The art of writing a brief
We look into why briefs are so imperative to get right, the difference between advertising and design briefs, and whether visuals have any place in them
How to write a great advertising slogan
Here, our advertising correspondent breaks down the methodology for creating a great slogan, by examining some of the iconic endlines of the past. But is there really a formula for brilliant creative work?
How much do you earn?
Every single person at How&How knows what their colleagues are being paid, from the most junior designer to the studio’s owners. The branding studio’s co-founder Cat How discusses the pros and cons of total salary transparency
A manifesto for building a successful in-house team
There is definitely no one-size-fits-all for in-house teams, but here are some principles for success to draw on, put together by the In-House Agency Leaders Club
Is the creative industry ready for the four-day week?
As the evidence in favour of the four-day work week mounts up, we speak to agencies large and small about why they won’t be returning to the norm
Why words matter during a cost of living crisis
We speak to Reed Words about the importance brands should be placing on their tone of voice amid the recession – and why platitudes simply won’t cut it for consumers
Vince Frost’s lessons on running a design business
Almost two decades since moving to the other side of the world, Frost*collective’s founder reflects on why he had to radically redesign his business in order to transform his life
How to make brand guidelines fit for purpose
Too often, brand guidelines become a straitjacket for brands, says Harbour creative partner Grant Parker. Here he explains how thinking about them differently can benefit brands in a complex world
How to build better work environments for new creatives
Marc Lewis, dean of London’s School of Communication Arts 2.0, discusses why a more thoughtful, empathetic approach – and more present CDs and ECDs – are critical for supporting industry newcomers
The art of the rapid ‘crapotype’
Creatives often pursue perfection in their ideas before they are willing to release them to others. In fact, says We Are Pi’s Rick Chant, we should be doing the opposite
Creativity Sucks! podcast: Does sex still sell?
Photographer Sophie Ebrard, Uncommon co-founder Nils Leonard, and Headspace VP of marketing Louise Troen all convene on CR’s podcast to discuss the role of sex for brands today
Why Creativity Matters: How to build a long-term legacy for brands
Speakers from Space10, Ikea’s research and design lab; TBWA\Media Arts Lab, which works with Apple; and adam&eveDDB all join CR editor Eliza Williams to discuss brand legacy in our latest virtual event
Logo lessons from Tom Geismar
What does it take to design a symbol that lasts for 60 years, and should all designers go back to the drawing board? CR catches up with esteemed graphic designer and logo legend Tom Geismar
Do companies need to get more creative with how they work?
Evidence suggests that adopting inventive, individual styles of working can aid creative thinking, yet agencies and studios remain conservative in their approach
Remembering George Lois
George Lois – legendary art director, ad man, and creative whirlwind – has died aged 91. In this interview from 2012, he reflected on his life and work, including creating the I Want My MTV slogan, and interactions with the likes of Bob Dylan and Muhammad Ali
How to keep great ideas alive – even when the client says no
A firm “no thanks” from a client can seem like the end of the road for your brilliant idea. But not necessarily, says Wunderman Thompson CCO Daniel Bonner
On client work vs personal work
Though working for commercial clients can be a fulfilling and lucrative path for creatives today, balancing this alongside personal projects benefits everyone, says Ravi Amaratunga Hitchcock
What marketers really want from agencies
A survey of 500 CMOs by Dentsu Creative will make salutary reading for agencies, but also reveals how central creativity and design are to business, says Patricia McDonald, chief strategy director at Dentsu Creative
Why Creativity Matters: The role of purpose for brands
The third talk in our free virtual event series looks at purpose, examining the role it plays in shaping brands and their marketing, and how it can be used to attract audiences
Interview anthology End of Nowhere is ideas fuel for creatives
Creative agency Wongdoody has designed and published the platform, which features 20 different creatives who “know about creating things amidst suffering and strange times”
How to sell your agency
The ad agency Creature London was recently acquired by Dutch group Candid. Here, CEO Dan Cullen-Shute gives a frank, funny and insightful account of what the team at the agency learned during the process
What constitutes success?
We are hardwired to seek success in our careers, but what does it actually look like, and by what measure do you define it in your work?
When is the right time to rebrand?
One of the toughest questions for everyone responsible for ‘the brand’, deciding when to rebrand is a delicate balancing act, says Coley Porter Bell ECD James Ramsden
Why Creativity Matters: How to build a successful in-house team
The second talk in our free virtual event series tackles the subject of in-house creative teams, and features speakers from Polestar, Lego and Oatly
Introducing Creative Review’s new podcast: Creativity Sucks!
A new podcast brought to you by Creative Review, Creativity Sucks! aims to look at some of the challenges facing the advertising and design worlds and how to fix them. In our first episode, we examine whether advertising is getting worse
Peerspace
Get the most from any shoot location
Once you’ve found the ideal location for your campaign shoot, be sure to make the best of every corner of it
Why brands need to become less London-centric
We speak to Channel 4 about how it is providing more creative career opportunities across the UK’s regions, plus why an increasing number of brands are setting their sights beyond the London bubble
Inside the VFX talent crisis
The VFX industry has been hit by talent shortages, leaving crews under-resourced and over-stretched. We speak to four facilities – DNEG, Coffee & TV, Framestore and Cheat – about what’s led to the recruitment issues in the UK and what can be done to remedy them
Why does the creative industry have so few mothers at the top?
We discuss how parenthood affects people’s relationships with their creative identities, and explore the new mindset the industry could adapt to close the career gap for mums
Does the creative industry have an age problem?
Older creatives have bags of experience and the ability to crack a brief like a walnut. So why aren’t studios and agencies hiring and keeping hold of more of them?
Does university equip you for life in the creative industry?
