Ad agency of the year: Bartle Bogle Hegarty
As always there were some strong contenders for The Annual’s Ad Agency of the Year
Design studio of the year: No overall winner
This was a year in which a lot of design studios had one or two standout projects but no one clear candidate emerged for our Design Studio of the Year.
January
January’s best work includes Thunderbid stamps, the most amazing beat box video ever, a calendar of endangered species, and the future of Mexico City
February
February’s best work includes an app designed to stop time-wasting in meetings, Darth Vader using the force, and 10,000 unique digital prints
March
March’s best work includes a new quarterly men’s magazine, a title sequence made on the beach, and Google’s phonetic advertising
A partial history. British Design 1948-2012
Design history never quite knows what to do with graphics, a fact, says Rick Poynor, made all too obvious by the V&A’s Olympic tie-in show, British Design 1948-2012: Innovation in the Modern Age
Visitor attraction
While digital technology may represent a threat to the high street, it might also hold the key to enticing visitors back to built environments
A hard won serenity
A recent crop of posters from the Greater London Authority marks the return of intelligent design on the tube network
The further adventures of the book
The iPad opened up possibilities for more inventive visual storytelling, but few publishers have taken advantage. And even those who have still believe that print has a few tricks left up its sleeve
A clear break with the past
When the Stedelijk Museum re-opens later this year, it will have a controversial new visual identity, adopted following resignations and rows at the institution. In his latest logo column for CR, Michael Evamy traces the new work’s stormy back story
To vectorise or squeegee?
The modern gig poster is in the midst of a digital rebirth, but demand is still driven by the appeal of analogue craft
Why are brands apologising so much right now?
Brands are saying sorry at a more rapid rate than ever. CR’s advertising columnist Ben Kay delves into why sorry is no longer the hardest word and whether this is an effective strategy for winning audiences
How Guinness embraced social
By loosening its approach to advertising, and engaging with its audience directly, the drinks brand has transformed with the times and won a whole new set of fans
Tracing Banksy’s art history remixes
Kelly Grovier’s new book charts the artist’s persistent dialogue with classic and contemporary art
How Lego creates meaningful brand experiences
We speak to Lego’s VP of global brand development Alero Akuya about the brand’s rare ability to straddle the physical and virtual worlds with ease – whether through its immersive new art exhibition in Paris or collaborations with Epic Games and Nike
Matt Willey brings a human touch to Kaos titles
The Pentagram partner has created the titles for the acclaimed new Netflix show, which reimagines the Greek myths in a contemporary setting
A visual history of movie posters
A new book from Reel Art Press collates the first comprehensive history of film posters. We explore why they remain an underappreciated area of cultural design
The Leaders Issue is out now!
The Autumn 2024 issue of Creative Review looks at the brands and individuals who are pushing creativity forward on their way to the top
The Monthly Interview: Rob Lowe, aka Supermundane
Mark Sinclair talks to the artist and designer about his new book, Lost Ordinary Magic, and the importance of recognising the power of simplicity and the everyday wonders that surround us
Unravelling adland’s obsession with 90s nostalgia
We explore how the 90s, an era the UK looks favourably upon for its thriving culture, are continually inspiring a stagnated creative industry
Building the visual world of Fontaines DC
The band’s surreal new album visuals explore a darker, more grotesque side of romance. We speak to the creative team behind the campaign about challenging the visual tropes of rock music
Jessica Walsh ventures into the world of type
As the &Walsh founder launches her agency’s new offshoot Type of Feeling, she discusses why typography’s ability to evoke emotions makes it one of the most powerful tools at a brand’s disposal
Can neuroscience make you a better creative?
Kinda Studios is tapping into the emerging field of neuroaesthetics to help creatives and brands make more impactful work that benefits people’s wellbeing