Astrid Stavro curates poster campaign for the Laus Awards
46 designers from Vince Frost to Matt Willey and Dean Poole have created posters for a new campaign promoting Spanish design and advertising competition the Laus Awards.
“An image isn’t enough. You have to have some sort of narrative”: an interview with Isamaya Ffrench
Make-up artist and illustrator Isamaya Ffrench is one of the most sought after creatives in fashion. In this extract from issue five of Riposte magazine, Liv Siddall talks to Ffrench about using make-up to tell a story, collaborating with designers on couture shows and using Instagram to document her creative experiments
Holiday Ads Review
Well done, you’ve made it to the end of the first working week of 2016. Time to book a holiday? Lots of travel firms think so – here’s our review of the crop of holiday ads that have been hitting our screens of late.
McDonald’s has announced new-look, stripped back packaging: here’s what makes it interesting
We take a look at McDonald’s new packaging approach and why it’s significant
“It isn’t about visual seduction, it’s very functional”: Koto founder James Greenfield on rebranding Gumtree
Listings website Gumtree has launched a new visual identity designed by London studio Koto, which sees its original logo replaced with a simplified tree mark. Koto founder James Greenfield talks us through the process
How Tom Tom and She Shreds magazines are changing music for the better
In giving voice to women drummers and guitarists, US magazines Tom Tom and She Shreds are radically reshaping the music industry on more inclusive lines. Here the founders discuss the importance of role models, taking on sexism and rewriting music history, and how establishing themselves in print is just one aspect of a much wider movement
Discordant: on the state of music in advertising
Free pitching, over-supply and increased competition are all contributing to a growing sense of crisis in the world of composing music for advertising. MassiveMusic managing director (and acting chair of The Society of Producers and Composers In Applied Music) Paul Reynolds offers some suggestions for the restoration of harmony in the business.
Sweetdram: designing for a very modern drinks brand
Andreas Neophytou’s clever take on the flexible identity system for Sweetdram combines references to historical research, the process of distilling and new ideas around ‘gypsy’ or ‘viral’ drinks brands
Cillit Bang goes glam in amusing new spot
Cleaning product brand Cillit Bang channels Flashdance – yep, Flashdance – in its first global ad campaign, from BETC Paris.
Sunshine’s visual identity for Roald Dahl
Creative agency Sunshine has been working with the literary estate of Roald Dahl since 2014 to devise a new visual identity for his work and associated products. With the new branding set to roll out in 30 markets this year, we take a look at what’s been produced so far, from books to a website and stationery that doubles as paper planes
Brother | Sister by photographer Elin Høyland
A moving new photobook from Elin Høyland captures the now solitary life of Edvard Bjedlland, living in a remote part of the south-west coast of Norway
Fargo: The Music
Fargo is a rare example of a classic film that has been turned into an equally classy TV series. We talk to Jeff Russo about the music he has composed for the TV version, and how he works with creator Noah Hawley.
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