Paul Pensom on mixing doggies and design
In his latest column on life as an independent designer, Paul Pensom debates the pros and cons of allowing your furry friends into your studio
Starting Over: Launching an advertising start-up
Launching an ad start-up might be a dream for many, but what’s it really like? Here, creatives Jim Townsend and Oli Cole, who founded Made By Blah in 2017, talk through the ups and downs, and how a mix of creativity and luck led to projects with Nike and giffgaff
Martin Firrell unveils first work as Clear Channel artist in residence
A series of 12 artworks exploring issues around power and gender will run across the media owner’s digital out of home network in the UK
The Town of Tomorrow: Celebrating 50 years of Thamesmead
The 1960s housing experiment has appeared in everything from an Aphex Twin music video to Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. As the area is set to undergo huge regeneration, a new book is hoping to show its significance five decades on
CR’s owner Centaur rebrands its marketing division as Xeim
Centaur has rebranded its marketing and communications division, which includes Creative Review, Marketing Week, Design Week and the Festival of Marketing, as Xeim, derived from ‘Excellence in marketing’
Starting over: Photojournalist Marcus Bleasdale
Documenting the horrors of war for the likes of National Geographic couldn’t seem further from the photojournalist’s previous life as a banker. He discusses the moment he hit breaking point, and why his two careers have more in common than you might think
Artists take over Selfridges in new campaign
Shoppers can embark on a guided art trail or take part in performance art at Selfridges London store, as the brand launches a new campaign to promote the arts
You’ve started a business – what do you call it?
Finding an original, memorable and appealing name for a new brand is no easy feat. We talk to copywriters Nick Asbury and Mike Reed about what makes a good brand name (and what doesn’t)
Artist James Stanford reimagines Las Vegas’s iconic neons
The Vegas native is repurposing the city’s neon signs and landmarks by layering original photographs to create striking digital mosaics
My breakthrough moment: Annie Atkins
Annie Atkins tells us about the props that started off her illustrious career as a graphic designer for film; those delicious ‘millennial pink’ Mendl’s boxes that enjoy a lot of screen time in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel
Slack’s hashtag logo gets a refresh by Pentagram
The new look, which has been designed by Pentagram Partner Michael Bierut, is the first major change to the tech company’s branding since it was founded in 2013
Behind the scenes with stunt performers
A new photo series by art director Gem Fletcher and photographer David Ryle explores the world of stunt performers
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