How Hay built a cult home brand
Mette and Rolf Hay have spent the last two decades elevating everyday objects. Here, the husband-and-wife founders discuss how Hay continually pushes boundaries while sticking to its democratic design values
Can Surreal shake up the world of cereal?
Healthy cereal startup Surreal is using playful design and an irreverent tone of voice to cut through in a crowded category. But the debate around its latest campaign is a stark reminder why brands need to put authenticity first
Octopus Legacy on changing how we talk about death
As Octopus Legacy reveals its new branding, we speak to the brand and agency partner Sonder & Tell about how it’s breathing new life into the death industry
Do dating apps need a rebrand?
As sex positive dating app Feeld unveils a new visual identity, we look at how it’s challenging the more problematic elements of ‘swipe culture’
How Sonos is reflecting our listening habits
We look at how a creative approach to marketing is helping Sonos tap into the emotional power of sound, plus how the brand is bringing spatial audio to the masses
Reinventing Claire’s for a new era
We look at how a creative approach to marketing helped bring high street brand Claire’s back from the brink, plus how it is winning over the next generation of teens
Lucky Saint on rethinking moderation
We look at how investing in creativity is helping beer brand Lucky Saint punch well above its weight as it seeks to change perceptions of alcohol-free
How WhatsApp is giving voice to its community
We speak to WhatsApp’s global head of marketing about how the brand is telling the stories of its global userbase through everything from photography exhibitions to documentaries
How Mubi became a haven for film lovers
Mubi has transcended its beginnings as a streaming platform by investing in touchpoints long proclaimed dead – from print media to cinemas. We hear how design has underpinned its growth
How Squarespace found its edge
Squarespace has taken the fusty world of website builders and found an opportunity for imagination and entertainment. CCO David Lee talks to us about how the brand manages to draw blockbuster talent and why it’s starting to direct ads in-house
Quality, longevity and saving the planet
As it turns 50, Patagonia continues to be a trailblazing brand in both outdoor apparel and climate change activism. We look at what lessons other brands can draw from its approach
Airbnb: Putting design at the heart of business
Recently, Airbnb has repositioned to place design and creativity at its core. We speak to Hiroki Asai, Airbnb’s global head of marketing, about how its in-house team is now driving the company into new realms
#Merky Books: Five years on
Launched in 2018 by Stormzy and Penguin Random House, #Merky Books set out to change the mainstream publishing landscape. We look at the impact it has had so far
How Heinz used creativity to reassert its OG status
When Heinz felt its brand status slipping, it leaned into original, creative marketing to remind its customers just how much they love its products
Depop on the secondhand revolution
Depop is beloved by Gen Z for its creative approach to secondhand fashion. Now it’s looking beyond age demographics to capture the conscious consumerism zeitgeist
Back Market on changing how we buy tech
We look at how investing in creativity is helping the refurbished tech brand punch well above its weight as it seeks to challenge our collective obsession with the new
How LinkedIn became an unlikely champion of creativity
Once the preserve of the corporate world, the creative community has flocked to LinkedIn in recent years. We explore how the brand is holding up a mirror to our changing attitudes to work
Colleen DeCourcy on rewriting Snap’s brand story
The Wieden + Kennedy veteran, now Snap’s chief creative officer, is on a mission to shift perceptions of social media’s best known, least understood brand
How ASICS has embraced its past to secure its future
In recent years the sports brand has used its founding philosophy as the basis of its marketing campaigns, resulting in authentic, thoughtful and impactful work
How Who Gives a Crap built its brand by tackling taboos
Who Gives A Crap’s distinctive patterned wraps make it a loo roll that people want to show off. Here we examine how it became a brand with ‘purpose’ before the term’s current ubiquity
The beauty and chaos of the UFC brand
In 30 years, mixed martial arts organisation Ultimate Fighting Championship has gone from scrappy upstart to entertainment behemoth, and a big part of that is down to branding
How Liquid Death made canned water cool
It looks like an energy drink and behaves like a beer, but it’s actually just mountain water. Here’s how Liquid Death built a cult-like following with its heavy metal branding
Mob is on a mission to get people cooking
We speak to the media brand’s founder, Ben Lebus, about how its no frills approach to food is inspiring a new generation to get in the kitchen
Inside the Beano brain
While it remains a hugely successful weekly children’s comic, via its insights consultancy and content studio, the Beano brand is now also a valuable bellwether on the tastes of Gen A
How Habito is making mortgages less hellish
Since 2016, Habito has been on a mission to challenge the typical process of getting a mortgage. We explore how the brand is creating a more enjoyable and entertaining experience for homebuyers
Collina Strada: Reimagining fashion
Collina Strada is offering a new vision of what a fashion brand can be. Here, founder Hillary Taymour and co-creative director Charlie Engman talk about community, sustainability, and making ‘good trouble’
Brick by brick: Behind the scenes at Lego
From canny collaborations to a deep understanding of how kids interact digitally, Lego has evolved from a physical toy brand to an entertainment juggernaut – all while keeping the humble brick at the heart of what it does
Superette: A fresh take on cannabis retail
With its exuberant visual language and store designs, Canadian retail brand Superette is making its mark on the budding legal cannabis industry. Co-founder Drummond Munro explains how design has helped to shake things up
How Dickies straddles work and play
As the American workwear brand marks its 100th anniversary, we speak to global CMO Sarah Crockett about how Dickies balances different customer bases
How Chilly’s is evolving into a lifestyle brand
The elegant design of Chilly’s has led the way in the reusable bottles sector. While its growth has been organic so far, it is now using new marketing techniques to expand
How New Balance went from dad shoe to cool
New Balance lifestyle marketing director Tom Henshaw explains how the sportswear maker embraced its dad shoe status to become one of the hottest brands of the moment
Epic Games: The dreamers of the dreams
Want to know what works in the metaverse? Then look to Epic Games’ Fortnite, which is no longer just a game but an entertainment platform that also hosts music, art, and impressive brand experiences
How Minor Figures learned to lean back
With its irreverent illustrated characters and laidback personality, coffee products brand Minor Figures is offering a fresh take on the often divisive plant-based market. Co-founder Stuart Forsyth talks to us about challenging the challenger brand narrative
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
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
Naughty but niche: inside Turbo Island
Dealing in daft gags and cult music fandom, the Bristol-based T-shirt and print platform has been making us chuckle for eight years now though still struggles with the concept of being a ‘brand’
How Simon Beckerman is building a food market in the pocket
The Depop founder’s new app, Delli, is a digital marketplace of local food goodies – and Beckerman hopes it could revolutionise the market for entrepreneurs
Little Moons on building a cult food brand
Little Moons marketing director, Ross Farquhar, discusses how the mochi brand is “pushing the boundaries” of ice cream and what life looks like after going viral on TikTok during the pandemic
How McSweeney’s zags where other publishers zig
The American publisher has spent the last 23 years defiantly doing the opposite of everyone else in the book and magazine world. Here’s how McSweeney’s creates its distinctive and often daring tone of voice
On your e-bike: how VanMoof is changing car-first narratives
From enraging France’s ad watchdog to dreaming up a new future for car-filled cities, here’s how VanMoof is bringing its pro-bike message to the world