Photo: Courtesy of Austin Johnston
How he got his start: Johnston founded his agency in 2008 with what he describes as "zero dollars and zero backing, but with a vision to create special moments and intersections of stories and experiences." The company was a success, and Johnston eventually added fabrication and scenic capabilities too, which tapped into his early interests in building themed attractions and immersive environments.
"Now with five facilities on both coasts, we still sweat the small stuff as the industry reopens, and we learn the new landscape of experiential," he says.
What innovation means to him: Johnston believes that in recent years, innovation and adaptation have become a bit interchangeable. "But adaptation is more about adjusting your reaction, and innovation is more about adjusting your action. In many ways we are innovators, and in others, we stay the course and focus on what we do really well with a passion," he explains. "Innovation at AKJOHNSTON has been more about balancing polar extremes, which I think is going to rule our world for at least the next five years: balancing polar opposites."
He continues, "As we go more Meta, I believe people will add greater value to analog. As we go more email, people place a higher value on print. As we go more GrubHub, the more we value fine dining. While innovation is incredibly important, agility and confidence in your ‘lane’ are equally necessary."
How he stays inspired: Johnston is finding a lot of inspiration in typography and digital design lately. "With the boom of NFTs and digital art, motion graphics creators are the moment, and I think no matter what you feel about the NFT space, we are actively redesigning the intrinsic value of art in every form," he explains. "As mass production destroys individuality and uniqueness—back to my polarization comment—we are finally placing real value on diversity, uniqueness, and one-of-a-kind experiences, art, and cultural moments. If you aren’t inspired by that, you’re in the wrong industry!" 
The three-day Schitt's Creek activation, which was free and open to the public, spanned 7,000 square feet and included show-inspired vignettes such as Cafe Tropical and Rose Apothecary. The series' creators and stars, Daniel and Eugene Levy, worked with AKJOHNSTON Group on the pop-up; the production company ideated, designed, and fabricated the entire space, including hand-making most of the pop-up's 500 props.Photo: Matt Lara for AKJOHNSTON Group
Memorable moments: Johnston recalls a couple of standout activations, including an activation for the Emmy-winning comedy Schitt's Creek in late 2019 . "We had the chance to recreate some ridiculous IP that wasn’t taken too seriously and everyone just had fun with it," he recalls. "A couple even got engaged at our New York stop!"
Another favorite came during what he describes as a "low-morale point of the pandemic," in Sept. 2020, when most IRL events were still canceled.
"[But] our Hyundai client was so receptive to the idea of elevating and celebrating LatinX and Hispanic creators and artists in a drive-into experience. ... It was what my team needed at the time—to shovel dirt, yell on a radio, sweat after a long day, only to eat Taco Bell in your car at the end," he says. "Not only was it culturally engaging for us and the brand, but it was a reminder that our industry was not dead, and that we could do that with members of the community was so important for our company and for the voices we raised with an art and cultural drive-into at the Hollywood Palladium."
His favorite thing about the experiential industry: "It is momentary art," Johnston points out. "The ability to deliver an experience that not all can see, and that is only there for a few days, will continue to be the driving force of what we do—that gets audiences sharing on their devices to offer a glimpse but ultimately saying, 'You had to be there!'"
Back to the full list: 20 Experiential Experts Changing the Future of Consumer Events
