If you wander into any school, bar or thrift store, you're bound to see a collection of trophies. Have you ever wondered why they often look like cups, plates and other objects you wouldn't think about grabbing after a robust game of tennis or an intense hockey match? We did, and we’ve got a couple of amazing examples we’re talking about today: Wimbledon's Venus Rosewater Dish for women's tennis and The Stanley Cup for men's hockey.

Today we’re discussing the histories of two of the most iconic posters (and characters) in the world: Rosie the Riveter and Uncle Sam. If you’re looking for something to volunteer for, if you’re ready to be part of something bigger than yourself...then listen to our wartime propaganda episode!

It’s time to salute the bartender while asking for a couple of Red White and Blue Shooters. We’re falling in line and supporting the effort today in the bar.

Today we’re talking about a couple of state flag designs. And just like everyone here in the bar, they have unique appearances and colorful histories. In one corner we have the funky flag from Ohio, and in the other we have the boldly graphic flag of Maryland.

It’s time to order a couple of Aviation cocktails. We’re gonna be getting into some different states of mind today in the bar.

Today we’re going all literary, getting in touch with our bookish sides. We’re not being antisocial, but we’ve brought a couple of books to the bar. And in spite of that phrase we all hear so often, we're gonna judge two books, Jurassic Park and The Great Gatsby, by their covers.

So order up a couple of Tequila Mockingbirds. We’ve brought our library cards (and Todd’s credit card) with us to the bar.

Today we’re going aaaalllll Hollywood. We're talking about movie studio logos, quite possibly the oldest examples of liquid branding, with one logo that's been relatively unchanged over close to 100 years and another that has gone through a bit of an identity crisis only to return to a familiar form: 20th Century Fox and Warner Brothers.

So have your people call our people, because we’re having a three martini lunch and making some amazing deals here in the bar.

Today we’re going to be talking about game show logos – the good, the bad and the ugly — and how sometimes all of those qualities could be found in a single piece of artwork. We’re zeroing in on a couple that are loud, busy and colorful, just like the era they were created in and the sets they were created for: The Gong Show and Match Game.

So grab the remote, ask the bartender for a couple of Slot Machine cocktails and join us once again as we spin the wheel and roll the dice right here in the bar.

Today we’re going to be talking some more about postage stamps. The way they reflect pop culture and how they are an art form that celebrates other art forms. We’ve got some stamps with fluid line work and a whole lotta shakin’ going on… Al Hirschfeld and Elvis have entered the building.

Mix-up a couple of 2-Cent Stamp cocktails and join us once again as we send you a couple more stories from right here in the bar.

Today we’re going to be talking about postage stamps: the history and origin of them, who uses them and whether or not they’re still relevant in our age of email and mail order deliveries. And, of course, the art of it all and why stamps still matter today.

We touch on the controversy of who invented the stamp, the fraud associated with early mail and how the U.S. Postal Service misprinted a commemorative stamp for Swede Dag Hammarskjöld on purpose.

What do Betty Crocker, Charlie Tuna, Tony the Tiger and the oddball characters from Off Limits Cereal have in common? Along with fellow creatives Kirk Visola and Andy Kurtts of the “Kirk and Kurtts” design podcast, they were all our drinking buddies one evening!

We chewed the fat with Kirk and Andy about some classic characters and their impact on pop culture (and snacking), and why these same techniques invented decades ago still work today.

Cats have a long history in the world of advertising. In our latest episode, we invite friend and poster expert Paul Hennessey back into the bar to discuss the appeal of cat posters aesthetically and financially, discuss a few of our favorites and decode why their traits and quirks make them perfect for so many different types of products.

We’re revisiting one of our classic episodes.

Learn the origin stories of Goodyear’s blimps, Pixar’s lovable Luxo lamp, and how these adopted objects transcended their initial utility to become known around the world.

We’re revisiting one of our classic episodes.

Video may have killed the radio star, but it poured gasoline on the spark of New Wave. As MTV exploded, youth culture moved to center stage and companies making wearables were more than happy to cater to changing tastes. In this episode we focus on Vans and Swatch, a couple of iconic fashion accessories found on the wrists and feet of Gen X.

In the summer of 1994, the television show The Real World was filming in San Francisco. That same summer Elliot ended up in SF for an internship. One day those two worlds collided in a true Gen X moment.

In this episode we return to our mailbag as we take a step back from our typical subject matter to answer questions submitted by you, our listeners.

We’re talking music videos! And we have so much to share, we’ve broken this subject into two episodes. For today, we dusted off an older gem and coupled it with a more current one: a gritty and fun “Need You Tonight” from Australia’s INXS and Taylor Swift’s surreal technicolor dreamscape that is “ME!”

We examine how Lester Beall and Shepard Fairey used the art of the poster to make the big ideas of bringing electricity to rural parts of the United States and inspiring a nation to rally behind an unknown presidential candidate named Barack Obama easy to understand.

We’re revisiting one of our classic episodes.

Just in time for Halloween, we talk about the posters for B movies Tarantula and Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman plus the artist behind them both, Reynold Brown. Don’t ghost us. Give it a listen!

We've dug into the backs of our closets and dusted off a couple of favorite music videos from yesterday that are still killing it today: a-ha's illustrative "Take on Me" and Peter Gabriel's surreal "Sledgehammer." We discuss why they were made, the creative motivations for each and the unsung heroes (beyond the musicians) who brought these ideas to life and into our homes (and heads).

Our latest episode is for the thrill seekers. We're pitting roller coaster logos against each other. And not just any roller coasters...We're each representing our home states. Buckle up by pulling the restraint harness tightly against you, and grab a couple of quick high octane shots. We've got our hands up and our drink lids on tight... We're taking a high-speed drop back into the bar!

In honor of International Podcast Day, we’re taking a look back at our own origin story. How the podcast began, why we continue to do it and what could be coming next. It’s the story of two friends, one shared profession and the pop culture love that kickstarted it all.