIs by empowering them with knowledge around safe sex.
Illustrating a couple alongside healthcare professionals, the illustration feels optimistic and playful to encourage openness that goes against shame and taboos surrounding sex. The campaign was used on socials, posters and an informative FAQ sheet.
Duckie is a Vietnamese illustrator based in Australia.
Click here to see the Full Project
Fabio Buonocore – Lo Spazzoli Bello Bellissimo
Professional
Bringing smiles to social media, this campaign encourages young people to embrace individuality and imperfections.
Commissioned by Puma Care the Italian the oral hygiene brand. The use of toothbrushes for playful purposes creates an uplifting touch to this lighthearted campaign.
Created using a bold graphic style in Adobe the illustrations were rolled out cross socials to encourage everyone to always express themselves through their smile.
Fabio Buonocore is an illustrator based in Milan.
Want more 2025 Longlist content? If you enjoyed reading this curated list, head over to Instagram where we’ve been sharing some of the incredible projects from each category.
Be sure to keep an eye on our website where you can see the full WIA Longlist as it’s announced.
Have you signed up to our mailing list yet? You can sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with all things WIA.
Sign up to the World Illustration Awards Mailing List
Back to News Page