We’re just six days into 2021 and the simulation is already broken. Yesterday (January 5), the CIA unveiled its latest rebrand, seemingly designed by your boyfriend via his east London design start-up.

In an attempt to disguise itself as anything other than a government agency, the CIA has accidentally launched a monthly minimal techno night at Printworks. As well as *aesthetic* graphics introducing the intelligence service’s deliberately diverse poster employees, the CIA has dropped a new (very hip) logo, which appears to be inspired by Joy Division’s little-known 1979 album, Unknown Pleasures.

In a bizarre turn of events, Ryder Ripps has claimed responsibility for the rebrand. The artist has previously done the branding for the likes of VFiles and 88Rising, created campaigns for Gucci and Pornhub, and even designed Kanye West and Grimes’ respective album campaigns for Yandhi and Miss Anthropocene. TBC if Ripps is trolling us though, as a Canadian website called Exclaim! claims to have received a statement from the CIA which dismisses the designer’s involvement. 

Who knows, and, truthfully, who cares. Anyway, inevitably there are now memes. Here’s some good ones.