On the perils of the telephone
Our design correspondent Daniel Benneworth-Gray reflects on the various terrors that can come with a phone call to a client
A conversation about sex and taboos
Hanx co-founder Farah Kabir and Ferly’s Anna Hushlak reflect on society’s discomfort with discussing sex and pleasure, why we need to create new spaces for discussion, and the risks brands face when taking on taboos While high-profile ad campaigns from feminine hygiene brand Libresse or razor brand Billie have signalled progress on tackling body taboos, […]
Why brands need to be bolder and braver than ever
The world doesn’t want to spend less money; it just wants to spend it better, says Paul Austin, Director and Founding Partner of Made Thought. Here he expounds on how the brands that can deliver bold experiences will be the ones that succeed
How I Got Here: Gail Anderson
We talk to designer, writer and educator Gail Anderson about the mentors who shaped her career, diversity in the industry and her ever-growing collections of ‘things’
The changing face of healthcare branding
With a wave of brands sidestepping corporate cliché in favour of warm and friendly identities, are we finally beginning to see a shift in healthcare branding? We take a look at the companies that are taking a different approach
A visual conversation about food
Artists Petra Eriksson and Edward Carvalho-Monaghan took on the unusual task of having a conversation in illustrations for CR. The topic was food and here are the results, which are wonderfully unexpected, including the invention of a new fruit and imaginary space food When we asked two illustrators who’d never met to have a conversation […]
How I Got Here: Paper artist Matthew Shlian
For over a decade, Matthew Shlian has been working magic on paper. As he prepares his first monograph, he chats with CR about the influence of science, and how he creates visual illusions with nothing more than clever cuts and folds
Zao and the addiction to Face Value
CR columnist and AI maestro Perry Nightingale tries out the hugely popular Chinese deepfake app Zao, and after getting over some language barriers is surprisingly excited by what he discovers
Kate Dawkins on creating respectful memorial experiences
Having worked on a series of events commemorating pivotal moments in both the First and Second World Wars, the BAFTA-winning designer and creative director discusses balancing light and dark on memorial projects
A conversation about storytelling
Punchdrunk’s Stephen Dobbie and Game of Thrones Production Designer Deborah Riley discuss how great stories get told, and why the boundaries between on-screen and real-life narratives are blurring The ability to spin a good yarn is an essential skill in the creative industries. Whether you’re making a blockbuster ad campaign or a long-running TV series, […]
An oral history of Wipeout
When Wipeout landed in 1995, it blew away the competition with its mix of futuristic gameplay, banging techno and crisp graphics – courtesy of The Designers Republic™. Here we delve into the story behind the title’s visual identity
How I Got Here: Designer Kenny Gravillis
From movie posters for Bohemian Rhapsody and BlacKkKlansman, to record sleeves for Def Jam and The Roots, Kenny Gravillis’ designs have reached millions. He talks us through his career
A conversation about responsibility
What part do the creative industries play in one of the biggest health issues of our times – the obesity crisis? And is regulation the right answer? Labour’s Deputy Leader Tom Watson, Droga5’s Grace Francis and Pentagram’s Naresh Ramchandani address the thorny question of responsibility “Advertising has contributed to making us a nation overweight, unhealthy […]
The Story Behind the Paris 2024 Olympics Logo
Last month the Paris 2024 Olympics logo was released, to a mix of praise and outrage. In an exclusive for CR, Jean Grogan talks to its makers and discovers its eco credentials
The future of beauty lies in tech
Technology is the now the biggest influence on where the beauty sector will go next, according to a new report from Wunderman Thompson Intelligence. Its author Emma Chiu takes us through it
In praise of Fabien Baron
As Phaidon publishes the mega monograph Fabien Baron 1983-2019, Pentagram designer Domenic Lippa assesses the influence and importance of the art director’s work
What does a career in design look like today?
An obsession with youth and quick progression is making it harder and harder to grow old in design. Here, Lisa Hassell explores why this is happening and the negative impact it has on the profession
Exit Here: the future of funeral planning?
With its cheerful interiors, colourful caskets and tongue-in-cheek brand name, Exit Here is hoping to rethink the way we approach planning funerals – and create a more positive experience for the bereaved
What do creatives do with their time off?
From gardening to learning Japanese, CR speaks to four creatives about their hobbies and pastimes to find out why they do them and how it feeds into their work
What makes a modern happy ending?
Bringing a narrative to a satisfying conclusion is one of the most difficult challenges in TV and cinema. While convention still reigns in certain shows, CR looks at how ‘happily ever after’ is beginning to change in a compelling new era for storytelling
My happiest project: Henry Scholfield
Throughout October, we’re asking creatives to tell us about the projects they’ve most enjoyed working on. Fresh from winning big at the UK Music Video Awards, director Henry Scholfield talks about the video he created for Wiley’s summer banger Boasty
My happiest project: Daniel Stier
Throughout October, we’re looking at the subject of happiness, and asking creatives to tell us about the projects they’ve most enjoyed working on. Here, photographer Daniel Stier discusses a personal project about the people of London from over 10 years ago
Is Comic Sans going to get Brexit done?
Earlier this week, the Tories’ Twitter account raised disbelief for using Comic Sans to share a pro-Brexit message. Are they just trolling the design community, or is there something deeper at play?
My happiest project: Linda Brownlee
Throughout October, we’re looking at the subject of happiness, and asking creatives to tell us about the projects they’ve most enjoyed working on. Here Linda Brownlee tells us about a personal series which took her on a road trip along Portugal’s southwest coast
What makes a happy work environment?
Happiness is no longer an afterthought for businesses, but what elements go into creating a positive workplace? Is it a fancy office space? Juicy perks? CR speaks to an array of people working hard to ensure the wellbeing and happiness of their teams
How Happy City Lab is spreading joy through public art
The Swiss art collective is on a mission to promote social interaction in urban spaces. We talk to founder Dan Acher about its interactive installations and the role that art can play in helping bring communities together
Good enough to eat: The power of food in photography
Feast for the Eyes is a new exhibition at The Photographer’s Gallery exploring the evolution of food photography. With the advent of social media, our appetite for photos of food has grown – here the exhibition’s curators, and photographers, tell us why
Why magazines are re-embracing happiness
There’s a new wave of media brands that are breaking away from the negative news cycle and telling more uplifting stories about the world we live in – just don’t call them ‘fluffy’