Exposure: Miranda Barnes
Art director Gem Fletcher showcases the photography of Miranda Barnes, whose work is rooted in social justice and examining narratives of Black life
A new online show is tracing leading artists’ early commercial practice
The Power of Advertising is an online exhibition exploring five modern artists’ early beginnings in advertising, graphic design and signpainting
The surprising links between comics and branding
Writer and author Mat Groom shares the story behind his parallel careers in branding and comic books, including the unexpected connections between the two and his thoughts on the rise in side hustles
A new photo book is celebrating LA’s vibrant lowrider culture
Shot over the course of six years, Kristin Bedford’s Cruise Night series saw her attend everything from car shows to the weddings and funerals of the individuals who make up the city’s lowrider community
How I Got Here: Nicholas Blechman
The New Yorker creative director talks about his first job in the industry and how to avoid predictability in editorial design
Franz Impler builds video game-inspired cities for Zouj’s new music video
Working with Adam Lenox on his new music project Zouj, Impler’s animated video tells the story of a character toeing the line between two contrasting worlds
Latest from CR
The history of the open plan office
From its surprisingly radical roots to its role post-pandemic, Jennifer Kaufmann-Buhler – assistant professor of design history at Purdue University – talks CR through the legacy of the open plan office
Inside the design boom at ad agencies
We talk to Wieden + Kennedy Portland, Droga5 London and Mother Design about bringing together design and advertising work under one roof, and the perception of design work produced at ad agencies
Inside the surreal world of Slowthai
As Slowthai reveals his introspective side with new album Tyron, we speak to frequent collaborators Crowns & Owls about the album art’s attempt to crack the glossy veneer of fame, and why the Northampton-born rapper is still the voice of a generation
CR’s pick of the 2021 Super Bowl ads
While the pandemic inevitably ushered in some changes to this year’s Super Bowl, we saw some familiar trends in the advertising around the big game
Lakwena on belief, mythology and making a statement
The London-based artist discusses the motivation and process behind her epic painted murals, which combine vibrant colour palettes with uplifting messages that are rooted in spirituality
Twitter’s new identity reflects the messiness of life online
Created by Twitter’s in-house team and French studio Irradié, the social media platform’s refreshed branding features an “intentionally imperfect” aesthetic and new brand font, Chirp
Oliver Jeffers on changing plans
The artist and children’s book author shares how Covid derailed his travel and career plans and how he’s adapted his life and creative practice as a result
The changing nature of book cover design
Donna Payne, Faber’s creative director, explains her creative process when designing a cover, and touches upon the impact of the pandemic and the boost in online sales it’s prompted
How I Work: Bukola Garry, adam&eveDDB
The ad agency’s new head of diversity, equality and inclusion talks to us about her experiences in advertising, her plans for the role, and why it isn’t about being the ‘PC police’
Denizen Works: in praise of off-kilter creativity
Murray Kerr, founder of architecture practice Denizen Works, shares his purposefully ‘naïve’ approach to design and discusses the challenges of leading his studio off the beaten path
Reverting to Type exhibition features protest posters by 100 letterpress artists
The online exhibition features a mix of famous names and less-heard voices, who all use letterpress techniques to express their feelings on a range of contemporary issues
The evolution of street art
While art shown indoors may have temporarily lost its audience to the pandemic, street art is on the rise. Here, Hazel Davis reflects on how the medium is growing ever more part of the art establishment, yet can still be used as a force for change
Behind the scenes of Burger King’s juicy rebrand
JKR executive creative director Lisa Smith explains why the fast food giant ditched the glossy buns and embraced a bit of nostalgia, to become “how you imagine BK to be on its best day”
Jack Forrest’s daily poster project puts an emphasis on bold typography
Having just graduated, the designer experiments with different styles and imagery in his posters to challenge himself and connect with the design community
How crucial is luck in making great work?
