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Max Wastler

Brand strategist, storyteller, and trail guide to the places where grit meets grace.

For more than two decades, I’ve helped shape the voice, look, and soul of brands like Basil Hayden’s, Lands’ End, Adobe, and Ace Hotel. I’ve worked the floor at trade shows, in denim shops, produced films for bourbon labels and coffee cans, and I've launched storytelling campaigns that feel like campfire tales.

All Plaidout is where I map the journey.

I share what I’ve seen, what I’ve made, and what I’m still chasing.

Full Bio

  • Current Projects

    Scroll through a few of the latest stories in motion, out in the world, or still living in diner coffee-stained notebooks.

    View All Projects 

  • The Double Dutch Duck Biker Bar

    Visual identity for a bar that doesn’t exist—yet. Equal parts late-night neon and neighborhood charm.

    See the Concept 

  • Modern Gentleman Pocket Guide

    A field manual for living well, aging with style, and showing up with a soft heart and steady hand.

    Read the Manifesto 

  • Route 66 at 100

    A centennial documentary exploring how a road became a religion.

    Watch the Trailer 

  • Storytelling Mastery

    Editorial Excellence
    Legacy Building
    Narrative Tailoring

  • Cultural Synthesis

    Brand Strategy
    Experiential Execution
    Relevance Enhancement

  • Creative Direction

    Aesthetic Alignment
    Innovative Design
    Visual Resonance

  • Partnerships

    Alliance & Amplification
    Community Engagement
    Nonendemic Integration