Ep. 048 – Allan Peters, A$AP Rocky & the Design Influencer Dilemma

In this episode, Brad and Dustin dig into the recent Allan Peters and A$AP Rocky situation, but the real conversation goes much deeper. It turns into a bigger discussion about design influencers, public criticism, jealousy, visibility, client work, AI, and why there may not be one morally pure way to build a creative career anymore.It is part industry therapy session, part internet anthropology, and part two designers trying to figure out why everyone is suddenly so mad.In this episode, we talk about:The Allan Peters and A$AP Rocky situation and why sharing a private DM might be more complicated than it looked at first.Why “fixing” famous logos makes designers so angry even when the content is educational, entertaining, and clearly working.The tension between craft and visibility and why being great at design does not automatically make people pay attention to your work.What design influencers actually do for the industry including the uncomfortable possibility that they make human design more visible in an AI-heavy world.How jealousy sneaks into creative criticism especially when someone else’s version of success looks easier, louder, or less “earned” than yours.Whether you love design influencers, hate them, or quietly watch every logo breakdown while pretending you don’t care, this episode is about the bigger question underneath it all. What do we actually value in creative work now, and how do we decide what success is supposed to look like?Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREEClick here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email seriesNote: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.Brad WoodardBrad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.View Brave the WoodsDustin LeeDustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.View RetroSupplyCreditsAudio/video editing: Clara Wright Cover art: Brad WoodardIntro animation: Seth AustinIntro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström