Judging a Book by Its Cover with Famed Designer Chip Kidd

If there is a rock star in the seemingly buttoned-up world of book design, Chip Kidd is it. Not only has he designed some of the world’s most recognizable book covers, he has also written several books — including some Batman graphic novels — given two TED talks, and dabbled in actual rock stardom with his new wave band Artbreak. 

The award-winning designer behind the covers of Michael Crichton’s “Jurassic Park,” Howard Stern’s “Miss America,” and several books by famed Japanese author Haruki Murakami, sat down with BigMike and Chris “Bulldog” Collins for the latest episode of Business Outlaws. Kidd relays stories behind some of his most iconic designs during his 33 years with Knopf Publishing, including one of his latest for Collins’ new book “Pet the Dog: The Lost Art of Customer Service.” 

Kidd also addresses the challenges traditional artists face in an increasingly digital and automated world. “As our world is evolving, and everybody is getting upset and worried about being replaced by [artificial intelligence], I believe that if you are … valued for the way you think and for what you’ve come up with as a result of that thinking, they can not replace you with a machine.”

Collins and BigMike ask Kidd his opinion on crowdsourcing ideas for book covers (“This is how bad art and design is made”), how he has adapted to his covers being sold online, and what it’s like being recognized in public (“I don’t not like it”). Tune in to episode 68 now, and stay tuned for part two of the Outlaws’ conversation with Kidd next month.