Episodes

  • Episode 130: Cups, Plates and Trophy Design

    Episode 130: Cups, Plates and Trophy Design
    Apr 1 2026
    With March Madness wrapping-up and spring break calling, we’re revisiting one of our classic episodes. If you wander into any school, bar or thrift store, you're bound to see a collection of trophies. Have you ever wondered why they often look like cups, plates and other objects you wouldn't think about grabbing after a robust game of tennis or an intense hockey match? We did, and we’ve got a couple of amazing examples we’re talking about today: Wimbledon's Venus Rosewater Dish for women's tennis and The Stanley Cup for men's hockey. We’re digging into the curious history of why some of the biggest wins come with even stranger hardware. It’s time to grab a couple flutes of champagne to help us toast our latest episode, right here in the bar. - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! https://www.twodesignerswalkintoabar.com/episode-130-trophy-design-classic - - - - - Mentioned in this episode: Wimbledon's Venus Rosewater Dish The Stanley Cup - - - - - Have a question or idea for Todd and Elliot? Send a note to hello@twodesignerswalkintoabar.com and we promise to read it. After that it’s anyone’s guess. - - - - - Visit our merch page to have a look at stuff we’ve made for listeners just like you and support us on Patreon for subscriber-only extras. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    36 mins
  • Episode 129: Punk Meets Tech and New Wave is Born (Classic)

    Episode 129: Punk Meets Tech and New Wave is Born (Classic)
    Mar 18 2026
    We’re revisiting one of our classic episodes. Bold colors. Funky haircuts. The Cold War and the Cola Wars. Video games and MTV. Japanese electronics and European fashion. Iconic music and movies... If New Wave was a style and attitude, then music was the delivery device. In this episode we discuss the political climate, creative activity and DIY attitudes that led to the formation and rise of one of pop culture’s signature eras. So place your order for a couple of 'Synth Wave cocktails, because we’ve got new haircuts and we're gonna be poppin' and lockin' back here in the bar. - - - - - Mentioned in this episode: “New Wave Graphics Are the Most Influential Designs You’ve Probably Ignored” https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/why-new-wave-graphics-are-the-most-influential-designs-youve-probably-ignored/ “The History and Bands of New Wave Music” https://www.masterclass.com/articles/new-wave-music-guide “Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die: Punk Graphic Design” and “Reversing Into the Future: New Wave Graphic Design” https://www.emmanuelgallery.org/punk-and-new-wave “My Frame is True: New Wave Posters - in Pictures” https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2021/oct/02/punk-and-new-wave-posters-reversing-into-the-future-in-pictures Reversing Into the Future, a book from Andrew Krivine https://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/the-daily-heller-and-the-beast-goes-on/ - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! https://www.twodesignerswalkintoabar.com/episodes/episode-129-punk-meets-tech - - - - - Have a question or idea for Todd and Elliot? Send a note to hello@twodesignerswalkintoabar.com and we promise to read it. After that it’s anyone’s guess. - - - - - Visit https://www.twodesignerswalkintoabar.com/merch to have a look at stuff we’ve made for listeners just like you and support us on Patreon [ https://patreon.com/twodesignerswalkintoabar?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink ] for subscriber-only extras. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    41 mins
  • Episode 128: Homage Designs - A Poster for Swatch and an Orgy for Disney

    Episode 128: Homage Designs - A Poster for Swatch and an Orgy for Disney
    Mar 4 2026
    Everyone says that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But if that were true, copyright law wouldn’t need to exist. We’re discussing a couple of items that could be called homages…or could be called unfair (or even unauthorized) use (but we’ll leave that up to you): a Swatch poster from the ‘80s and The Disneyland Memorial Orgy from the '60s, two projects with colorful artwork and equally colorful backstories. So place your order for a Rainbow Paradise, because we’re drawing unwanted attention once again here in the bar. - - - - - Mentioned in this episode: Paula Scher Swatch The Disneyland Memorial Orgy The Realist Paul Krassner Wally Wood - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! https://www.twodesignerswalkintoabar.com/episodes/episode-128-homage-designs - - - - - Have a question or idea for Todd and Elliot? Send a note to hello@twodesignerswalkintoabar.com and we promise to read it. After that it’s anyone’s guess. - - - - - Visit our Merch page to have a look at stuff we’ve made for listeners just like you and support us on Patreon for subscriber-only extras. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    50 mins
  • Episode 127: Psychedelia Comes Down, Hangs Around and Gets Reinvented

    Episode 127: Psychedelia Comes Down, Hangs Around and Gets Reinvented
    Feb 18 2026
    For one last time, we’re delving into the depths of our expanded minds to talk about the impact of psychedelia on popular culture. We may have been at the bar a bit too long getting our minds…expanded. We have a lot to talk about today as we discuss what happened with psychedelia after The Summer of Love and Woodstock. (Spoiler alert: Nothing like going mainstream to kill a counterculture style.) So help us out by grabbing a couple of Flaming Unicorns as we come back down to earth, right here in the bar. - - - - - Mentioned in this episode: Psychedelic Era Psychedelic Fashion John Alcorn Roger Dean McDonald’s TV Commercial Kai’s Power Tools - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! https://www.twodesignerswalkintoabar.com/episodes/episode-127-psychedelia-part-3 - - - - - Have a question or idea for Todd and Elliot? Send a note to hello@twodesignerswalkintoabar.com and we promise to read it. After that it’s anyone’s guess. - - - - - Visit our merch page to have a look at stuff we’ve made for listeners just like you and support us on Patreon for subscriber-only extras. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • Episode 126: The 1960s and the Era of Peak Psychedelia

