Company culture: is it just a ‘nice to have’?
CR looks into the value of culture in an agency, plus the challenges of establishing it and the impact it can have on the work created
Co-op launches new brand platform with stop motion ad
The artfully stripped back campaign film also debuts the supermarket’s refreshed brand identity developed by SomeOne
Rachel Gogel on the rise of fractional leadership
The independent design executive discusses what she’s learned about building creative teams, the increasing prevalence of fractional creative leadership, and why it signals a broader shift away from traditional ways of working
Ikigai and the question of personal purpose
While brands have been obsessed with purpose in recent years, we have overlooked personal purpose, which can lead to a far more enriching working life, says creative coach Richard Holman
The art of getting it done
Viewing a TV show about the painful process of making the classic film The Godfather, TBWA\London’s CCO Andy Jex sees a number of parallels with life in adland
Talia Cotton on coding and creativity
Designer-coder Talia Cotton discusses how her experiences at agencies such as Pentagram gave her the confidence to set up her eponymous studio, and why creatives need to see more female founders as role models
Otherway on being acquired
Following creative agency Otherway’s acquisition by Common Interest, founder Jono Holt discusses what it means for the company’s future and what he’s learned along the way
Why I won’t apologise for working in advertising
People often feel guilty about working in advertising. Here, Bruno Steffen, head of strategy at Gut, asks those in the industry to embrace the wonderful opportunities it offers instead
Why building a strong creative team calls for brutal self-reflection
Dan Crowder, founder at recruitment agency Craft, says design leaders should ask themselves tough questions before even thinking about hiring
Don’t give up on DEI
The culture wars are seeing diversity initiatives come under attack, but creative agencies are making tangible steps towards improvement, says Asad Dhunna, founder of the Unmistakables. We asked him what comes next
Creativity Sucks! podcast looks at how to be a great creative leader
The latest episode of Creative Review’s podcast looks at how to nurture creative teams, with advice from Richard Holman, Rani Patel, and Sarah Watson
James Junk on the benefits of collaboration
Andrei Dominiq, aka James Junk, talks to CR about the community he’s built on Instagram and why he feels it’s his responsibility as a designer to use his skills to inspire change and make a difference
Ace & Tate’s founder on why it pays for brands to be transparent
CR speaks to Ace & Tate CEO and founder Mark de Lange about the ways the brand has remained open in its approach, even in the face of controversy
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
T Brand Studio offers lessons in storytelling
The New York Times is renowned for its incisive reporting and ability to join the dots across news, entertainment, and culture. This ethos also runs through the work its content studio T Brand provides for its advertisers
Anselmo Ramos on going with your gut
We speak to Gut co-founder Anselmo Ramos about the challenges of running an independent network, the importance of working with brave clients, and how to be an effective creative leader
Meet Kin: The change makers
Creative agency Kin works with its clients to harness creativity to drive meaningful change. Here, the founders reflect on new ways of collaborating, with both clients and creatives
Identifying the talent of tomorrow
As a talent scout, gallery owner, and creative director of media brand Nataal, Marie Gomis-Trezise has been responsible for separating the good from the great. She talks to us about putting her faith in emerging talent
On the creative benefits of going slow
As Disability Pride Month draws to a close, Deliveroo’s global head of creative Paul Hewitt reflects on losing his mobility in his late 20s and how it taught him to value a slower pace of life and work
Susan Hoffman on an accidental life in advertising
We speak to the Wieden + Kennedy CCO and advertising legend about how the industry that she fell into has changed over the last 40 years, and why she believes hierarchy is the enemy of creativity
CEO Jo Jackson on a new era of D&AD
At the end of last year, Jo Jackson was announced as D&AD’s new CEO. Here she talks to CR about her plans and her thoughts on the creative industry right now
Vince Frost’s lessons on running a design business
Almost two decades since moving to the other side of the world, Frost*collective’s founder reflects on why he had to radically redesign his business in order to transform his life
How design can stop prisoners reoffending
We take a look inside InHouse, the social initiative that’s a “different kind of record label” – with the reoffending rate of participants at less than 1%