BBC’s Commonwealth Games spot celebrates the spirit of Brum
From sporting heroes to fictional baddies, director Harry Cauty’s animation champions the best of Birmingham as it gears up to host the tournament
Toiletpaper’s 2023 calendar is as sexy and weird as ever
Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari’s 2023 calendar is themed around love, as told through cat-scratches, toilet bowl kisses, and other bizarre scenarios
CitizenM’s new campaign is shot from the perspective of a pillow
KesselsKramer’s latest campaign for CitizenM sees the hotel adorned with accurate, and often amusing, portraits of restful guests shot by Amber Pinkerton
Unravelling the D2C brand boom
As the direct-to-consumer market’s rapid growth shows no signs of slowing down, we examine what role creativity plays in building a successful D2C brand
Brick by brick: Behind the scenes at Lego
From canny collaborations to a deep understanding of how kids interact digitally, Lego has evolved from a physical toy brand to an entertainment juggernaut – all while keeping the humble brick at the heart of what it does
The rise and rise of science fiction
Sci-fi is a dominant feature of the London exhibition scene at the moment, appearing in shows from the Hayward to the Barbican, Somerset House Studios to the Serpentine Galleries. Why does this genre speak to us so much right now?
Why typography still packs a punch when it comes to protest
San Francisco exhibition Strikethrough: Typographic Messages of Protest aims to “chart a typographic chant of resistance” through mixing the histories of dissent and graphic design
UAL Awarding Body
Provocative questions to inspire the next generation
A simple prompt can be all it takes to overcome creative block and provoke a new way of thinking
Hornbach has built a sneaker-shaped swimming pool in Berlin
Every sneakerhead’s dreams were realised as ad agency Heimat helped supersize a pair of much-loved kicks for a fashion event hosted in the city – using materials found in Hornbach stores
Superette: A fresh take on cannabis retail
With its exuberant visual language and store designs, Canadian retail brand Superette is making its mark on the budding legal cannabis industry. Co-founder Drummond Munro explains how design has helped to shake things up
From Africa showcases some of the continent’s best design work
A new book pays homage to Africa’s flourishing creative scene, celebrating its multifaceted approach to design and the ways practitioners are balancing tradition and modernity
How brands can navigate a hybrid future
As new and exciting opportunities emerge in the digital space, brands need to connect the various worlds we live in more than ever. The only way to do this is to think in human terms, not transactional ones
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