New Age Thinking
The ageing populations of Western economies pose huge social and political challenges, but they also offer a great opportunity. Patrick Burgoyne reports
Getting old
Rather than seeing ageing as a problem and old people as a burden, shouldn’t we start thinking about all the positives that an older population can contribute to our society? A two-day conference will bring together designers, artists, policy makers and employers to start a new conversation about what it means to get old
Virgin Records at 40: Interview with Brian Cooke
As the record label celebrates four decades of ‘disruption’ we interview one of Virgin’s key creative collaborators, Brian Cooke
CR November issue: pistols, paranoia and publishing
In the November issue of Creative Review, we look back at 40 years of Virgin Records, go coast to coast with Levi’s, explore the future of print publishing and tell one man’s story of love, fatherhood and how graphic design can get you arrested in modern America
Virgin Records celebrates 40 years of disruption
Virgin Records is launching an exhibition, an art book and a compilation CD as part of a campaign to celebrate its 40th birthday. CR spoke to designer Adrian Shaughnessy, who is working the project, to find out more.
Hiding in plain sight
Logos that actively conceal a brand’s identity can be confusing, but they’re also a clever way of getting noticed, argues our resident corporate identity expert
The iPad May edition
This month on the CR iPad edition, we’ve got an iPad exclusive profile on Sebastian Edge, the photographer who builds his own cameras, a peek inside Gestalten’s new book Iron Curtain Graphics, some vintage London transport maps, a look at Mark Jenkins’ surreal urban sculptures, and Brooklyn street artist FAILE’s latest project, using over a thousand handmade tiles. We also take a closer look at some of the pioneers of the modern gig poster scene, and illustrator Hattie Stewart’s ongoing Megazines project…
The none-of-your-business card
The humble business card is a long-term staple of graphic design books and awards: a chance to show some ingenuity in making that all-important first impression. This is Real Art has come up with a nice idea in this tradition for human rights watchdog Privacy International
Unusual music formats of the month
It would appear that packaging your album or music release in a jewel case just isn’t the done thing in 2012. Here are some new music packages (from Kindness, Anxieteam, and DJ Food) that disregard music packaging convention…
Photography Annual Motion Category winners
This year’s Photography Annual included a brand new moving image category, which was judged by the CR editorial staff. Winners in this category included Carl Warner’s animated short for Findus, Adam Hinton’s work for the War Child charity, Dean Chalkley’s documentary ‘Young Souls’, which looks at the contemporary Northern Soul scene, and Dave Young’s ‘Everyone has a story’
Exhibition: Hand.Written.Letter.Project
Craig Oldham began his Hand.Written.Letter.Project (HWLP) by inviting a selection of leading designers and image makers to simply share their thoughts in the form of a handwritten letter on their own letterhead. Now over 100 handwritten responses are being exhibited at London’s KK Outlet until 27 August…
Privacy International data trail film
To flag up Privacy International’s new report on European attitudes to privacy, This Is Real Art has created a short film which illustrates the various data trails people can unwittingly leave behind during an hour of online activity
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
