Design Portfolio


The Way Things Goin Podcast


Brand Identity, video production & Content System Design

 

A rustic wooden door with black metal hinges and hardware stands weathered against a stone wall.

Preface

The Way Things Goin’ is a conversational podcast focused on culture, commentary, and current conversations. I was responsible for building the visual identity from scratch and managing the ongoing digital presentation of the show across YouTube and Instagram.


This project combined brand identity design, video editing, thumbnail strategy, and content system development.


Project  Identity Development

The logo began as hand sketches exploring structure, balance, and personality. The goal was to create something bold, memorable, and immediately recognizable at small sizes.


The final direction features:

  • A strong, vintage-inspired serif wordmark
  • Angled typography to add motion and personality
  • A custom microphone icon integrated into the logo
  • Subtle sound-wave detail to reinforce the podcast medium


The typography choice communicates weight and authority, while the tilt and microphone add energy and relevance. The logo was designed to remain legible in black and white, ensuring flexibility across digital and print formats.

 

A spiral-bound notebook with hand-drawn logo sketches and doodles on white paper against a dark background.

Thumbnail & Visual Strategy

Podcast content lives or dies by visual clarity on small screens.


For YouTube thumbnails and Instagram reels covers, I developed a consistent layout system that includes:

  • Prominent episode title in high-contrast serif typography
  • Branded logo placement for instant recognition
  • Darkened overlays to ensure text legibility over footage
  • Consistent type scale hierarchy for readability on mobile


This created a repeatable visual framework that strengthens brand recognition with every upload.

Consistency builds trust. Recognition builds retention.



Website navigation menu with multiple 'WHAT' text links displayed in white against a dark background.

Video Editing & Platform Optimization

Beyond design, I managed the editing process for:

  • Full-length YouTube episodes
  • Vertical Instagram reels
  • Social preview clips


Each platform required different pacing and formatting. YouTube episodes prioritized conversational flow and clean audio transitions. Instagram reels focused on tighter cuts, dynamic subtitles, and visually engaging moments optimized for short attention spans.


The content was structured to maintain brand continuity while adapting to platform-specific behavior patterns.

Black and white photo series showing recording studio equipment and control room setup with mixing console and monitors.

Channel and Page Mockups

The brand identity was extended across:

  • YouTube channel banner
  • Profile icons
  • Episode thumbnail templates
  • Promotional social media graphics


This ensured that every viewer touchpoint — from search results to homepage to episode previews — felt cohesive and intentional.


Multiple laptop screens showing a website interface displayed in a row on a gray surface.
A black and white website navigation menu bar with multiple tabs and buttons arranged horizontally.
A black and white YouTube video thumbnail template with text reading 'THE WAY THINGS GOING' and 'EXAMPLE THUMBNAIL'.
Two people sit together on a podcast set with 'The Way Things Going' text overlay in black and white.
Two people sitting in a dark room with a glowing sign that reads 'THE WAY THINGS GOING' above them.
A series of black and white photos showing someone sitting in a chair with text overlays reading 'LOOKS' and 'FAMILIAR'.
A black and white podcast or talk show banner with 'LET'S TALK ABOUT IT' text in bold typography.
Two people sitting in a podcast studio setup with microphones and headphones under 'The Way Things Goes' sign.
Three podcast recording studio scenes with microphones and headphones showing a radio discussion setup in dim lighting.