    Episode 126: The 1960s and the Era of Peak Psychedelia
    Feb 4 2026
    In our last episode we talked about the origins of psychedelia and learned about Bicycle Day celebrated every April. (Hint: it involved a lot of science and experimentation along with maybe a little bit of balance.) Today we dive into the era of peak psychedelia: the mid ‘60s. We talk about the design and music inspired by this—ahem—experimentation and how that informed pop culture for a generation. So, ask the bartender for some Magic Mushroom cocktails and join us as we trip our way back into the bar. - - - - - Mentioned in this episode: Psychedelia Human Be-In Wes Wilson Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely Robert Crumb Rick Griffin Victor Moscoso Alton Kelley Stanley Mouse - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! https://www.twodesignerswalkintoabar.com/episodes/episode-126-psychedelia-part-2 - - - - - Have a question or idea for Todd and Elliot? Send a note to hello@twodesignerswalkintoabar.com and we promise to read it. After that it’s anyone’s guess. - - - - - Visit our Merch page to have a look at stuff we’ve made for listeners just like you and support us on Patreon for subscriber-only extras. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • Episode 125: The Origin Story of Psychedelia

    Episode 125: The Origin Story of Psychedelia
    Jan 21 2026
    Today we’re taking a trip through the looking glass. We’re kicking off our series on psychedelia with its origins, the impact on a generation of pop culture and its lasting effects. Psychedelia’s origins are messy, fascinating, and full of odd little historical crosscurrents. We discuss science, bicycle rides and the first official album of psychedelic music. So, ask the bartender for a couple of Psychedelic Frogs—and to see if they can stop the walls from dripping rainbow colors—as we chase the white rabbit through the window and back into the bar. - - - - - Mentioned in this episode: Psychedelia Albert Hofmann Aldous Huxley Timothy Leary Ken Kesey The 13th Floor Elevators - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! https://www.twodesignerswalkintoabar.com/episodes/episode-125-psychedelia-part-1 - - - - - Have a question or idea for Todd and Elliot? Send a note to hello@twodesignerswalkintoabar.com and we promise to read it. After that it’s anyone’s guess. - - - - - Visit our Merch page to have a look at stuff we’ve made for listeners just like you and support us on Patreon for subscriber-only extras. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • Episode 124: Talking Food Mascots with Kirk + Kurtts (Classic)

    Episode 124: Talking Food Mascots with Kirk + Kurtts (Classic)
    Jan 7 2026
    We’re revisiting one of our classic episodes. What do Betty Crocker, Charlie Tuna, Tony the Tiger and the oddball characters from Off Limits Cereal have in common? Along with fellow creatives Kirk Visola and Andy Kurtts of the “Kirk and Kurtts” design podcast, they were all our drinking buddies one evening! We chewed the fat with Kirk and Andy about some classic characters and their impact on pop culture (and snacking), and why these same techniques invented decades ago still work today. Order a Bedrock Fizz for yourself (and maybe a few for all of us). It’s time to join four designers back in the bar. - - - - - ⁠Watch the full conversation⁠ on our YouTube channel and ⁠visit our full episode page⁠ for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! - - - - - Mentioned in this episode: ⁠Betty Crocker⁠ ⁠Charlie the Tuna⁠ ⁠Tony the Tiger⁠ ⁠Off Limits Cereal⁠ ⁠Aura Bora Water⁠ - - - - - Have a question or idea for Todd and Elliot? Send a note to hello@twodesignerswalkintoabar.com and we promise to read it. After that it’s anyone’s guess. - - - - - Visit ⁠our merch page⁠ to have a look at stuff we’ve made for listeners just like you and support us on ⁠Patreon⁠ for subscriber-only extras. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • Episode 123: The Origin Story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

    Episode 123: The Origin Story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
    Dec 24 2025
    We have one more Christmas gift for our listeners! Today we’re going to be talking about a holiday icon that began as a marketing stunt. (Let’s be honest. Sometimes it feels like Christmas is just one big marketing stunt.) But we’re with friends, so we're getting into the Christmas spirit. (Or spirits!) Today we’re going to be talking about everyone’s favorite red-nosed reindeer, Rudolph, and his origin story from a retail store’s marketing department to being the guide at the front of Santa’s sleigh. So ask the bartender for a couple of Rudolph’s Tipsy Spritzers because it’s the holiday season back here in the bar. - - - - - Mentioned in this episode: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - - - - - Visit our full episode page for show notes, the visual examples we discuss, additional links and more! https://www.twodesignerswalkintoabar.com/episodes/episode-123-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer - - - - - Have a question or idea for Todd and Elliot? Send a note to hello@twodesignerswalkintoabar.com and we promise to read it. After that it’s anyone’s guess. - - - - - Visit our merch page to have a look at stuff we’ve made for listeners just like you and support us on Patreon for subscriber-only extras. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins