What might the future of retail look like?
In the face of declining high street sales, retail brands are employing creative strategies to entice shoppers back into physical stores
How podcasters became the new aural ad creatives
The ongoing success of podcasts has given rise to a new kind of marketing, where the hosts present both the content and the ads. We examine what works, and what doesn’t, in this blurred world
How TikTok is reshaping financial brand communication
Not long ago, the idea of taking financial advice from social media would have seemed terrifying, if not foolhardy. But for an entire generation, it’s now becoming the norm
What does the new creative workplace look like?
As the creative industry wrestles with the pros and cons of hybrid working, new office models are emerging to cater for a range of needs
Life as a creative freelancer in 2024
In a volatile market, freelancing offers both opportunities and challenges. We talk to three creatives about how they are finding it out there right now
Political punchlines: how this year’s general election ads measure up
With the public going to the polls on Thursday to vote in the UK’s first general election since 2019, we examine how the campaign messaging has played out
How should brands deal with unwanted fans?
Influencer wrangling is now a crucial part of any brand management role. And this bit is relatively straightforward: find people who people like who can spread the word about your product. But what happens when the wrong people get in on the action?
How can brands play with controversy in risk-averse times?
In a consumer landscape that favours virtue, with audiences that will call out bad behaviour at the drop of a hat, courting controversy is a risky move. But brands can still use it to their advantage
Where art meets sustainability and politics
The series Dead White Man by Jeremy Hutchison, currently on show as part of the British Textile Biennial in Blackburn, aims to address our over-consumption of fashion and how it is affecting Africa
Barbie styles it out, again
A master of reinvention, the Barbie brand is about to embark on its biggest journey yet, via Greta Gerwig’s much anticipated movie. We examine why the brand has managed to always stay in fashion
The return of weird ads
Brand purpose has dominated advertising for the past decade, winning awards for serious, high-minded ideas, with humour nowhere in sight. But is bizarre, wacky advertising finally making a comeback?
How dyslexia-friendly fonts are rewriting the book
We talk to the team behind Lexend, a typeface that is making reading easier for those with dyslexia, and explore whether all fonts should be designed with accessibility in mind