Rebel Optimism: Matt Owens on Designing Brand Systems for a Creative Future

In this episode of the AW360 podcast, we’re joined by Matt Owens, Chief Design and Innovation Officer at Athletics, a boutique brand innovation studio based in NYC. Matt shares how Athletics helps brands navigate a rapidly evolving creative landscape—from building “living” brand systems to embracing AI not as a crutch, but as a creative co-pilot. We dig into:

• Why boutique agencies are thriving in enterprise-level work
• How AI is being used (and misused) in brand design workflows
• What it really means to create a living brand system
• Why mindset—more than tools—is the key to real-time brand building
• The tension between individuality, enterprise needs, and creative integrity
• What the future holds for design systems, AR, modularity, and creative governance

It’s a conversation about rolling up your sleeves, rejecting rigid rules, and leaning into what Matt calls “rebel optimism.”

Learn more at athleticsnyc.com