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Episode 202: Todd Radom – Pro Sports Logo Designer, Branding All-Star

Todd Radom, the Designer, Sports Branding Expert, and Writer, joins the show to share his journey from designing book covers to designing the logos for a Super Bowl, MLB and NBA All-Star Games, MLB teams, and Ice Cube’s BIG3 basketball league. Hear how to design a lasting logo, what makes a logo jump off the page, Todd’s approach for the Super Bowl XXXVIII logo, his favorite pro sports uniforms of all time, and the hardest thing in the world to draw. This episode covers everything from the Washington Nationals logo to top throwback uniforms. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• What makes a visually-appealing book cover
• How did Todd get into the sports design world
• When did he get his first official pro sports client
• How confident was he the MLB would be interested in his work
• Does he ever interact with people in the wild wearing his logos
• What’s different about creating logos for a brand new franchise vs. existing franchises
• How do clients decide which design is the winner
• Why do cartoon hands have 4 fingers

Connect with Todd at ToddRadom.com and Twitter and Instagram @ToddRadom.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.

Show Notes

• Intro & Designing Book Covers
  • [0:30] Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:40] Connect with Todd at ToddRadom.com and Twitter and Instagram @ToddRadom
  • [2:10] Cooperstown
  • [2:29] Short & sweet
  • [3:18] What makes a visually-appealing book cover
  • [3:50] Book Publishing
  • [3:53] Penguin Books
  • [4:51] Bazinga
  • [5:05] Amazon
  • [5:22] How do you make eye-popping book covers
  • [5:51] Stephen King
  • [6:17] Point of Purchase (POP)
  • [7:06] What kind of art did Todd’s parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents do
  • [8:24] DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)
  • [9:08] Parsons School of Design
  • [9:57] Awwwwww!
  • [10:32] What a bummer!
  • [11:22] Accounting

• Designing Sports Logos & Brands
  • [11:51] What a direct segue
  • [12:14] How did Todd get into the sports design world
  • [12:21] Guilty
  • [12:43] Headliners
  • [12:48] Bobbleheads
  • [13:17] Internet
  • [13:50] World Hockey Association (WHA), World Football League (WFL), ABA (American Basketball Association)
  • [14:22] New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, American League
  • [14:50] How accurate were Todd’s pro sports drawings when he was younger
  • [15:14] Adobe Illustrator
  • [15:32] When did Todd get his first official pro sports client
  • [15:40] School of Visual Arts (SVA)
  • [15:57] What a combo
  • [16:10] Iconography
  • [17:01] MLB (Major League Baseball), NBA (National Basketball Association), NFL (National Football League)
  • [17:41] Cold Calling
  • [17:45] Advertising Agencies (Ad Agencies)
  • [18:38] Los Angeles Dodgers Winter Tour Patch
  • [18:50] Knoxville Blue Jays, Knoxville Smokies
  • [19:22] Minor League Baseball (MiLB)
  • [19:38] How confident was Todd the MLB would be interested in his work
  • [19:55] American Express (AMEX), AT&T, Simon & Schuster
  • [20:40] St. Martin’s Press
  • [21:46] What was Todd’s first big “pinch me” moment
  • [22:21] Milwaukee Brewers (’94)
  • [23:37] Does Todd ever interact with people in the wild wearing his logos
  • [24:44] Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels, Anaheim Angels
  • [25:04] How does Todd develop graphic identities for MLB teams
  • [26:20] Technology (Tech)
  • [27:41] Montreal Expos
  • [28:30] Washington Senators, Texas Rangers
  • [28:41] What’s different about creating logos for a brand new franchise vs. existing franchises
  • [29:05] Thank you!
  • [30:55] Geeeeez
  • [31:12] Backyard Baseball, Humongous Melonheads
  • [32:16] How did Todd create the official logo for Super Bowl XXXVIII
  • [34:08] Beautifully done
  • [34:53] Does it change Todd’s approach when there are more eyeballs on a project
  • [35:43] Environmental Graphics
  • [36:42] Super Bowel lol
  • [36:54] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool. Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com (bottom of the page)

• Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
  • [37:56] Does Todd have any must-haves when designing a logo of any sort
  • [38:33] Humongous All-Stars
  • [39:27] And is so humble
  • [39:38] Is there a framework Todd typically goes with for pro sports logos
  • [40:03] Zoom
  • [41:07] Formula 1 (F1)
  • [43:12] Bart Simpson Chalkboard (Shoutout Nancy!)
  • [43:32] What makes something jump off the page at you
  • [44:17] How dare we
  • [44:28] How do clients decide which design is the winner
  • [45:43] How do you be and stay creative
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [48:32] Montreal Canadiens Home Jersey
  • [49:08] Detroit Tigers
  • [50:02] Houston Astros Rainbow Uniforms
  • [50:33] Toronto Blue Jays Original Uniform Set
  • [50:47] Modern Perfection by Todd Radom & Max Branstetter
  • [51:18] Hartford Whalers
  • [51:42] What’s the hardest thing in the world to draw
  • [52:38] Graphic Design
  • [52:51] What’s a weird talent Todd has
  • [53:07] Couldn’t resist
  • [53:39] “It Was a Good Day” by Ice Cube, BIG3
  • [53:51] What’s something about Ice Cube most people would be surprised by
  • [55:47] Connect with Todd at ToddRadom.com and Twitter and Instagram @ToddRadom
  • [56:07] What are Todd’s Final Thoughts
  • [56:37] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And 5 stars on Apple Podcasts & Spotify if you’re feeling super nice
  • [57:00] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on GoodPods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [57:04] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @MaxBranstetter
  • [57:07] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [57:11] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com (bottom of the page)
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

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Thanks for listening to Todd Radom on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about it. And doodle some new sports logo ideas with them until 3am. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!