Lucky Generals founding partner Andy Nairn talks to us about why brands and organisations should embrace strategies to encourage a stroke of luck – and also recognise the positives in bad fortune
Seesaws along US-Mexico border named the Design Museum’s top pick of 2020
Teeter-Totter Wall has been announced as the overall winner of the Beazley Designs of the Year, while category winners include a Covid-19 visualisation and a portable school
Anthony Burrill has designed a seven-storey-high mural for Leeds
Black and white lettering stretches 88ft high in the designer’s biggest artwork so far, which adorns the end of a historic canal-side building in the city
How to survive 2021: A Guide for Creatives
With the uncertainty and challenges of 2020 following us into the new year, we talk to a number of industry experts about the ways that creatives can survive – and even thrive – in 2021
How the tech revolution failed creatives
Tech firms once claimed they could set us free. But, as a new book points out, for those working in the creative industries, the offering has proved a particularly bad deal
Creative Inspiration
Images and ideas to feed your imagination
Advice for Creatives
Expert tips on how to navigate a creative career
The Creative Workplace
How flexible working is changing the creative process
Creativity and Coronavirus
How the creative industries are responding to the pandemic
The Creative Review Humour Issue is out now!
The latest issue of Creative Review is devoted to comedic creativity and giving you a laugh in our challenging times. We talk to the creatives and performers who are helping to shape what makes us chuckle today
Nomad’s identity looks to the future of classical music
The new contemporary classical music imprint is launching with a visual language that echoes the label’s boundary-pushing approach to music
Are brands the new mansplainers?
Brandsplaining is a new book tackling how women are addressed and represented in marketing. We talk to the authors about the ‘femvertising’ trend and why brands mustn’t rest on their laurels
Parallel Teeth on the art of creating animated music videos
The one-man studio of animator and illustrator Robert Wallace has created music videos and ad campaigns for an array of artists and clients. Here he tells us how he makes it work
Frankie Perez’s photo book is a raw ode to street dance culture
The photographer and filmmaker’s debut book See Me Up? It’s ‘Cause I’ve Been Down is a vibrant documentation of breaking and the wider street dance scene
Heinz website stunt takes 57 minutes to load
Website Holdforheinz.com was designed for the more patient ketchup lovers among us, embracing a purposefully drawn out loading process to show that “good things take time”
The joy of friction
Most brands are on a mission to create customer experiences that are as simple and smooth as possible. Yet, argues Wayne Deakin, ECD, EMEA at Huge, sometimes a bit of friction is a good thing
How I Work: Nadia Lee Cohen
As she releases her first monograph, Nadia Lee Cohen discusses the inspiration behind her surreal images – which draw heavily on cinema and Americana – and the curious characters who frequent her photos
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
Daniel Stier captures the clashing opposites lining our city streets
In his new book A Tale of One City, photographer Stier takes to the street to highlight the excess and deprivation of our cities
This student animation captures the torment of a sleepless night
Created as part of their final project, a young team of animators illustrate the restless imagination of someone trying to get to sleep
Exposure: Melissa Alcena
In the latest Exposure column, art director Gem Fletcher profiles the visual storytelling of Melissa Alcena, a Bahamas native who explores the depths of her culture and identity through quiet, tender portraits
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
On Brief: Museum of Happiness x Hannah Jacobs
Our On Brief project pairs creative talent with startups, non-profits and community groups to create scroll-stopping visuals for Facebook and Instagram. Here we take a look at Hannah Jacobs’ collaboration with Museum of Happiness
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Great Work: Defected Records’ virtual music festival
The house label surprised dance music fans with a series of live streams – starting with a 12-hour performance broadcast from Ministry of Sound
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Great Work: WWF’s Black Friday Twist
The wildlife charity put a new spin on Black Friday sales promotions, with a series of Facebook ads urging consumers to adopt animals which are endangered or at risk
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
On Brief: Help Refugees x Luis Mazon
Our On Brief initiative pairs emerging talent with startups, charities and community groups to create scroll-stopping visuals for Facebook and Instagram. Here we take a look at Luis Mazon’s work for Help Refugees
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Great Work: Specsavers, Don’t Lose the Picture
The optician chain used AR to illustrate the effects of common eye conditions in a campaign to promote free eye tests
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Charlotte May on her vibrant still lifes
Our New Talent series highlights visual creatives who are sharing great work on Facebook and Instagram. Here we talk to photographer Charlotte May about her colourful images
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
On Brief: Freddie’s Flowers x Charlotte May
Our On Brief initiative pairs emerging talent with startups, charities and community groups to create scroll-stopping visuals for Facebook and Instagram. Here we take a look at Charlotte May’s work for Freddie’s Flowers
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Oliver Sin on his playful animations
Our New Talent series highlights visual creatives who are sharing great work on Facebook and Instagram. Here we talk to Cheltenham-based animator and former designer Oliver Sin about his work
