In this episode of Monsters of Design, the Tenacious Trio—Jon Sontag, Adrian Crabtree, and Jon Delman—join forces with Karen Piper, Head of Brand Strategy at Code and Theory, to confront a particularly moody menace: CX, the monster that emerges when Customer Experience goes bad. This isn’t the warm, fuzzy kind—it’s the version dripping in frowny face emojis and weighed down by heavy thumbs downs. It shows up when brands make big, shiny promises but fail to deliver where it counts. Together, they dig into why beautiful content and sleek design aren’t enough—brands must follow through with meaningful, consistent experiences or risk awakening this sulky, trust-breaking beast. And to keep things balanced, they end the episode swapping stories about their current favorite monsters, including aggressive wild turkeys, the cuddly enigma of Totoro, and a few unexpected legends lurking in the shadows.

In this episode of Monsters of Design, a new era begins. Adrian and Jon, weary from battling creative beasts alone, have summoned an old ally to the frontlines—Jon Delman, a past guest turned permanent co-host. From this point forward, it’s a trio of minds, a triumvirate of design nerds, wielding wit, insight, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting. Some episodes will welcome brave guests into the fray; others will feature the three of them, sparring in the arena of ideas. Their first battle as a full unit? THE BRAND. A big, bold, and unruly monster that chases down designers, herding them away from the deeper truths of authentic storytelling. Together, they’ll break free from this monster and challenge what it really means to build a brand that matters. Also, we talk about why Thrifty Ice cream is (or isn’t) the best. Yeehaw!

Alright, monster slayers, it’s time for the grand finale of our three-part A.I. adventure! This time, Jon and Adrian sit down with Craig Elimeliah, Chief Creative Officer at Code and Theory. Craig is a master of blending tech and creativity, and he’s here to share a treasure trove of wisdom from his vibrant, boundary-pushing career. He’s built teams and ideas in this wild A.I. era, where innovation meets a dash of chaos. We dive into how A.I. is shaking up the design world and why curiosity and experimentation are now our superpowers—especially with machines doing more heavy lifting. And of course, no episode is complete without a little monster talk. This round, we’re dishing on creatures like the one from Jeepers Creepers, Data, the Blank Page (terrifying, right?), and even... squirrels. Yes, those tiny terrors make the list, too. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!