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Front and Center

CENTER

Each week, award-winning graphic designer Alex Center and co-host Kevin Batory discuss branding, design, pop culture, and more. New episodes drop every Wednesday.

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30 episodes
weekly
Avg 59 min
English

Episodes 30

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October 28 · 1 hr 2 min
International Man of Motion: with Christopher Noort of Studio Dumbar/DEPT®
We're pleased to welcome Christopher Noort to the show! Christopher is the Lead Designer at Studio Dumbar. He is a multidisciplinary designer with a curious eye for new design tools and a passion for experimental typography. He is responsible for leading multiple projects, including the Design In Motion Festival, OpenAI, the Utah Jazz, Apple, Entropy, D&AD, and many others. Christopher tells about his humble beginnings, getting into design via gaming message boards, starting at Studio Dumbar as an intern, the renegade Gert Dumbar, the iconic Liza Enebeis, the Studio’s process, their “kitchen reviews”, and so much more. What a delightful Dutchman! Enjoy!
October 21 · 1 hr 5 min
That's the Special Offer: with Brent David Freaney
For the first time in Front and Center history… We’ve got a Grammy winner on the show! Brent David Freaney is a NYC-based Art Director and Designer who founded the award-winning creative tech company Special Offer. Special Offer is a team of nine designers, directors, and producers. They do creative direction, art direction, campaign identity, visual identity systems, website design and development, album artwork, exhibition design, titles for film and television, and much more. They did the design and Art Direction for Charli xcx’s Brat, Rosalía’s Lux, and Madonna’s Confessions II, plus a variety of work for i-D Magazine, Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh, Tame Impala, Prada, and Martine Rose. Brent is a considerate and hilarious dude, and we had so much fun picking his brain and chopping it up with him. Enjoy!
October 14 · 46 min
We Make Sandwiches, Not Time Machines
Alex and Kevin are back with a topic show! They talk about Kelly Clarkson vs. Art of Play, the $60 loaf, Cute AI agents, the new passport, Wendy’s emo album, Dunkin’ x L.L.Bean, Hidden Valley Spooky Ranch, Subway’s Lunchtime Horrors, Butterfingers Pizza, Bush's Chili Magic, the Taco Bell Ultramarathon, and more!
September 30 · 48 min
A Breath of Fresh Air: with Alex Tan and Abraham Campillo of Mouthwash Studio
WE GOT MOUTHWASH STUDIO IN THE HOUSE! We are thrilled to welcome Strategy Director & Partner Alex Tan and Creative Director & Partner Abraham Campillo to the program! Mouthwash is a design studio centered on new ideas and defining experiences, partnering with this generation’s leading brands and innovators to influence culture. Their approach challenges industry standards, adopts new technologies, and strives for a lasting positive impact. Over time, their work has naturally led them towards industry leaders across art, architecture, fashion, sustainability, technology, and beyond. They’ve worked with brands like Apple, Bonnie Clyde, Fender, Google, Lululemon, Nike, The North Face, OpenAI, Rimowa, Seed, and the Utah Jazz to name a few. They recently opened an all-day café in Los Angeles: Café Tondo. They also write Findings, a newsletter on the influences and trends that are quietly shaping our culture. And they make a successful magazine: Mouthwash Magazine, an exhibition in print for contemporary culture, art, and photography. Mouthwash is a creative powerhouse, a studio started by friends who met on Instagram and just liked working together, and they haven’t looked back since, and they never will. Enjoy!
September 23 · 37 min
GO HARD OR GO HOME
This week on Front and Center… Alex and Kevin bring the heat. They talk about Hyrox athlete Joanna Wietrzyk, Sydney Sweeney’s new Novig campaign, Jessica Hische’s Muse logo controversy, Trump ‘rebranding’ AI, the new foldable iPhone, the Streetfighter popcorn bucket, big Capri Sun, the rotisserie chicken bag, the Betty Crocker slice of cake bag, Merriam-Webster’s new words, Buzzball x Poptarts, and more!
September 16 · 59 min
Live @ Forum: with Bryan-K. Lamonde and Ariane Leblanc
This week we are (were) live from Montreal! Our first-ever live podcast, here for your ears. In this episode, we close out a stacked day of incredible creatives speaking at Forum, the Annual Design Assembly in Montreal. Andrea Trabucco introduces us before we talk about the hot, delicious, yet unschmeared bagels we had and how much we like the city so far. We then bring out Ariane Leblanc, co-founder of Martha, and Bryan-K. Lamonde, co-founder and Creative Director of Principal Studio, to discuss Montreal, its design scene, and what makes it exceptionally good; working in two languages, being a good lover, our guilty pleasures, chaos, and more!
September 2 · 1 hr 7 min
Job’s Not Done: with Arthur Foliard
