Chris Eichenseer is a designer, musician, and creative leader whose career has been defined by building brands from inside culture rather than chasing trends. He founded Someoddpilot in Chicago in 1999, initially as a design studio and independent record label created to release obscure electronic and post-rock music and design album artwork. Immersed in the underground music scene, Eichenseer developed a DIY ethos and cultural fluency that would become the foundation of the agency’s approach to brand-building.
As Someoddpilot evolved, its focus quickly expanded to meet new creative challenges. Early work included branding Pitchfork and iconic Chicago venues like the Empty Bottle, setting the stage for the agency’s growth into a full-service creative agency and brand consultancy. Today, Someoddpilot provides bespoke branding, strategy, and creative services for national and global brands including Patagonia, Saucony, Kimberly-Clark, SKYY Vodka, and others.
Under Eichenseer’s leadership, the agency has partnered with culturally significant institutions such as The Second City and Lollapalooza, most recently reimagining the festival’s visual identity to honor its countercultural roots while positioning it for the future. In 2025, Someoddpilot reinforced its creative breadth through national campaigns for brands including Kettle & Fire, the Chicago Fire (MLS), Darn Tough, Toad & Co, Xero Shoes, and American Honey.
Between now and 2030, which specific skills, technologies, or priorities will matter most in shaping the future of graphic design?
Man, I’m emphatically doubling down on human creativity and trying to over emphasize what robots suck at: loose, generative, inspired art-making that happens when we get into an almost flow-state, when we understand some parameters and are allowed to just play within them. I’m super excited about the mental sandbox at Someoddpilot that takes the inhibitions and fear out, and lets the freak flags fly. My favorite comment was on a music video set recently when one of the band members out of nowhere said, “Wow, I’m in love with the creative spirit in here right now!” Yes, this is the way!
How do you stay relevant in an industry that changes so quickly?
I’m getting older (like we all are!), but I’ve never felt more free. I think that’s what counts. Being free and open and willing to dig in — to get way into what is right in front of you — senses completely alive like a child, tapping into the joy of making things and being playful. It’s the best. I can’t see how decades of experience wouldn’t rise rather than fall if we keep that mindset. In a fearful or angry creative environment, that’s impossible. If you feel yourself batting things away, you will shrink and miss what’s happening around you.That feels old-fashioned. I don’t believe in peaking in the past. We grow as we age. Freedom and joy can be cumulative. Embracing what’s new happens every time we walk down the sidewalk, if we let it. There’s no other choice but to lean into it. As long as we’re interested, we stay relevant.
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