Creative Director
Design Leader
Music Documentarian
Photographer

  • Ty Johnson portrait shot by Drew Gurian

My career spans digital advertising campaigns, brand design, documentary, music videos, album artwork and photography, working for artists and brands including Google, Nike, Mercedes-Benz, Samsung and Mumford & Sons.

I co-founded the live music video series Sideshow Alley and have photographed many well known artists. My first feature documentary Austin to Boston screened at IDFA, Doc/Fest and BFI London Film Festival and streamed on Netflix.

Brand Creative & Design Leader

By day I design and direct advertising campaigns and digital brand experiences. Working in this field for over 25 years, I've led many award winning projects through creative direction, design, video production and interactive development for a range of clients including; Nike, Mercedes-Benz, Google, Samsung, National Geographic, Holden, WNYC and Converse.

CREATIVE DIRECTION
ART DIRECTION
CONCEPT
DESIGN
INTERACTIVE / UI
VIDEO DIRECTION
EDITING

  • Ty Johnson portrait shot by Drew Gurian
  • Ty Johnson and Nadav Kander collaborating on set in New York
  • Ty Johnson & Xavier Gallego accepting recognition at the Clio Awards

For the past 9 years I have worked in New York City. Beginning at R/GA, I led the award winning Nike super bowl campaign along with brand spots for Samsung and Mercedes-Benz. I then directed branded content at RYOT (Yahoo/Verizon) and brand comms at boutique agency Mod Op. Between 2021-22 I held freelance CD/GCD roles at GSD&M, VMLY&R, Ogilvy and BBH, where I helped lead Google's prized Black-owned Friday campaign. I'm currently Group Design Director at Critical Mass.

Prior to NYC, I worked in London for several years at various digital agencies. I then spent 8 years at Isobar (Visual Jazz) in Melbourne, one of Australia's leading digital agencies.

GROUP DESIGN DIRECTOR
NEW YORK · 2023 — 2024

BBH | Ogilvy | VML

FREELANCE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
NEW YORK · 2021 — 2022

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
NEW YORK · 2019 — 2021

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
NEW YORK · 2018

ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
NEW YORK · 2015 — 2017

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR
MELBOURNE · 2007 — 2015

Music Glue | Citi

FREELANCE INTERACTIVE DESIGNER
LONDON · 2004 — 2007

INTERACTIVE DESIGNER
PERTH · 1998 — 2003

  • Todd Gurley on set for the Nike Speed Drops super bowl campaign
  • An overview of 20 years designing and art directing interactive experiences
  • Nike USA Basketball book featuring Kyrie Irving
  • Nike
  • Mercedes-Benz
  • WNYC
  • Samsung
  • Samsung Gift of Galaxy campaign displayed at New York Grand Central Station
  • Redd's Wicked street poster campaign
  • WNYC Taking It Public street poster campaign
  • Nike USAB Basketball campaign featured on the 34th street interactive billboard
  • Clio Awards
  • FWA
  • Adobe Site of the Day
  • Semplice Site of the Week
  • MADC
  • IAB MIXX

Music Documentarian

Away from agency life I maintain a number of independent projects. Several years working within the UK and Australian music industry ignited a long term passion to discover, document and elevate the experience of quality live music. Artist collaborators include Bear's Den, Nick Mulvey, Laura Marling, Julia Jacklin, First Aid Kit, Nathaniel Rateliff, The Staves and Kimbra.

DIRECTING
PRODUCING
EDITING
ART DIRECTION
DESIGN
LIVE PROMOTION

  • Ty Johnson directing Julia Jacklin for Sideshow Alley
  • Ben Lovett & Ty Johnson at the London premiere of Austin to Boston

In 2010 I co-founded the music video series Sideshow Alley. Collaborating with a handful of talented film makers, photographers and sound engineers, this ongoing project has captured over 40 performing artists around Melbourne and NYC.

Between 2012-2014 I curated over 50 local and international artists together with Communion Music, handling live promotion for their popular club night in Melbourne.

In 2014/2015 I produced and edited the feature film music documentary Austin to Boston which screened at the 17 film festivals across the world including BFI London Film Festival, Nashville Film Festival and IDFA in Amsterdam. The film is now streaming.

In 2021 I began work directing and editing a short documentary on the legacy of a legendary Los Angeles recording studio.

  • Austin to Boston streaming on Netflix
  • Sideshow Alley episode poster artwork
  • Passenger filming on location for Sideshow Alley
  • Austin to Boston poster in Amsterdam for IDFA
  • Active Child
  • Bear's Den
  • First Aid Kit
  • Fitz and the Tantrums
  • Julia Jacklin
  • Kimbra
  • Laura Marling
  • Nathaniel Rateliff
  • Nick Mulvey
  • Passenger
  • The Staves
  • CD and Vinyl artwork for Bear's Den album
  • Nick Mulvey performing for Communion Melbourne
  • IDFA
  • BFI London Film Festival
  • Nashville Film Festival
  • Sheffield
  • Visions Du Reel

Whether on set or on stage, I often supplement my role with a camera in hand. Armed with a Diploma of Photography I’ve captured both artistic and commercial experiences with images published in Rolling Stone, PDN, Wall St Journal, NME, Pitchfork, Billboard, Teen Vogue, The Age and New York Times. Recent commercial clients include Mercedes-Benz, Nike, Four Seasons and Baha Mar.

MUSIC
LIFESTYLE
AUTOMOTIVE
TRAVEL

FILM UNIT STILLS

  • Ty Johnson portrait photographer
  • Ty Johnson and Mumford & Sons shot backstage in New York City
  • Ty Johnson shooting in Los Angeles for Mercedes-Benz
  • Ty Johnson at Global Citizen festival

Between 2012-2019 I spent much time around the globe as a tour photographer for Mumford & Sons. During this time I regularly wandered the world's greatest music festivals including Glastonbury, Newport Folk, Eaux Claires, Laneway, Fuji Rock, Latitude, Boston Calling and Meredith Music Festival equal parts a punter and staff photographer. Along the way I’ve photographed for other artists including; Arcade Fire, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Ben Howard and Bon Iver.

In 2019 I spent a month on set documenting Kitty Green’s feature film The Assistant starring Julia Garner. 

  • Euphoric spirt captured at Bonnaroo Music Festival
  • Rami Malek portrait shot by Ty Johnson
  • Mumford & Sons shot in New York
  • Gregory portrait shot by Ty Johnson
  • Mumford & Sons
  • Mercedes-Benz
  • Arcade Fire
  • Nike
  • Boston Calling
  • Four Seasons
  • Meredith Music Festival
  • This Time Tomorrow
  • Eaux Claires
  • Julia Garner shot on the set of The Assistant, directed by Kitty Green
  • Mercedes-Benz AMG shot by Ty Johnson
  • Portrait of brothers
  • Krystal Bick of This Time Tomorrow
  • Dior fashion portrait shot in Morocco
  • Rickie Fowler shot for Mercedes-Benz at The Masters
  • Lifestyle campaign shot for Baha Mar, a luxury Bahamian beach resort
  • Billboard
  • NME
  • New York Times
  • PDN
  • Pitchfork
  • Rolling Stone
  • Teen Vogue
  • The Age
  • WSJ