The changing face of crypto
A more sophisticated approach to branding and marketing is bringing crypto to new audiences. But with a ‘crypto winter’ looming, should creatives be helping to legitimise what is still a highly volatile market?
A century after his birth, a new book examines Otl Aicher’s design legacy
Published by Prestel, the new book provides a detailed insight into the many ways Aicher influenced contemporary design practice and theory
Émile-Samory Fofana’s tribute to West African football fans
The artist’s photos made in the streets of Mali, Guinea and Senegal, along with a new installation celebrating bootleg football shirts, come together to tell an intricate story of global football fandom
Felix Richter on his journey through adland
Droga5 New York’s former CCO discusses moving both agencies and countries for his new role at Mother London, and the lessons he’s learned along the way
Penguin announces the winners of its 2022 Cover Design Awards
Previously known as the Student Design Award, the competition now invites anyone who is interested in becoming a designer the chance to reimagine the covers of famous books
The specialist studios tackling sustainable goals
We talk to two dedicated studios directly addressing sustainability about why they were set up and whether competitiveness is counterintuitive in this space
How should studios support designers’ mental health?
Slides in the office and wellbeing workshops aren’t going to cut it anymore. We speak to design studios taking a more considered approach to mental health
Did somebody say Just Eat?
McCann London discusses how it made one of the most recognisable — and polarising — pieces of sonic branding around today
Starface is the viral skincare brand normalising acne
We speak to the team behind Starface about how it is using creativity, collaborations and a killer TikTok strategy to become the skincare brand of choice for Gen Z
The many faces of William Klein
The photographer and filmmaker’s exhibition at the ICP in New York celebrates the multifaceted nature of his practice over the course of nearly seven decades
Why brands need to let go of minimalism
Minimalism is the go-to design route for many brands. But by taking this safe option, they could be missing the opportunity to really stand out, says monopo London creative director Melanie Hubert-Crozet
Dionne Kitching on why play is better than perfectionism
The Manchester-based artist tells CR how embracing the element of chance, and stopping the endless quest for perfection, restored her love of illustration and gave her work a new lease of life
Why Ustwo became employee owned
We speak to the studio’s CEO, Carsten Wierwille, about its journey from being founder-run to becoming an Employee Ownership Trust, and how it hopes to inspire other creative businesses to do the same
The creative potential of 3D billboards
The humble billboard is evolving as creative uses of 3D imagery are being used to sell everything from movies to video games to sneakers. Here, Alex Wilson, ECD at brand experience agency Amplify, examines what they offer for brands
The challenges and creative innovations behind Abba Voyage
We chat to VFX wizards ILM and director Baillie Walsh about making ‘Abbatars’ come to life, creating visual ‘short stories’ from Abba hits, and more
Inside the epic design challenge of the Elizabeth line
Over 30 years in the making, the new Elizabeth line in London is a herculean feat of engineering, architecture and, of course, design. We speak to TfL’s head of design, Jon Hunter, about how it will change the face of transport in London and beyond
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
Wine brand Stompy wants you to “sip more, snob less”
&Walsh’s branding for the wine subscription service strives to shake up the stuffy world of wine
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
The changing face of finance brands
A raft of new personal finance brands are on a mission to win over Gen Z consumers. We examine how they are setting themselves apart from the millennial-friendly approach of more established challengers
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
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
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
There’s Easter eggs aplenty in Sony’s new PlayStation Plus ad
adam&eveDDB created the film, which celebrates Sony’s subscription service by incorporating props and characters from across the video game world
How can brands weather inflation?
Siegel+Gale strategy director Patrick Kampff shares his ‘four A’ guide to getting through inflation – and discusses why empathy and emotion is critical for brands to survive the economic crisis
Ryan Reynolds on how to make advertising fun
Speaking at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity last week, actor and marketer Ryan Reynolds shared his thoughts on humour, responding to culture, and managing anxiety; and also introduced his new talent initiative, Creative Ladder
How can we get better at talking about money?
When it comes to money in the creative industries, a culture of silence perpetuates pay gaps and leaves many shortchanged. We look at how creatives can navigate discussions and why a shift must come from the top down
A runaway ticket is the star of the National Lottery’s latest ad
An entire village of people join a madcap chase in adam&eveDDB’s new TV ad, which celebrates the unfettered joy of winning
Ewen Spencer shoots a sticky campaign for Diesel
The prolific photographer, known for his compelling images of subcultures and nightlife, is behind the brand’s club-ready campaign
Cannes Lions 2022 Grand Prix winners round up (and a few reflections)
The first Cannes Lions festival since 2019 has drawn to a close. Want to find out who won the Grand Prix awards this year? Well you’ve come to the right place
Are creative budgets really shrinking?
In the face of rising inflation and an increasingly dicey economy, it’s little surprise that client budgets are one of the creative industry’s biggest gripes. But what’s really going on?
NB Studio designs Royal Mail’s Pride stamp series
With illustrations by Essex-based queer artist Sofie Birkin, the designs were brought to life by animation studio Animade
Zora J Murff’s series asks how much we control our own image
In his project American Mother, American Father, the US-based artist and educator looks at the degree to which identity is made or predetermined
Brutal but cinematic documentation of the NYPD homicide division
Theo Wenner’s new book Homicide, published by Rizzoli, draws together images shot over two years of going behind the scenes with the Brookyln-based detectives
The big money questions: a guide for new creatives
Pay rises, day rates, dilemmas about prioritising money or creative opportunities – young creatives have a lot to get their heads around. We asked OMSE founder James Kape, copywriter Ellen Ling and the Talent Business partner Anna Green for advice
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
