Making sparks fly
Ideas are woven together in this seamless ad for wool
For the love of stationery. (Did I mention my clipboard?)
A freelance designer can spend a great deal of time not actually designing at all. Still, there’s always the stationery
History of a radical type
The heyday of influential Swiss design journal Typografische Monatsblätter is examined in a fine new book from Lars Müller Publishers
Festival of Marketing: Punch
Next week sees the inaugural Festival of Marketing in London. As part of the programme, CR has helped put together Punch, a day devoted to creativity and the impact of digital technology. CR readers can get 20% off tickets
Q&A with 101’s Simon Schmitt
Simon Schmitt, formerly of Sid Lee Amsterdam and AKQA, has recently joined London agency 101 as creative director. We talk to him about why he made the move, and what excites him about advertising right now…
Drawing the facts
Central Saint Martins graduates have produced a series of illustrations highlighting facts about human decision-making to promote economist Noreena Hertz’s new book, Eyes Wide Open: How to Make Decisions in a Confusing World.
Maggie merch
The Tory faithful attending this week’s party conference will be able to purchase a range of Margaret Thatcher merchandise designed by Spring
Road trip begins for world’s largest film camera
The world’s largest film camera, designed by photographer Dennis Manarchy, is being displayed alongside large-scale portraits as part of a project documenting the diverse cultural heritage of the USA. At 35 ft long, the camera is capable of producing 6 ft long negatives, and 24 ft high portraits in sharp, super high-res quality…
What’s On
CR’s pick of exhibitions, design events and creative activities for the week ahead, including a variety of new exhibitions at the Museum of the Image in the Netherlands, global activities as part of The Big Draw, Mass Oberservation at The Photographer’s Gallery in London, work from the late photojournalist Tim Hetherington at Open Eye in Liverpool, Edinburgh Printmakers Open Doors Day, the 2013 Tokyo Photo fair, and a 35 ft long camera on display in Chicago.
Ad of the Week: Nike Human Printing Press
In the inaugural post of a new weekly series, we offer up Creative Review’s first Ad of the Week (cue trumpets). This week the ad that most impressed us is a new spot for Nike Turkey from Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam, which features a human printing press. We talked to the ad creatives and the director, James Frost, about how it was done…
A logo for Mo
Since winning two gold medals at last year’s Olympic Games, athlete Mo Farah has become one of Britain’s best known sports stars. We asked creative agency four23 about their work designing a visual identity for the record-breaking runner.
The art of the yell
Johnnie Walker has released a new set of posters as part of its latest Keep Walking campaign. The ads are striking, in part because of how they signal a new, more youthful direction for the brand, but also because of their use of a style of poster ads that has grown increasingly popular over the last few years, a look I like to call ‘shouty elegance’…
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