Overview of Exit Interview With Michael Bierut
This episode of 99% Invisible (host Roman Mars) is an “exit interview” with celebrated graphic designer Michael Bierut on the occasion of his stepping back from Pentagram into semi‑retirement. Over a wide‑ranging conversation Bierut reflects on breakthrough projects, missed opportunities, his design philosophy, recent trends (political branding, book covers, Billboard charts), and what he plans to do next—especially mentoring and supporting younger designers.
Key takeaways
- Michael Bierut is stepping back from full‑time practice because he felt his capacity for the hands‑on craft was changing and he wanted to design his way into new work rather than cling to the old.
- His favorite part of the job is working with and seeing others on his team solve problems—he’ll miss that collaborative joy most.
- Good design balances the familiar and the novel; effective choices are rooted in audience references and context.
- Bierut emphasizes listening to clients: early in his career he argued too much; later he learned to ask questions and be curious.
- Late‑career impact can be more about mentorship and enabling others than doing everything yourself.
Career highlights and memorable projects
- Early breakthrough: a reversible invitation (furniture show ↔ NASA lecture) — a literal flip that read as two different images depending on orientation. Bierut calls it a formative moment in inventive problem‑solving.
- New York Times building signage: instead of one massive sign, the logo was split into 300+ small horizontal elements installed on the building’s horizontal ceramic rods; from the street they read as an opaque, legible NYT sign. Bierut described seeing it installed as a visceral, celebratory moment.
- Billboard charts redesign: transformed a dense list into a richer information design, using color and typographic hierarchy to show not only rank but movement and context—making the chart both functional and emotionally resonant for the artists it represents.
- High‑profile identity work mentioned: Verizon checkmark; logos/redesign work for Yahoo, Slack, Mastercard, Saks Fifth Avenue, New York Jets; Hillary Clinton’s campaign “H” logo (the arrowed H).
Regrets and lessons learned
- Bierut discussed an early catalog (Robert Wilson) he designed cheaply while still a student—technically competent but failing to capture the emotional and experiential core of the subject. He views it as a recurring lesson: you often lack crucial knowledge early on.
- Lesson learned over time: shut up and listen. Client insight and context often point to better solutions than arguing for a favored approach without full understanding.
Design philosophy and recurring themes
- Negotiation between familiar and novel: Bierut cites Raymond Loewy’s idea that successful design riffs between what people already know and something surprising enough to be memorable.
- Designers are “custodians” of cultural artifacts (e.g., hits on the Billboard chart): design should respect the emotional meaning people attach to objects and moments.
- Information design matters: good charts and typographic systems allow audiences to read multiple layers of information quickly and intuitively.
- Emotional context can outweigh cleverness: the maroon paperback Catcher in the Rye cover (plain type, no image) was powerful because of the emotional and cultural meaning it signaled to Bierut as a young reader.
Views on current trends (examples discussed)
- Zoran Mamdani’s NYC mayoral campaign:
- Bierut praises its rootedness in local visual references (subway/taxi color palette, bodega hand‑painted lettering, Knicks/Mets colors), which made the identity feel authentic and “street‑corner” rather than pandering.
- He stresses that strong design helped but did not alone win support—the candidate’s media/screen presence and ability to connect were equally crucial.
- Predicts many campaigns will emulate the style once it proves successful.
- Book cover trends:
- Many covers signal genre/reader expectations (a kind of packaging problem). Trends spread because publishers try to visually “signal” that a book belongs to a category readers already like.
- Bierut notes the tension between honoring the author’s singular expression and designing for a crowded retail environment.
- Billboard and data visualization:
- Good chart redesigns should add layers of readable information (e.g., color to indicate movement or momentum) while preserving the human, celebratory role of the chart.
Advice and closing thoughts
- For designers: cultivate curiosity, ask questions, and let experience accumulate into judgment. Early craft chops may ebb, but accumulated judgment and mentorship become valuable.
- For late career: consider shifting from doing to enabling—use your experience to support and cheer on the next generation.
- On fulfillment: Bierut finds equal delight being a spectator of great design as he does creating it; share credit and delight in others’ successes.
Notable quotes
- “All design is negotiating between the familiar and the novel.” (paraphrasing Raymond Loewy as Bierut discusses it)
- On career stages: early — you don’t know how; middle — your way is the way; late — there are many ways.
- On purpose in later life: “Identify the people that are really going to help move the world forward and give them everything…give them all the support you can give them.”
Actionable takeaways for listeners (designers, clients, and managers)
- Designers: prioritize context and reference—choose visual ingredients that speak to your audience’s lived experience.
- Clients: listen to designers but also provide rich, honest context; a designer can’t invent cultural weight without guidance.
- Managers/mentors: late‑career professionals can have outsized impact by mentoring, cheerleading, and enabling younger teams rather than trying to do every project hands‑on.
Where to find more
- The episode references Bierut’s earlier 2017 appearance on 99% Invisible (recommended).
- Michael Bierut’s book(s) and Pentagram portfolio contain deeper case studies (the episode mentions a book Bierut wrote that includes the Billboard story).
Produced by Roman Mars and 99% Invisible; this interview blends specific project anecdotes with broad, practical wisdom on design, careers, and how design communicates meaning in public life.