This week we have Arthur Foliard on the pod! Arthur is the Executive Creative Director at Koto New York, where he leads a team and shapes brands through bold ideas, clear systems, and distinct visual worlds. Though we do not talk about Instagram (we recorded this in May), Arthur describes the deliberate slow build of Koto New York into what it is today: a branding powerhouse (my words, not his). He tells us about their work for Bolt, Lyft, Tripadvisor, and Amazon. Their work is alive and distinct on a massive scale. They work on some of the biggest and best projects in the industry, and it is impressive what they’re able to do. Welcome Arthur!
August 26 · 33 min
INSTAGZAM??!
Alex and Kevin are back from California, and due to a scheduling (production) error, the fellas recorded a quick one just a few hours ago! Better late than never! Anyway, they talk about Instagram's new wordmark, Good Good x Callaway, Liquid Death x Garage Beer, JIF, and more!
August 12 · 55 min
ALLAN GOOD FUN
Alex and Kevin are live from Brooklyn with a solo episode! The two tan dudes talk about the Allan Peters A$AP Rocky debacle, Hall Pass, Wemby’s new logo, The Cleveland Sirens Identity, Pepsi trying to troll Coke over their rebrand, Buc-ee's suing everyone, and more!
August 5 · 1 hr
The Ragged Edges of What’s Possible: with Max Ottignon
This week we are so fired up to have Max Ottignon on the show! Max is the co-founder of Ragged Edge, a London-based branding agency building brands globally since 2007. Max created Ragged Edge to do the most impactful work. Not the most work. When they commit, they go all-in. They’ve worked for brands like Wise, Granola, Monzo, Zoe, Papier, Mindful Chef, and Grey Goose to redefine their industries. Ragged Edge pushes the boundaries to make work that demands attention and stands out. Max is a fountain of knowledge and insight. He is one of the most profound minds in the industry, and we had a great conversation with him. Enjoy!
July 29 · 54 min
Cool Sh*t: with Cole Poska aka Spaceboy Cole
Cole Poska, aka @spaceboycole, makes cool shit. He is a Partner and Creative Director at Beyond Studios, and the man behind the viral series Cool Sh*t, where he reimagines what brand merchandise can be by creating bold, culture-driven concepts for both legacy brands to internet favorites. The series has evolved from personal experiments into real-world collaborations, leading to actual projects with Tubi, T-Mobile, BuzzBallz, Welch's, and more. Cole’s energy is positively relentless. He is clever, sharp, and prolific, a true lightning rod for ideas. We had a great time chopping it up with him; he’s a fantastic hang! Enjoy!
July 15 · 37 min
BOOT&TY
Alex and Kevin break it down classic Front and Center style. They talk about the Jay Z concert, the World Cup, Ali-G at Wimbledon, Taylor and Travis’ wedding, Chet Hanks x Julie, the Pirate’s Booty rebrand, Pringles buns, the SpaceXAI logo, and more!
July 8 · 1 hr 45 min
Pentagram Ain’t Nuthing ta F’ Wit: with Emily Oberman
We got Emily Oberman on the program! She is a Partner at Pentagram and perhaps best known for her work in the entertainment industry. Emily has designed the titles for Saturday Night Live for the past 27 years—one of many long-standing relationships with iconic entertainment brands like NBC, Warner Bros, Warner Music Group, DC, and Amazon Prime Video. Her work goes beyond brand identity to touch many of the shows and movies that have become part of the fabric of our culture, including The Tonight Show, the Harry Potter Wizarding World and Fantastic Beasts franchises, Ready Player One, and Justice League. More recently, her work has been featured in critically acclaimed Netflix series like Cheer and Last Chance U. Since joining Pentagram in 2012, Emily’s work has spanned a wide array of industries, from expanding further into entertainment (Kevin Hart’s production company Hartbeat and the Russo brothers’ AGBO) to motion graphics (nine years of campaigns for the Film Independent Spirit Awards) to restaurants and hospitality (the Michelin-starred Cote Korean Steak House) to culture and non-profit (social justice organization Dream.org) to health and wellness (the menopause care startup Phenology) to products and retail (the rebrand of American Girl). Her work has even ventured beyond Earth with the space flight company Virgin Galactic. Emily is the best, she is talented, humble, and down to earth. We are honored to have her as our guest on the program, and lucky to call her our new friend! Enjoy the show!
July 1 · 50 min
RESPECT THE SPECS
Alex and Kevin are back from Cannes (a studio offsite to Upstate), and Kevin is reminded that he won 2 Lions several years ago, lol. They go on to talk about Philly Poopgate, the Knicks Parade and the great trash can heist, Ben Stiller’s arms, World Cup Fever, the Messi Statue, more FIFA-mandated logo cover-ups, Rick Ruben x Polymarket, the new Meta Glasses, Specs, and more!
June 17 · 51 min
WORLD CHAMPS!
