An oral history of Take On Me by A-ha
We talk to Thomas Robsahm, director of a new documentary film about A-ha, and music video director Steve Barron about the iconic animation he created for the band’s 1985 smash
Aysha Tengiz uses colour and whimsy to reflect on the human experience
From joy to loneliness, Aysha Tengiz’s illustrations tackle the whole gamut of human emotions through a bright and bold visual language
A day in the life view of 1970s Stourbridge
Life As It Is brings together 80 previously unpublished photographs from photographer John Myers’ archive taken near his home in Stourbridge
Does ASMR translate to public spaces?
A new exhibition at London’s Design Museum brings the internet phenomenon into a physical setting. We look at how effective it is, how the pandemic changes the proposition and what brands stand to gain
How Finisterre is paving the way for sustainable brands
Founder Tom Kay tells CR how he went from persuading bank managers to take sustainability seriously to running a much-loved clothes brand with a mission to get more of us to connect with the sea
The Creative Review Annual 2022
Welcome to the Creative Review Annual awards, celebrating creativity across design, advertising, digital, film and more. See all the Winners here
Latest from CR
Why the creative industry needs Channel 4
With the UK Government planning to privatise the 40-year-old broadcaster, CR speaks to current and former C4 employees about what makes it special, and the unique role it’s played in pioneering creativity
New Lacoste campaign emphasises the brand’s ageless style
Via a series of print ads and commercials, Lacoste demonstrates how its clothes will make you look cool, whatever age you are
What should the metaverse look like?
We look at how environments in the metaverse should be designed if they’re going to attract and maintain the interest of audiences – and who should get to design them
What Charles and Ray Eames can teach designers today
Charles & Ray Eames didn’t just create iconic pieces of design – they thought of themselves as ‘tradesmen’ whose job was to create better, longer-lasting products. Llisa Demetrios, Eames Institute chief curator and granddaughter of the pair, discusses what we can learn from them
JKR rebrands Magnolia Bakery in New York, home of the cupcake
The brand, which leapt to fame after an appearance in Sex and the City in the 90s, has a new identity as it announces growth plans
Can you actually design a creative district?
Traditionally, creative communities have formed organically — but development companies believe that infrastructure and a ‘build it and they will come’ approach can be just as vital as following the hip crowd
Woo is on a mission to rebrand wellness
Backed by ITV, the new media brand is ditching the wellness industry’s well-worn tropes in the hope of redefining self-care for Gen Z audiences
Campbell Addy’s journey to Feeling Seen
In just six years, photographer Campbell Addy has carved a distinctive place within the fashion industry. Here he talks to Gem Fletcher about his new book Feeling Seen and the importance of friendship, community and intimacy in his work
Home is where the art is: how the pandemic sparked creativity
While the pandemic has been difficult for many creatives, others have found that an enforced period of time in one place has proved highly productive. We talk to a mix of photographers and filmmakers about the advantages of staying put
Why hasn’t digital technology led to better ads?
The access to information, ideas and inspiration that advertising creatives have today is mind-boggling. Yet it hasn’t necessarily made ads better. Ben Kay examines the reasons why
What makes an album cover iconic?
A new show at the Photographers’ Gallery in London examines the historic role imagemakers have played in helping build musicians’ brands. We explore why this relationship is more vital than ever in the streaming age
Susan Kare’s pioneering Macintosh icons are on display in France
The Icons exhibition, hosted at Lyon’s Museum of Printing and Graphic Communication, shows Kare’s pixelated artworks alongside Byzantine and Egyptian iconography and other historic pieces
The great gardening rebrand
A gang of upstart new gardening businesses are tapping into the world’s collective plant addiction, and design and branding is pivotal to their success
Greg Hoffman’s lessons from a creative life at Nike
Following his departure from Nike after almost three decades, the former CMO’s new book discusses what businesses large and small can learn from the brand’s innovative approach to creativity
The creatives making and illustrating their own radio shows
Jiro Bevis and Joseph Melhuish discuss how they landed their own radio shows, and what it takes to make the brilliant imagery that accompanies them
How School injects humanity into digital spaces
The New York-based creative studio School aims to spark curiosity, joy and interaction in its designs. But none of it is frivolous, its founders explain
Why pet food is having a design moment
In the past decade the pet food market has transformed: traditional kibble is out in the cold and a new breed of innovative, design-friendly brands represent our evolving relationship with our furry friends
How NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio makes stories out of stats
Creating viral science graphics requires design, storytelling and a bit of careful rule-breaking. Mark SubbaRao, lead at NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio, tells CR how they turn complex data into compelling visual narratives
Harry Ead on leaving – and going back to – DixonBaxi
