What next for the craft aesthetic?
A surge in craft beer and gin companies has popularised a certain kind of quirky design approach, but has the trend run its course, and what does the idea of ‘craft’ mean to drinks brands today?
Should food brands look back to look forwards?
BrandOpus associate strategy director Molly Rowan Hamilton delves into the power of nostalgia, and explores the ways food and drinks brands can use it to connect with consumers
Ben & Jerry’s: Peace, love and ice cream
Ben & Jerry’s global social mission officer Dave Rapaport talks to Anna Burzlaff, head of cultural insights and strategy agency Truth, about the brand’s approach to activism, and what it takes to make credible change in the world today
Can creativity save restaurants from Covid-19?
Hospitality has been hit hard by the pandemic, but in the midst of increased restrictions restaurateurs are finding creative ways to reach hungry punters at home. Here, we delve into how restaurant brands are adapting to the new normal
Getting to know Tony’s Chocolonely
The Tony’s Chocolonely brand started as a way to change the cocoa industry. Here, we get an insight into its visual branding and what being a responsible chocolate brand means
How to build a food brand
From raising funding on Kickstarter to putting “a bit of disco” into the branding, Future Noodles founder Carl Clarke and Otherway’s Jono Holt take CR through the highs and lows of building a food brand
Louise Hagger on food photography and storytelling
From her tasteful shots for the Guardian to her irreverent experiments in image-making, Louise Hagger’s food photography is underpinned by memory and emotion. She talks to us about connecting through recipes, secrets of the trade and how Instagram has impacted her practice
The BakeKing’s hyperrealistic cake creations
Ben Cullen has built up a cult following for his mesmerising illusion cakes, which have appeared everywhere from Slowthai’s recent music video to Jurgen Klopp’s birthday party. He talks about how his career journey took him from graphic design to tattooing to cake artistry
The independent publishers who are changing cookbooks
CR speaks to Tezeta Press, Long Prawn and Apartamento to get an insight into why it’s important for independent creators to offer something different and challenge the status quo
Noble Rot is on a mission to demystify the world of wine
Over the last seven years, the Noble Rot team has built up a gastronomic empire comprising a magazine, book, import company, and not one but two restaurants. We speak to co-founder Dan Keeling about how they are ‘de-twattifying’ wine, one day at a time
An oral history of Lidl’s ‘Big on quality, Lidl on price’ slogan
First launched in 2017, the slogan aimed to reinforce the supermarket’s positioning as a quality supermarket. CR talks to the writer of the punny line to find out what went into its creation
How I Got Here: Bake Off illustrator Tom Hovey
Tom Hovey talks to us about his journey from fussy eater to street artist to Great British Bake Off illustrator, and why food illustration is a good palate cleanser in the Instagram age
Anthony Burrill has designed a seven-storey-high mural for Leeds
Black and white lettering stretches 88ft high in the designer’s biggest artwork so far, which adorns the end of a historic canal-side building in the city
How to survive 2021: A Guide for Creatives
With the uncertainty and challenges of 2020 following us into the new year, we talk to a number of industry experts about the ways that creatives can survive – and even thrive – in 2021
How the tech revolution failed creatives
Tech firms once claimed they could set us free. But, as a new book points out, for those working in the creative industries, the offering has proved a particularly bad deal
Burger King unveils a tasty new look
Created in collaboration with JKR, the fast food giant’s first rebrand in over 20 years features a more digital-friendly burger logo and an appropriately named brand font, Flame
How I Got Here: Joseph Rodriguez
As a taxi driver in the 70s and 80s, photographer Joseph Rodriguez captured the intensity of New York City from the driver’s seat. He talks to us about his childhood, learning from the greats, and his ‘get close’ mantra
Photographer Sydney Rahimtoola explores myth and heritage in her work
Images of mythical creatures and domestic sorcery are all part of artist and photographer Sydney Rahimtoola’s attempt to document the “little magical moments” of everyday life
Do advertising creatives need a union?