Alex is back. The Knicks are World Champions! The World Cup is here, and so are many people from all over the world discovering American delicacies like BBQ, Costco, and complimentary chips and salsa. Zorhan was at the finals and the World Cup, and had time to drop the hottest RFP for NYC Groceries, with all of New York’s best studios chomping at the bit for the job. Coke launches collectible World Cup cans. Coors launches a super tallboy (not filled with beer, yet). Stadiums debrand at FIFA's request. JKR rebrands KFC. Tom Brady launches Good Nut. This and more right from the epicenter of it all, NYC!
June 3 · 1 hr 8 min
FREAKISHLY STURDY STOCK: with Thomas Pokorn
Thomas Pokorn is an Austrian-born Creative Strategist and Copywriter. He specializes in creative concepts and verbal identity for branding and advertising, always finding ways to express distinct personalities and connect with audiences through narrative. He’s worked with brands including Google, Red Bull, New Balance, Dove, Porsche, Herman Miller, Unilever, Pernod Ricard, Coinbase, and many more. Thomas worked with us on AYOH!, Quip, and a few other brands that are yet to launch. Thomas Pokorn is a beast. Prolific, thoughtful, funny, efficient, giant, quick wit it, lightning rod for ideas; are just a few words I could say to describe the man with whom we’ve had the pleasure of working many times over now. He’s simply the best. In this casual conversation, we learn about Thomas’ background and how he got into copywriting and strategy through his journalism studies. He tells us where he finds all of his words. (you’ll never guess where) We endure some technical difficulties, riff, and talk about Batman before we discuss Thomas’ ethos and approach to work. It’s a freaking weird, funny, and unpredictable ride. Enjoy!
May 27 · 51 min
KNICKS FOR CLICKS
Alex and Kevin are back in the studio to talk about the hottest topics in design and branding (the New York Knicks). We circle back many times on the Knicks, as Alex is very excited (AS HE SHOULD BE!) about his favorite team advancing to the finals for the first time this millennium! Alex recaps his time in London, judging the D&AD awards before going into Iceman, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, The Enhanced Games, David’s Tinned Fish and Ice Cream, Spotify’s disco ball ‘blunder’, Threads’ new logo, Bush’s summer beans, and more!
May 13 · 1 hr 41 min
The Nostalgia Plug: with Jason Liebig
Today, we welcome Jason Liebig to the show! Jason is a brand historian, packaging archivist, and former marketing exec at DC Comics and Warner Bros, and story exec at Marvel. He’s the founder of CollectingCandy.com, an insane archive of vintage candy and snack packaging, which has led him to serve as the behind-the-scenes consultant for shows like Stranger Things, Mad Men, The Queen’s Gambit, and The Goldbergs, making sure every prop is era-perfect. You may have seen him on the History Channel on The Food That Built America and The Mega-Brands That Built America, and now on Hazardous History alongside Henry Winkler. Jason tells us his origin story, how he started his collection, and how it grew from a hobby into a profession. He also brought a ton of items from his archive to show and tell. Jason’s enthusiasm for brands is second to none; he’s a one-of-a-kind guy and an encyclopedia of knowledge. We truly could have talked for another 3 hours, if not more! Do yourself a favor and check out his archive; it’ll make you very happy. Enjoy! Links FLICKR: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonliebigstuff/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/collectingcandy/ HIS WEBSITE: http://collectingcandy.com/wordpress/
April 29 · 40 min
6-7 Forever
This week on Front and Center… Alex and Kevin are back together in the studio! They talk about the Onion taking over Infowars, Adidas (Sabastian Sawe and Tigist Assefa) winning the London Marathon, Nike’s Boston Marathon blunder, Bronny’s rejected trademark, The Rams uniform updates, the Falcons uniform updates, the Ravens uniform updates, the Falcons uniform updates, Mr. 57, 67 chicken nuggets, Bud Light mini, Allbirds pivots to AI, Drake’s Album release date release, and more!
April 22 · 1 hr 1 min
The Moment of Tension: with Jessica Dimcevski
Today, we are fired up to have Jessica Dimcevski on the show! Jess is the Founder and Creative Director of Blurr Bureau, a Design and Venture Studio that builds brands connected through purpose and profit. They work with ambitious founders, marketers, and creators to help define their brands at key moments in their businesses. The Bureau believes that the brands that change the world are those built on a tension between ideas. Jess and her worldwide team work with brands of all shapes and sizes. You may have seen some of their most recent work. Flings, Yes Apples, and Nuda are among the new and exciting brands they’ve worked with. If you haven’t seen the work, look it up; it’s fire! Jess chops it up with us for an enthusiastic yet casual chat. She talks about her background and where she developed her strategy-first, research-based approach, and schools us about Apples, Australia, and the best grocery stores in New York. Give it a listen, and enjoy!

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