Episodes

Sometimes, in spite of their better judgment, friends choose to join us in the bar. One of our drinking buddies is a designer, autodidact and bon vivant in Seattle and beyond named Terry Marks. Today we ask him some thought-provoking questions over a few drinks: What’s an iconic design from your childhood? What logo brings a smile to your face? Who is your favorite cartoon character? If you like this conversation, be sure to listen to the other three we've had with Terry. - - - - - Visit o...

We’re wrapping-up our second season with one last six pack of our best clips. Consider it our carryout special until we return with some Bar Snacks.

Today we’re back with a big stack of goodies from our second season. Consider it your Dagwood sandwich of audio deliciousness. Ingredients include product flops from Coca-Cola and Google, movie props including a tiny business card and a giant W, a couple of stories about the Olympics in Denver and Los Angeles (one good, one bad), a return to Saturday morning with some cartoon characters (all of whom happen to be pink), history lessons from Switzerland and Panama in the form of flags, and we fini...

Today, we’re talking about the symbols found all over the one dollar bill—think pyramids with eyes—and the alphabet hobos used to communicate with their fellow travelers.

Today we explore two different examples of amazing title design for two shows on HBO, Carnivalé and Six Feet Under.

For our special Halloween episode we talk about the posters for B movies Tarantula and Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman plus the artist behind them both, Reynold Brown.

Today’s episode is loud, fast and very DIY. We jump in to talk about two of our favorite logos from two iconic bands, The Dead Kennedys and The Ramones.

In this episode we explain the circumstances that led up to two iconic images: Bigfoot walking across a dry creek bed and a group of American soldiers raising a flag halfway around the world from the United States.

Today we jump into a collection of front pages from The Ohion entitled Our Dumb Century and then turn the page to highlight designer and author Chip Kidd’s incredible book Batman Collected.

Today we’re talking sports mascots. First we drop into Milwaukee to visit The Famous Racing Sausages and then swing by Central New York to spend time with the Syracuse Orange.

Flags are one of the most well-known symbols for countries, cities and movements. Today we discuss a couple of our favorites from Switzerland and Panama.

With this episode, it’s Saturday morning. And for decades for kids of all ages that meant morning cartoons. Today we discuss a couple of our favorites from The Pink Panther and The Three Little Bops.

Nothing brings the world together every couple of years like the Olympic Games. In this episode we discuss what did (or didn’t) happen in Denver in 1976 and the Technicolor vibrancy of Los Angeles in 1984.

In this episode we discuss two movies where a couple of designed props—one small, one big—set things in motion. First we talk about business cards causing all sorts of problems in American Psycho’s game of boardroom one upmanship. Then we shift to a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad ensemble comedy with a 1963 who’s who of Hollywood as everyone searches for “The Big W.” - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! https://www.twodesignerswa...

Today we tell the stories of a couple of big product failures from giants Coca-Cola (OK Soda) and Google (Google Glass).

Today we’re back with even more sound bites from our first season. This is your six foot party sub of an episode, so grab a speaker and bring a healthy appetite.

Today we’re providing some hot and ready sound bites from our first season. This is your Everything sheet pizza to satisfy a larger appetite, so pack earbuds and bring a bib. Toppings include MAD Magazine, KISS and the 200th birthday party of the United States, posters for rural electrification and a little hope courtesy of Barack Obama and Shepard Fairey, Reddy Kilowatt and Big Boy, street culture in the form of a blue screaming hand and a character named Ratfink, and a bunch of unsung logos fo...

Hey, Vern. In this episode we discuss how artwork advertising cigars became a cornerstone for kitsch and a character promoting local businesses became a movie star. What is the deal with dogs playing poker, anyway? And how did Ernest P. Worrell go from plugging local car lots in Nashville to saving Christmas in movie theaters across the country? We answer these questions and introduce you to what may be the coolest artist name in history. - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, t...

In this episode, we talk product parody with the trading card collections Wacky Packages and Garbage Pail Kids.

In this episode we talk about iconic roadside signs from Union 76, Holiday Inn, and where they can be found today.

Ever wonder why a tire company is most known for a blimp? Or why an animation studio has a desk lamp as its trademark? We did. Turns out Goodyear and Pixar didn’t invent either of these things. Learn the origin stories of Goodyear’s blimps, Pixar’s loveable Luxo lamp, and how these adopted objects transcended their initial utility to become known around the world. - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! https://www.twode...

Hooray for Hollywood(land)! In our first bonus episode (there was simply too much goodness to pack into our movie logo stories), we wrap-up our logo conversation and Todd shares a trivia nugget about Ghostbusters and goes deeper on The Rocketeer. We then shift into talking about the most iconic of movie icons: The Hollywood Sign. - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! https://www.twodesignerswalkintoabar.com/episodes/ep...

Today we’re telling the stories of the logos for the movies Ghostbusters and The Rocketeer. Proton pack, rocket pack... Doesn’t matter to us as long as your gear includes quality headphones.

Today we’re talking about a couple of sweet typefaces — Hobo and Cooper Black — and why you see them everywhere on pop culture touchstones.