As the ad industry moves increasingly quickly towards a freelance model, our advertising correspondent Ben Kay asks whether it’s time for creatives to unionise
New trailer for the BBC celebrates the broadcaster’s creativity
At a time when criticism of the BBC feels more intense than ever, the broadcaster has put together a two-minute film to remind us all of the quality programming it delivers
Why simplicity is the way ahead for social media in 2021
As We Are Social releases its annual trends report, chief strategy officer Mobbie Nazir reveals evidence of a move towards simpler and kinder social media habits that look to brands for assistance rather than aspiration
Trends of 2020: The year in film and TV
Streaming giants ruled the roost once again in 2020, while many of us also sought comfort in the familiarity of public service broadcasters, in a year where we’ve essentially been forced to stay glued to our sofas
The best magazine covers of 2020
In a year of flux, magazine covers were dominated by radical change, calls for change and the changemakers themselves. We look back at ten of our favourites
The Creative’s Gambit
The Netflix hit series The Queen’s Gambit has brought chess back into the limelight. Here, ad creative Marta Morientes – an avid chess player in her youth – explains how the game has helped her to be a better creative
What will British branding look like post-Brexit?
Is branding’s post-Brexit future a sea of Union Jacks, or does the UK’s exit from the European Union offer a chance for companies to explore what being British actually means?
Inside Ricardo Cavolo’s wild drawings
As he releases a new book, the Barcelona-based artist talks to us about his creative process, and what it’s like to be introduced to the visual arts from the day you were born
A QR Code Renaissance?
QR codes have received an unexpected resurrection during Covid-19, becoming a vital tool for navigating pandemic life. But will they sink back into the depths when no longer needed? Stink Studios’ James Britton hopes not
Malika Favre’s sexy Kama Sutra alphabet is now available in book form
The illustrator’s 26 saucy letters have been immortalised in print, thanks to a glossy hardback book from Counter-Print
Ben & Jerry’s: Peace, love and ice cream
Ben & Jerry’s global social mission officer Dave Rapaport talks to Anna Burzlaff, head of cultural insights and strategy agency Truth, about the brand’s approach to activism, and what it takes to make credible change in the world today
Can creativity save restaurants from Covid-19?
Hospitality has been hit hard by the pandemic, but in the midst of increased restrictions restaurateurs are finding creative ways to reach hungry punters at home. Here, we delve into how restaurant brands are adapting to the new normal
Xinmei Liu’s images are inspired by old Chinese propaganda posters
With commissions from the New York Times and Medium, Xinmei Liu enjoys combining nostalgia with satire to create surreal and surprising illustrations
Getting to know Tony’s Chocolonely
The Tony’s Chocolonely brand started as a way to change the cocoa industry. Here, we get an insight into its visual branding and what being a responsible chocolate brand means
How I Got Here: Brian Rea
Modern Love illustrator Brian Rea recounts a childhood filled with stories, shares the struggles of embracing his style and tells CR why words have gained a new importance for him later in his career
The BakeKing’s hyperrealistic cake creations
Ben Cullen has built up a cult following for his mesmerising illusion cakes, which have appeared everywhere from Slowthai’s recent music video to Jurgen Klopp’s birthday party. He talks about how his career journey took him from graphic design to tattooing to cake artistry
Oxford Circus’s tube signs are now PlayStation-themed
TfL’s hallowed roundel has been transformed into the iconic PlayStation symbols, as part of a stunt to celebrate the launch of Sony’s latest console
Teenagers dress for proms that never happened in Alys Tomlinson’s Lost Summer
The photographer’s portraits of teenagers, taken after the cancellation of milestone events such as proms and graduations, emphasise the impact of 2020’s summer lockdown
Can an algorithm unpick gender bias in storytelling?
A new illustrated book of classic fairytales uses technology to illuminate gender bias by reversing the gender of the characters and narratives
Irvine Welsh on creativity and cancel culture
The author explores the rise of cancel culture in new documentary Offended by Irvine Welsh, where he discusses the threat that the phenomenon poses to the creative industries and why he thinks Trainspotting wouldn’t be published today
Stanley Donwood takes uplifting new artworks to the streets
The artist and long-time Radiohead collaborator has left his “depressing flyposters” behind in favour of new artworks designed to spread joy in ten cities across the UK
The theatrics of Lucy Prebble
Following the release of her explosive phone-hack series I Hate Suzie, Lucy Prebble talks about her belief that every story benefits from a little drama, and how an ongoing infatuation with tech inspired her to write for video games
Logos are losing their taches for Movember
Julius Pringles and Colonel Sanders have both been subjected to a shave to celebrate the month-long Movember challenge
