Barnardo’s is the UK’s largest children’s charity, and it undoubtedly does much good in the world. However, its history up to this point is also littered with uncomfortable controversies. Certainly, the most outlandish transgressions are concentrated in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. Founder Thomas John Barnardo was taken to court 88 times for kidnapping children (or ‘philanthropic abductions’, as old...
Koto’s new work is undoubtedly gorgeous – after all, what’s not to love about a suite of very cute dinosaurs? Especially when they’re rendered in a charming faux naif sort of style, and the whole colour palette is based around Barney & Friends purpley pink and the effervescently Gen Z-baiting neon of ‘terminal green’. The project in question is Koto’s...
Using olive oil has never been so squ-easy. That’s how Andrew Benin, founder of Graza, would like us to feel. As Kelsey McClellan reports for the Wall Street Journal, Benin knew the last thing the world needed was another snobby olive oil and the key goal was finding ‘the sweet spot between flavor and affordability’. This product does feel different...
How to make a data business approachable yet hold gravitas? Can it be engaging yet authoritative, sage yet cool? These are the implicit tensions NY-based Gretel has grappled with in its branding of Mode, a data intelligence and technology business seeking to widen its appeal. Gretel has established a brand identity which is triumphant and clean. It balances the contradictions that so...
More plants, less plastic. A noble mission. Over the last decade, revelation has followed revelation with regards to the environmental impact of what seemed like the most innocuous of objects. Now it’s the turn of the humble flower pot. Yep, that. Stacked and sitting empty in the shed, or at the bottom of the garden. It turns out that these...
Few products have successfully integrated ethical, sustainable and environmental concerns with a product than coffee. It’s hard to imagine a time when the conditions of cultivation (both human and environmental) were not equal to flavour and – if we’re getting technical – whether the roast is blended or single origin. With its smaller volumes, the speciality coffee market has challenged...
Leapling Films is a Manchester-based independent production company founded by ‘leap year baby Chris Lane’. For those that don’t know, this included myself until an hour ago, the word ‘Leapling’ is used to describe somebody who was born on the 29th February. Chris is a member of The Production Guild. His work has been seen by millions of people worldwide, and his credits as...
When organic waste breaks down in landfill, methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is released. This has been identified as a significant contributor to climate change. Through composting, this organic waste can be repurposed as a soil nutrient which can then play a role in developing local and sustainable methods of regional food production. The challenge of turning this into a...
Sakki is Finland’s national union of vocational students. It is made up of 15-20 year olds from a variety of nations, and offers support, tackles student issues, and engages in activism. Scandinavian graphic design studio Bond worked with the union to design and develop a mobile-first experience, and a visual identity made up of tilt-responsive iconography, a bright, simple and modern colour...
Inspired by fashion’s current fascination with customisation, technology and a “sense of light-hearted fun”, creative duo and stylists Charlotte Stockdale and Katie Lyall created Chaos, a new UK luxury lifestyle brand producing limited edition and personalised tech and travel accessories. Through form and finish, materiality and graphic design, Chaos products, which include phone cases and charms, zips and luggage tags, express the brand’s take on practicality...
Trika is an interior design company, working on both public and private spaces, with a showroom and studio in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. They represent furniture and equipment manufacturers such as Billiani, Enea and Federicia, amongst many others, whose brand names are described as being synonyms for quality, comfort and design. Graphic design studio Bunch worked with Trika to develop a new brand identity....
Erik Penser Bank provides its clients with independent financial advice and a high-level of personal service. While large banks do provide similar services, Erik Penser Bank is Sweden’s only dedicated private banking business. Professionalism, experience and an individualised service practice is expressed throughout the bank’s visual identity, created by Swedish studio Bedow, in the personable and less corporate association and aesthetic qualities of a new monogram. This then informs some...