Mind The Graphics
First Mike Figgis was enlisted to improve behaviour on the buses, now Transport For London has turned to graphic design in an attempt to make it easier to get on and off crowded tubes.
Latest from CR
Designing for Grief
The messy, unpredictable experience of grief has moved online, but how do we design for such an individual and complex set of emotions?
Why colour is vital for ads to pack an emotional punch
Colourist Toby Tomkins discusses the powerful role of colour to drive the emotional impact of ads, film and TV
BBC Winter Olympics ad is a 3D printed wonder
The trailer evokes the harsh conditions faced by the Olympians through a mix of stop motion animation, 3D printed sets, and in-camera effects. We hear from the director about how it was made
Rebecca Rowntree on reintegrating into agency life
After several years freelancing in the ad industry, the creative director has joined Leo Burnett full-time. She talks to us about the perks and perils of freelancing, how she made herself invaluable, and why she chose to go permanent again
How to focus in a world of distractions
How can creatives manage their ‘whizzy’ brains, and is our pursuit of concentration doomed to fail? Illustrator and writer Ben Tallon discusses how to avoid the demons of procrastination, and still find time to let the brain percolate
Tom Etherington on stepping away from a dream role
Tom Etherington has left Penguin Press after six years as a cover designer at the publisher. He talks to us about why he gave up many designers’ dream job and what comes next
Alex Prager’s carefully controlled photos visualise two uncontrollable years
The artist is staging a new exhibition in London that speaks to the disorientating effects of the pandemic
To Instagram or not to Instagram
From battling algorithms to banned accounts, individuals across the creative industries are voicing frustrations with the platform. Is this the beginning of an Instagram exodus? And if so, what’s the alternative?
New type trends to look out for in 2022
How does the environment relate to Art Nouveau typography, and is it going anywhere? And will variable fonts finally come into their own? Monotype weighs in on the trends du jour
Redressing the UK’s creative industries’ London-centricity
Creativity is thriving across the UK – not just in London. So why aren’t design students hearing about it?
New Balance rethinks what it means to be a runner in new campaign
Launched with fitness app Strava, the campaign champions less conventional forms of exercise – from chasing after your dog to running for the bus
What advertising is still getting wrong about casting
We speak to Mother ad agency and Road Casting about the dos and don’ts of casting ads – from opening up the process to more diverse talent to recognising the need for nuanced storytelling
My Breakthrough Moment: Dean Chalkley
“Photography can be a thing unto itself. It’s more than documentation.” Dean Chalkley discusses how his 2005 portrait of Noel Gallagher marked a personal turning point in terms of culture and photography
Inside The Matrix Resurrections
As the mind-bending world of the Matrix returns to the big screen, we speak to the team behind the latest film’s screen-based graphics about helping reboot the cult classic for a new era
Don’t be like Emily in Paris, says Duolingo campaign
To mark season two of the Netflix hit, the language-learning app invites Emilys everywhere to improve their French
How to create a logo that lasts
Logos today need to successfully work in more places than ever before, and in a multitude of formats and sizes. Here, Sagi Haviv, partner and designer at Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv in New York, breaks down how to make a mark that endures
What the Beatles can teach us about creative process
The epic Disney+ series The Beatles: Get Back shows the sprawling, messy process of creativity. Here Bas Korsten and Daniel Bonner, Global CCOs at Wunderman Thompson, draw out six insights from it for creative teams to learn from
Trends of the Year 2021
The second year of the pandemic brought about yet more uncertainty, but there was also plenty of innovation, humour and hope. Here we look back at the creative trends over the past 12 months
The Photography Annual 2021 Winners
Welcome to the winners showcase for this year’s Creative Review Photography Annual, where we celebrate the world of photography in all its forms – personal work, advertising, editorial, student/grad work and more. Shown here are our winners and honourable mentions for this year, selected by an expert panel of judges
Building the visual world of Adele
Following the release of Adele’s latest album, creative director and long-time collaborator Phil Lee discusses what it’s like to help create a brand for one of the world’s biggest artists
Yeye Weller’s new prints implore us to keep smiling
Print shop They Made This enlisted the German artist to bring some cheer to London with a new set of uplifting illustrations
How the Apple iPod influenced sonic branding
As the iPod turns 20, Joe Belliotti, CEO at MassiveMusic North America, reflects on how Apple used sonic branding to help us get used to a revolutionary new product, and to stand out
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
An Oral History of John Lewis’ The Long Wait
It was the Christmas ad that launched a thousand Christmas ads, and established John Lewis’s festive branding tropes for a decade to come. Director Dougal Wilson and adam&eveDDB co-founder Ben Priest remember how The Long Wait was made
Ask Anna: Will going on parental leave affect my creative career?
Our agony aunt Anna Higgs addresses a reader’s questions about life as a parent in the creative industry. We hear about the advantages parenthood can bring to the workplace, but also of the inequalities that remain across some of the industry
Pantone’s 2022 Colour of the Year is periwinkle
For the first time, the colour experts have created a brand new hue for the annual announcement – and it’s a lilacy blue that speaks to the future of fashion as well as the metaverse
A new campaign uses travel posters to tackle anti-Asian hate crime
Created by Droga5 for the Asian American Federation, the vintage-inspired posters provide a clever take on a loaded question: where are you really from?
How I Work: Gabriella Marcella, founder of Risotto Studio
The founder of Risotto Studio, the Glasgow print shop devoted to the glories of printing and paper, talks about the bustling art scene in the city, the beauty of keeping things small, and her house style
The CDP guide to making great ads
Peter Levelle, director and former head of TV production at the storied Collett Dickenson Pearce, shares the ad agency’s gospel – including handling difficult clients, keeping creatives happy, and adopting a punishingly scrupulous approach to ideas
Digital artist Claudia Rafael on painting with code
The Berlin-based digital artist works with AI and AR to create surreal portraits and filters. She talks to us about ethics, beauty, and the exchange between analogue and digital
Seven ages of a creative
We talk to creatives aged 19 to 87 about their experiences in the creative industry, their hopes and dreams, the changes they have witnessed, and what developments they hope may come in the future
The cultural influence of Spike Lee
The acclaimed filmmaker has dipped his toe into advertising, teaching and even brand-building during his four-decade career. As he releases his first monograph, we look at how he became a pop culture icon
The love-hate world of perfume ads
As the festive season wafts in, on a cloud of scent, we find out what makes fragrance ads so compelling – with help from spoof Twitter sensation @perfumeads
Photography project Eye Mama captures motherhood during the pandemic
The submissions-based project is curated by Karni Arieli. Here she talks about the inspiration for the series, the themes explored and how it helped her connect with her own practice
Multidisciplinary designer Sablā Stays on embracing change
We speak to the New York native about meandering between the paths of fashion, graphics and art direction, plus her ever-evolving collaboration with Solange at creative agency Saint Heron
