Lockdown postcards

Art Director Victoria Rosselli and Creative Robyn Frost are asking people around the world to share photos from out of their windows, in a bid to reframe how we see our homes under quarantine.

Images are then given a custom type treatment and repurposed as holiday postcards – something that, for many of us, are now a dim memory. So far the pair have received images from Edinburgh, Dubai and Honolulu which, with a bit of typographic help, have taken on a new lease of life.

It’s an uplifting project that reminds us that people around the world are all stuck in the same situation.

It’s also encouraging to see design being put to use to cheer us all up – and maybe even help us realise that however boring the view from our homes might seem, it still has its own unique charm.

Tweet your photo to @robynhfrost or @vctriarsslli to be part of the Greetings from Lockdown project

Can mouldy food sell food?

In a bid to emphasise its fresh food credentials, Burger King is showing the world exactly what happens when a Whopper is left to age for over a month.

Between the growing market for vegan, unprocessed or organic foods and the increased backlash in the face of the obesity crisis, it’s safe to say fast food chains are facing an uphill battle. While brands in this space have shown inventive responses to such quandaries, Burger King US has taken an unexpected punt at demonstrating its credentials as a producer of ‘real’ food. The move comes as the chain begins to remove preservatives from its recipes, apparently steering away from the additive-laden products most have come to expect from burger chains.

Built around the tagline ‘The beauty of no artificial preservatives’, the new campaign centres on a time lapse that begins with a meticulously assembled Whopper burger, staged M&S-style against a dramatic black backdrop. Before long, however, we see what happens to the burger as the days and weeks go by – insert mould, fluff and all manners of scuzz – to the tune of Aretha Franklin’s What A Difference A Day Makes.

The accompanying print ads follow a similar format, capturing the state of the Whopper on different days late into the decomposing process. The campaign was the creation of three agencies – David Miami, Publicis, and INGO Stockholm.

LSO Campaign

Superunion has been working with LSO since 2017, when it launched a new brand identity for the orchestra inspired by the movement of conductor Sir Simon Rattle’s baton. Previous campaigns have featured CG artwork based on Rattle’s hand gestures, but for LSO’s 2020/21 season, Superunion opted for a different approach, teaming up with Found Studio and dancer Ella Robson Guilfoyle to create a dramatic live-action dance film.

The campaign takes inspiration from the theme of LSO’s upcoming programme, ‘Dancing on the edge of a volcano’, which will see the orchestra perform work created in Europe in the first half of the 20th century. According to Rattle, the phrase was used by Austrian composer Alban Berg to describe the atmosphere in 1930s Germany and captures the mood of an era that produced “some of the darkest music possible”.

For the first shoot, Superunion filmed Robson Guilfoyle performing a series of short dance sequences based on Rattle’s movements (which were recorded using motion capture) while wearing colourful clothing. Footage was captured from above at 50 frames per second using 5K cameras. Guilfoyle then performed a series of movements with flares, sparkles, smoke grenades and chalk dust, which was filmed at 100 frames per second.

Non-Format

Complete book design for acclaimed Norwegian chef Terje Ommundsen.
Studio photography by Stian Broch. Location photography by Pål Laukli.

Teach First rebrand

The charity has ditched its “corporate” identity in favour of an all-encompassing rebrand that reflects its mission to create fair education for all.

The update was almost two years in the making, and required Teach First to “take a hard look at their brand”, says Johnson Banks. The charity wanted to move away from its previous style and embrace something bolder that would reflect its focus on tackling inequality and helping children reach their potential, while also conveying a “grittier, more direct tone of voice”.

The studio says the refreshed identity also needed communicate with a “bewildering array” of people, from graduates, teachers and headmasters to people considering changing career as well as government departments and corporate sponsors.

Logo Design

Here a recent job I completed for a local Belfast business.

The logo rebrand is simple with clean lines to highlight the business. I also completed a simple business card design.

For more examples of my work follow me on Facebook.

 

Jake Newbury

Jake Newbury’s interests are broad, though it’s clear he’s naturally inclined towards underground scenes. Having recently graduated from the Design for Publishing course at Norwich University of the Arts – where he specialised in editorial design and illustration – the designer has created eye-catching spreads based on streetwear brands like Carhartt WIP and Stone Island, as well as experimental producer Aphex Twin.

Newbury’s penchant for distressed visuals comes through in these projects, but his wider portfolio demonstrates an eye for sleeker styles.

Mental health photography

In the latest in a series of articles on visual trends, Stocksy’s Tara Campbell explores the rise of artists offering a more nuanced depiction of mental health issue.The campaign drew attention to the prevalence of what they termed “the ‘headclutcher’ photo. You know the one: you’re reading an article about depression, and at the top of the page, there’s a picture of a person holding their head in their hands. Although this can be an outward expression of despair, when poorly executed, it can come across as a mocking and reductive depiction of depression.

Athru new identity by JKR’s

After a difficult few decades, it seems Irish whiskey is having a moment. The number of distilleries in the country has grown from four to 24 in the past six years and sales are booming: Over 10.5 million cases were sold in 2018 (the highest figure since the pre-Prohibition era) and over 900,000 people visited distilleries for tours and tasting sessions.

One of the latest arrivals on the scene is Athru: a premium brand founded by Irish entrepreneur David Raethorne, who has spent the past five years turning a former video tape factory in Sligo into the Lough Gill Distillery.

JKR worked closely with Raethorne and his team to create the Athru brand. As the project is a long-term endeavour, JKR took inspiration from the idea of “an unfinished picture”, cutting the corners off letters and splicing together images of the local landscape.

It’s a striking approach – and one that stands out among a sea of brands using scripted typefaces and vintage logos. Sean Thomas, Creative Director at JKR, says the agency wanted to create something unique and looked to art galleries, museums and disruptor brands such as Aesop instead of Athru’s rivals for inspiration.

Never Forget

Photographer Tom Cockram shines a spotlight on the survivors and the bereaved in new exhibition with Grenfell United

Over two years have passed since the Grenfell Tower tragedy took place, but the fight for justice continues. Many are still displaced, liable bodies are still evading consequences, and health and safety standards are still being carelessly flouted across the country. A recent government report shows that there remain 338 buildings wrapped in the same kind of cladding as that found at Grenfell Tower.

Cockram has been working on the project over the past year, photographing intimate, monochrome portraits of those most closely affected by the tragedy and the subsequent fallout. Alongside the exhibition, there will also be a handful of talks and events, including photography workshops for the Grenfell community and a screening of revelatory film Failed By The State, which features members of the local area detailing their experience of gentrification and the role the authorities play.

The exhibition, Never Forget Grenfell, is a collaborative effort between Cockram and Grenfell United, a group of survivors and bereaved families from the Grenfell Tower. The group’s Vice-Chair, Karim Mussilhy, said: “Grenfell was filled with amazing people, a true community with people from all walks of life who looked out for each other. Since the fire that community has grown stronger as bereaved, survivors and neighbours near and far have come together to support each other. We hope this exhibition will show Londoners that our community is strong, dignified and united.”