The Photography Annual 2019 is out now
In this year’s Photography Annual, we’re celebrating image-making across personal, editorial, advertising, stock and student projects, along with six exciting photographers who enjoyed a breakthrough year
MagCulture’s Christmas cards are raising money for the homeless
Richard Turley, Veronica Ditting and Alice Bowsher, amongst others, have all contributed to MagCulture’s set of Christmas cards, donating their time so that the sales can go straight to homeless charity Shelter from the Storm
Ads of the year 2019
From Spotify delving into the past decade of our eclectic streaming habits to Mothercare’s powerful images of post-partum bodies, here’s our top ten campaigns from the last 12 months
Drawings of People with Signs: a zine that does exactly what it says
In Erlend Peder Kvam’s zine, his hand-drawn characters use simple signs to express their opinions about themselves and the world
The best games of 2019
Both indie studios and big game developers did well this year, which saw Apple Arcade launch as well as Google’s much-anticipated Stadia streaming service. Here’s ten of CR’s favourites
Nike celebrates Mbappé’s childhood dreams in new campaign
In the latest Nike Football campaign, Kylian Mbappé remembers his footie-mad youth, and discovers that not much has changed since – despite reaching superstar status
Trends of 2019: Social Media and Creativity
This year saw increased analysis and reflection over the impact that social media has had on creativity, from the dangerous lure of the likes to the way that social channels could be designed for the better. Here are the key points to catch up on
Daniel Benneworth-Gray goes on a low-budget journey
Faced with tiny budgets for imagery for use in his work, our design correspondent Daniel Benneworth-Gray has found a treasure trove on Flickr Commons. If you have the time to look
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Vertical video: creative tips from Quentin Jones
Our new video series, created in partnership with Facebook and Instagram, explores the art of vertical storytelling. Here we talk to director Quentin Jones about creating playful content for Stories and adapting her work for different formats
The Year in Music
As society’s tensions with technology and identity continue to rage, figures in the music industry tackled them with an open mind, making 2019 a year of great complexity but even greater creativity
A tasty new look for edible insect brand Crunchy Critters
Created by Sherlock Studio, the new branding comes amid shifting public attitudes towards insects as a high-protein and, crucially, appetising snack alternative
Grand Bassin captures the colourful characters seen around the pool
The animation, created by four graduates, is an invitation to observe the day-to-day goings on at a public swimming bath and also features a runaway toupee
Creative Review’s Annual Awards 2025 are officially open for entries
One of the most respected and trusted awards for the advertising and design industries are back for 2025. Run, don’t walk to get your entries in before the Early Bird Deadline on 25 October
How to scale your design business
Growth is a dream for many businesses, but it comes with challenges. Daisy Crowder, brand and marketing director at design recruitment agency Craft, offers advice on how to navigate the change and keep staff on side
Cultivating community with Ganni
The Danish luxury fashion label has spearheaded the characterful evolution of Scandi style. Here, chief brand officer Priya Matadeen discusses its approach to collabs, the pressures of being a responsible brand, and how Ganni Girls grew from a hashtag to a badge of belonging
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 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