Here at Vested, we often say our team is our greatest asset. Our people are smart, passionate, involved, kind, funny, and interesting, and we want to share them with you! In our series Vested Interests, we’re spotlighting Vesties around the world, sharing what they’re reading, who they’re listening to, where they’re eating, and everything in between.
Today we hear from Cody Robinson, Vested Creative Director based in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
What book are you reading? Any recent favorites?
As a big comics guy, and with new Marvel movies coming out (Is Marvel back? I think so.), I’ve been diving back into the Secret Wars and House of M arcs now that the X-Men are finally in the MCU. I also picked up Volume 1 of Saga to dive into at some point.
What outlets are you using to follow current industry trends?
I would say the main one that I am on daily is awwwards.com. Are they always crowning the most user-friendly websites? That is debatable, but it is a great place to see the bleeding edge of web design and how people are building their brands to have a specific type of voice.
What podcasts are you listening to?
Pablo Torre Finds Out, The Adam Friedland Show, Smosh Reads Reddit Stories, and The Dane Moore NBA Podcast (Go Timberwolves).
What industry trend are you paying closest attention to right now?
Very timely question as I am actively writing my end of the year Web Design Trends report. The big one that I love is the humanizing of brands and their web presence. People are tired of all the industry jargon and corporate speak. There’s so much going on in the world that people just want to have honest conversations and not have to think too hard to get the information they want.
In terms of design I am living for the rise of brutalism in web design. We’ve been in an era of ultra minimalist design for so long that it’s nice to actually see some personality and style coming back. Slowly but surely we’ll get back to the old Angelfire and Geocities styles that the world has been craving (Okay, maybe it’s only me that wants this.)
Favorite outdoor activity, workout, or hobby?
Photo walks around the neighborhood, vacationing to places with awesome trails to hike (looking at you Portland, Oregon and the Oregon Coast), and chasing a toddler around is surprisingly a tough workout sometimes.
What’s your work superpower?
As a creative/designer I would say my superpower is taking constant feedback and critique on decisions that I stand by passionately without ever letting it affect my mood or stress me out. To be successful in the agency world you really need to be ego-less and remove yourself from the task at hand. It’s “we” not “me”.
Any restaurants (or cafes, coffee shops, etc.) that you’ve been to and loved? Local favorites?
I was just out in NYC recently so I have to shout out the Smoked Dashi Ramen I had at Tonchin and of course Los Tacos No. 1. Otherwise being stationed in Cedar Falls, Iowa I have to mention Pablo’s Mexican Grill if you need a burrito fix. If you ever find yourself in the area, have your people contact my people. We’ll get you in.
How did you find your way to Vested?
I was adopted via acquisition and Vested hasn’t found a way to get rid of me yet.
What’s your go-to coffee order?
Just a plain ol’ pour over does wonders for me but in the hot months a nice iced mocha latte really gets me going.
Do you have any hobbies or new skills you’re learning?
It’s not new but a few years back I picked up photography to work some different creative muscles and I still suck at it so we’ll go with that. Lots of learning to be had every time I go out and shoot.
What’s your most-used emoji or Slack reaction?
We have a custom emoji of our office pug, Bart, that I use all the time. I can’t post it here because of an NDA that I signed but trust me that it’s an S-Tier emoji.