While returning to a previous place of work can sometimes be viewed as a step backwards for career progression, creative director Harry Ead’s experience has been quite the opposite. Here, he tells us why
Big Type celebrates the joy of supergraphics
Oversized typography gets its day in the sun thanks to Counter-Print’s new book, which examines what it is we love about really big letters
Creative Inspiration
Images and ideas to feed your imagination
Advice for Creatives
Expert tips on how to navigate a creative career
Design and Sustainability
How design and creative thinking can help address climate change
How I Got Here
Leading creatives look back on their career journeys
DixonBaxi creates new branding for reopened London venue Koko
With a bespoke brand typeface and vibrant red, the visual identity looks to convey the energy and anticipation of live music
How design played a part in Labour’s win in Lewisham last week
Sana Iqbal devised Lewisham Labour’s creative strategy and visual identity for the local and mayoral election campaign, held on May 5. We talk to her about the role design can play in winning over voters
Cephas Williams launches campaign to take Black creatives to Cannes Lions
The Black British Network founder has launched a Crowdfunder campaign in order to offer more diverse creatives access to the renowned ad industry event
The untold graphic design history of rave era membership cards
Acid house flyers and posters have had their time in the sun, now new book Members Only celebrates the intricate designs of rave club membership cards and passes
The tension between art and commerce in Nigel Shafran’s work
After bringing a down-to-earth ethos to fashion imagery in the 80s and 90s, the photographer withdrew from the arena in which he had made his name. Now, a new book sees Shafran reflect on the relationship between his commercial and personal work
Artist Shiraz Bayjoo illustrates new edition of Treasure Island
The release is the latest in the Familiars series by independent publisher Four Corners Books, where artists provide fresh interpretations of classic novels
Kendrick Lamar marks his return with a deepfake-themed music video
The promo for the rapper’s long-awaited new single, The Heart Part 5, sees him transform mid-flow into a stream of famous (and infamous) faces – ranging from Kanye West to OJ Simpson
New animation The Feelings addresses mental health in frontline workers
Created for Mental Health Awareness Week, the film features a series of animated characters that articulate the very serious challenges frontline workers face
Patrick Osborne on pushing the boundaries of craft
We speak to the director about his recent experiments with real-time animation, and how technology more widely helps fuel his creativity
Cossette creates new identity for the World Anti-Doping Agency
Based around the mission ‘raise the game’, the new look aims to allow the organisation to be more engaging and human while conveying the seriousness of its work
Dancing plague afflicts the public in music video for La Jungle
Directed by Alex Orma, the video for the Belgian band’s track Du Sang Du Singe sees zombified dancers take to the streets
Ankorstore’s new identity blurs the lines between physical and digital retail
Led by Pentagram’s Angus Hyland, the branding for the wholesale online marketplace envisions retail as a thriving ecosystem
In partnership with Adobe
Why collaboration will drive our next creative renaissance
Hone your craft with insights from Tilda Swinton, Eddie Opara and more at this year’s advice-packed Adobe MAX
Meta
Great Work: Flare Audio engages the autistic community
Drawing on its illustrator’s lived experiences, the Make Noise Beautiful campaign captures hearing sensitivity beautifully
Figma
How your agency can thrive in a hybrid-working world
Find the sweet spot that works best for your team, clients, and collaborators
Jeremy Tankard
Stop making lazy type choices
In the face of overwhelming choice, it can be tempting to revert to the same old typefaces – but upfront effort will pay off in the long run, says Jeremy Tankard
MPB
How to get published as a photographer
It is easy to share your work with others via channels such as Instagram, but how do you get it featured in magazines, exhibitions and more? Here are some tips
In partnership with Adobe
Why collaboration will drive our next creative renaissance
Hone your craft with insights from Tilda Swinton, Eddie Opara and more at this year’s advice-packed Adobe MAX
Voice
How to make money from NFTs as an artist
New opportunities are emerging for extended income, fundraising efforts, and more as a result of blockchain technology
Studio Pi
A foot in the door
Essential advice to make a name for yourself in photography, whatever your background
Everpress
Fuel your creative development through T-shirt design
Selling by pre-order cuts out the risk, so you can make some extra cash while pushing your creative expression in new directions
Production Type
How to find the right type design partner
Bespoke brand typefaces are on the rise, but it pays to pick your battles and invest in quality
Asana
Why being more organised leads to better work
According to Asana, a well-structured process doesn’t just reduce stress – it’ll improve your creative output too
Smiley
How Smiley can inject emotion into a brand
To mark five decades of Smiley, Creative Review commissioned five exclusive artworks to explore how brands can build an emotional connection
Bynder
How automation could help make you a better creative
We explore how marketers and creative teams can harness new technologies such as automation in order to minimise the time spent on menial tasks and maximise creative effectiveness
