DEEP DIVE
💡
DEEP DIVE 💡
SpyCast
Elevating the original espionage history podcast.
Podcast Branding & Promotional Assets-
Art direction, design lead, project management
-
Brand identity, motion graphics, social media content, weekly episode graphics
-
InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere, Descript, Asana
Brief
SpyCast is the longest-running podcast on intelligence. Produced by the International Spy Museum since 2006, the podcast features conversations around espionage history and modern-day intelligence impacts around the world.
In 2025, SpyCast completely revamped: new episode structure, new host, new team, and new strategy. I lead the design and implementation of all-new branding and visual strategy to support the relaunch.
Results
New strategy in place, SpyCast has anchored itself as a global top 0.1% podcast. In its first year post relaunch, the podcast had nearly 1.3M listens, maintained 4.4 stars on Apple Podcasts, and consistently ranked in the top 100 history podcasts in the US, UK, Australia, and more. With almost 30% growth across all platforms, old and new fans alike are enjoying the same high-value content SpyCast became known for – now in a more approachable, journalistic format.
“Emily went above and beyond for the relaunch of SpyCast. She understood the intention of the relaunch innately and tailored the brand to meet the needs of the moment.”
Branding
Landscape Analysis
Reviewing popular podcasts in the history/espionage category revealed commonalities: Cold War typography, pop-culture tropes, dark colors, and so very many fedoras.
Logo Design
SpyCast is a stand-out podcast and it deserves a brand identity that reinforces the reliability and legacy it is known for. To support the new journalistic tone, I introduced a serif font and visual style that references classic newspapers and periodicals. This connects the brand to nostalgia while modern finishes keep it feeling fresh. Additionally, this approach anchors the podcast in the Museum’s ethos while giving it its own distinct look.
Stacked Alternate
Color Alternates
Typography & Visual Balance
Cover Art
I updated the cover art with a logo optimized for browsing in order to capture new listeners with large type and a hit of red underscored with a pattern of newspaper clippings. The new design holds its own while standing out as something totally different than other offerings in this category.
Episode Artwork
Weekly Process
In continued support of the SpyCast production, I create episode graphics for every Tuesday release. By researching the guest and subject material, I am able to create illustrations with deeper meaning for those who look closer – keeping in line with the Spy Museum’s love of secrets and code breaking.
After gathering relevant visual materials, I compile everything into episode artwork designed to intrigue viewers.
Template
To make weekly output sustainable, I created a set of templates which additionally maintain graphic consistency across various platforms.
Episode Art Showcase
