8530 Quarters Lake Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
225.928.9999
Honoring Martin Flanagan
Martin Flanagan, co-founder of Xdesign, passed away on February 11th at the age of 73, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy of creativity, mentorship, and love. His impact on the local advertising and design community is immeasurable, and his influence will continue to shape our work and relationships for years to come.
Born in Montgomery, AL in 1951 and adopted by David and Bertha of Leland, MS, Martin's early years on a Delta farm instilled in him a deep love for the blues and storytelling.
It was at Louisiana Tech where he discovered his passion for design and met his wife of 44 years, Gay Hardy.
As a young graphic designer, he thrived in the industry, earning prestigious accolades and eventually collaborating with a team of creative professionals to establish Grapevine Communications, an advertising agency in Baton Rouge. While he enjoyed the excitement of developing innovative campaigns, he soon discovered that success in business came with its own challenges.
"I somehow ended up as the agency’s president, and I absolutely hated it," he admitted. "All I ever wanted was to focus on design—being the art director, graphic designer, and creative lead. Instead, I found myself putting on a suit every morning, feeling sick at the thought of going to work because the stress was unbearable."
It was then that Martin teamed up with Jamey Crump, who was Martin’s sales rep at a local printing company. It allowed him to focus on the creative side of the business while Jamey focused on the corporate side. Together, they founded Xdesign in 1990.
Even after Martin retired from Xdesign in 2013, Martin remained Xdesign's biggest fan, taking pride in the company and the work we continue to do.
Martin’s professional legacy exists far beyond the walls of Xdesign. It ripples throughout our entire industry in the South. There are too many people to count who have worked under Martin that have gone on to have illustrious careers in the design and advertising field, as well as start their own firms. Martin cheered for every one of them, even as they became competitors.
Beyond the world of design, Martin was an artist in every sense. Music became another avenue for his storytelling after his retirement, leading him to perform at local venues and release an album, Beneath These Strings. His song, "Screen Door," reached No. 1 on Radio Free Texas, and he won the Great American Song Contest—just another testament to his boundless talent and creative spirit.
Whether fishing, recounting epic tales, telling incredibly inappropriate jokes, or simply spending time with his children, Jackson and Silas, and his grandchildren (whom he loved and bragged about endlessly), he embraced life with the same enthusiasm he brought to his work.
Martin is preceded in death by his wife, Gay Flanagan, who passed in 2017.
I know it left his heart full.
We will continue to honor Martin not only through our work at Xdesign but also in the way we support and uplift those around us—just as he did.
His last request was a simple one and a very “Martin” one: In lieu of flowers, Martin asks only that you...take a kid fishin'.
We are forever grateful for Martin and his gifts he shared with all of us.
XDesign, Inc.
8530 Quarters Lake Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
225.928.9999
