We recently connected with Carly Johnson and have shared our conversation below.

Carly, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

My interest in animation was piqued at a young age – at eight years old, I stumbled upon a tv special on the behind-the-scenes of Tinker Bell. I turned to my mom and told her, “this is what I want to do.” At thirteen, I created my first animation. I went on to create a series of PSAs ranging from topics of volunteering, #adoptdontshop, being drug-free, sustainable palm oil, and water conservation.

Nowadays, I enjoy working in a variety of styles and formats from 2D to 3D animation, tactile design, stop motion, branding, social media strategy, and social media content production. No matter what medium I use, I strive to create meaningful work that has a lasting impact.

Carly, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2021 and now work as an Art Directornat Saatchi & Saatchi NY, with clients including but not limited to Oral-B, Crest, Olay,  Gillette, Microban, Bounty, Charmin, Sun Outdoors, USOPC, WNBA, USAA, TikTok, CVS, DEI Committee, Invisalign, 9 Elements, Goldfish, and Snyder’s.

Leveraging strategy and design to deliver high-impact content, I collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to ideate concepts, design and animate compelling graphics and motion design videos, craft effective presentations, and develop innovative non-traditional projects for leading consumer brands.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

No matter what medium I use, I strive to create meaningful work that has a lasting impact.

Early on in my creative journey, I established this mission statement, and I am proud to say it reigns true to this day. During my time at Saatchi, I’ve prioritized social justice/socially-conscious projects such as the Closing America’s Smile Gap campaign, an internal eco-conscious brands sizzle reel, and the DEI Black History Month newsletter.

I am also very grateful to have been a part of a commercial campaign for The Trevor Project, to have created animations for Jarvis Masters, for Rescue City, and for multiple Pride initiatives.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Outside of my typical day-to-day, I also run @sohofoodie, an Instagram-based food blog where I ideate, shoot, and edit written, photo, and video content.

From the time I had my first phone, I always ensured everyone waited to eat until after photos were taken. To this day, I never go a single restaurant meal without documenting it – thus why this page began. To date, I’ve collaborated with 140+ restaurants, bakeries, bars, cafes, and brands, connecting with 100k+ followers and counting.

Building a presence on social takes time, effort, and strategy. Once you select your niche, start with an audit. Perform a competitive analysis to see what’s already out there, what’s working, and what isn’t. Use appropriate hashtags, post reels/video, establish partnerships, create a content calendar and stick with it. With a strong strategy, you’ll reach your social media goals in no time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carlyjohnsonart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlyjohnsonart/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyjohnsonart/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/sohofoodie/