[From the archive] When safe is not sound. The spirit of the age seems to be one of scaremongering, with ads feeding on all our fears. We need a more positive outlook as we enter the new millennium As we approach 1999 and the 365-day countdown to the new millennium, we should expect a host of documentaries, exhibitions and books about the current and future prospects for humanity. A tall order, but an irresistible project nonetheless. Who could shy away from a debate about re

A Very British [Design] Coup at the General Post Office in the 30s The decade preceding the outbreak of World War II was a pivotal moment in the development of graphic design as a profession. The 1930s saw the commissioning of graphic designers, for the first time, at the General Post Office (GPO) and was central in the changing fortunes of a very British institution. The GPO would employ some of the brightest and best that would go on to be regarded as part of the graphic de

re-pub #02 June 2024 Download re-pub #02 A curated collection of articles on design matters from a ‘design essentialist’ perspective. In...

The ‘social purpose’ university - social engineering by another name. Towards the end of last year, the University of the Arts London...

re-pub #o1 - October 2023 Download Re-pub #01 A curated collection of articles on design matters from a ‘design essentialist’...

A Thesis on Communication Design [ 1 ] The old, elite prejudice of the modern era – fear and loathing of the masses – is resurfacing...

A gender bias poster campaign that was not all it was cracked-up to be. To coincide with International Women’s Day (IWD) and Women’s...

Judging by this digital project, perhaps reports of the death of the poster have been greatly exaggerated. For four weeks this summer...

Australia’s decision to ‘unbrand’ tobacco packaging demands more debate from designers rather than acquiescence. Last week I woke to the news that cigarette packaging is to be ‘un-designed’ as a result of a landmark ruling by the highest court in Australia. As a result, from December, all fag packets will be olive green, and dominated by large graphic health warnings, with the manufacturers' names printed in a small generic font. This measure, the chief executive of the Publi

Mattel's new gender-neutral dolls pander to damaging adult concerns. The release of gender-neutral dolls by Mattel will no more affect a...

The Burger King 'Mouldy Whopper' campaign leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Corporate giant Burger King has managed to make the news with...