Universities and industry are inextricably linked yet serve different purposes – do they need to be more joined up for the creative industry to thrive?
Why we need to promote the creative industry in schools
Key to bringing new, diverse talent into the creative industry is to raise awareness at a school level, where the career opportunities it brings are still too often opaque and misunderstood
Closing the class gap in the creative industries
Despite urgent calls for diversity, the creative industries remain overwhelmingly middle class. We look at what can be done to allow new voices in
How should designers address the cost of living crisis?
With a potential global recession on the horizon, brands are facing complex decisions, which will offer both challenges and opportunities for designers, says Design Bridge’s Tom Gilbert
Setting up a creative agency? Here’s some money advice
From upfront costs to whether it’s worth shelling out for a studio space, we chat to creative studios about the financial side of setting up shop
How can we get better at talking about money?
When it comes to money in the creative industries, a culture of silence perpetuates pay gaps and leaves many shortchanged. We look at how creatives can navigate discussions and why a shift must come from the top down
Dionne Kitching on why play is better than perfectionism
The Manchester-based artist tells CR how embracing the element of chance, and stopping the endless quest for perfection, restored her love of illustration and gave her work a new lease of life
Are copyright battles destroying creativity?
In an industry where people are often badly paid, it’s important to protect the ownership of creative work and ideas. But is this leading to a litigious culture that will ultimately suppress creativity? Richard Holman examines both sides of the question
What Charles and Ray Eames can teach designers today
Charles & Ray Eames didn’t just create iconic pieces of design – they thought of themselves as ‘tradesmen’ whose job was to create better, longer-lasting products. Llisa Demetrios, Eames Institute chief curator and granddaughter of the pair, discusses what we can learn from them
Will the metaverse improve access to the creative industry?
The metaverse offers exciting possibilities for education, including the potential for more diverse access to the creative industries. But only if it’s built with inclusivity at its heart, writes Ally Owen, founder of Brixton Finishing School
Why channelling your inner child could help your creativity
Nobody likes to look stupid in meetings, but sometimes asking seemingly dumb questions or admitting you don’t understand something can unlock better creative work, says Julian Harriman-Dickinson
What does net zero mean for the creative industry?
Coffee & TV’s first sustainability manager, Holly Arnold, discusses the challenges of decarbonising the business and the confusion around what net zero actually requires
Joe Guest on how to make it as an editor
The renowned advertising editor talks us through the changing nature of the job, plus shares some of his favourite moments, including cutting a Nike spot on a bin outside a Peckham chicken shop
Harry Ead on leaving – and going back to – DixonBaxi
While returning to a previous place of work can sometimes be viewed as a step backwards for career progression, creative director Harry Ead’s experience has been quite the opposite. Here, he tells us why
The evolution of design education and learning
Design institutions need to forge better connections between schools, communities and the industry, says D&AD president Rebecca Wright
In search of an ending
Should brands be considering what happens at the end of a product’s life as much as its beginning? Designer Joe Macleod thinks so
The do’s and don’ts of creative side hustles
Three creatives share advice on how to start (and stick with) a side hustle – from balancing it alongside your day job to ensuring you are doing it for the right reasons
How to shake off the demon of convention
In this extract from his new book, Creative Demons and How to Slay Them, Richard Holman examines the lure of convention and how to summon original thought
Covid, Brexit and the great resignation
The events of the past few years have had a significant impact on the creative talent pool and led to much movement in agencies and studios – but what does the future hold?
How young creatives benefit from more informal mentorship
The emotional support mentorship offers can be just as beneficial as professional advice. CR uncovers how two programmes make a less rigid and more empathetic approach work
Sarah Boris on the joy of being your own boss
Graphic designer and artist Sarah Boris has always charted her own course through the creative industries, from starting out in-house rather than at a studio, to setting up her own practice in 2015. She discusses what she’s learned along the way
How to focus in a world of distractions
How can creatives manage their ‘whizzy’ brains, and is our pursuit of concentration doomed to fail? Illustrator and writer Ben Tallon discusses how to avoid the demons of procrastination, and still find time to let the brain percolate
Tom Etherington on stepping away from a dream role
Tom Etherington has left Penguin Press after six years as a cover designer at the publisher. He talks to us about why he gave up many designers’ dream job and what comes next
Redressing the UK’s creative industries’ London-centricity
Creativity is thriving across the UK – not just in London. So why aren’t design students hearing about it?
How to nurture creative talent
Gretel’s head of design, Dylan Mulvaney, shares how the studio has built an internship programme that benefits both the studio and the careers of young creatives
Trust and the designer-client relationship
Trust is the essential component to making great creative work. Here, designer and co-founder of Wolff Olins, Michael Wolff, examines its role in our personal and work lives, in brands, and in how we use design to shape the world we want to live in
Ask Anna: Will going on parental leave affect my creative career?
Our agony aunt Anna Higgs addresses a reader’s questions about life as a parent in the creative industry. We hear about the advantages parenthood can bring to the workplace, but also of the inequalities that remain across some of the industry
Ask Anna: How do I adapt to the real world again?
The reopening of offices and workplaces in the UK can be intimidating and unnerving for many creatives. Our agony aunt Anna Higgs gives some advice on navigating our new world
The pros and cons of making merch
Leta Sobierajski, David Shrigley and Morag Myerscough weigh in on the ups and downs of making merchandise and products – from the joy of designing tangible objects to the challenges of getting it right
Want to teach yourself 3D? Here’s some advice from the experts
With 3D design software skills in huge demand, artist Eva Cremers and Territory Studio founder David Sheldon-Hicks share their top tips for teaching yourself, covering everything from YouTube tutorials to client projects