ASKING FOR A FRIEND was a podcast run by Rafael Powell and Kyle de Villiers
I handled all graphic design, typography, web design, and Social media. I kept it simple with a distinctive style. I wrote all copy and social media – the copy is then checked and tweaked by both of us to ensure happiness.
The site is designed using the Squarespace CMS.
VISUAL IDENTITY
The visual identity needed to be eye-catching, colourful but cohesive.
I decided to appeal to nostalgia and pop!
I lifted our colour-scheme from Andy Warhol camouflage swatches. I hoped this would give the images a 60’s/70’s rock-and-roll aesthetic.
This worked in conjunction with Cooper Black typeface, chosen for its legibility and 60’s aesthetic.
Ultimately, we wanted each episode thumbnail to communicate a high-energy nostalgia to match our tone, content and style – an informal cult-movie-review podcast.
The thumbnails were created to be distinctive, but relatively quick to produce. As this was run entirely by the two of us, time was a huge constraint. I design each episode to a unique set of colours chosen for the specific episode.
Basic Flow and information Architecture of web page
The architecture of the website was deliberately simple. It is all designed to need as few clicks as possible for the user to navigate.
EARLY DESIGN
As mentioned, this project was collaborative and as such, we iterated each idea several times. Below are some of our early attempts.
Styling Collaboration
Early Thumbnail Designs
The initial designs were bright, but ultimately we decided they would be too jarring. We eventually decided on the slightly calmer green option, based on a print of Warhol’s soup cans.
Typeface and colour testing
WEBPAGE VISUAL IDENTITY
The design is simple, but striking. I chose a linear flow to allow for the most stream-lined process possible.
The ‘Listen Now’ button is early, chunky and primary-coloured. This is playing into Hick’s Law.
The bright colours mirror our thumbnail, enforcing brand recognition.
All copy was first written by me and then checked and corrected by Kyle before reverting to me for final say.
Our tone is conversational and informal to match the mood of the show.
Rafael Powell 