Indie Creative Agency Expands to NYC, Names New Creative and Strategy Leads

Aug. 24, 2025

Independent creative agency and studio HAYMAKER –  an Emmy award winner and three-time Ad Age Small Agency of the Year recipient – today announced the opening of its New York City office, as well as the hiring of Group Creative Director Amy Travis and Head of Strategy Sam Wright to lead the east coast location. 

Founded in Los Angeles in 2017, HAYMAKER is led by Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Jay Kamath, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Matt Johnson, and Partner and Head of Brand Laura Hoffman. The agency has grown substantially, producing boundary-pushing work for top brands including Pluto TV, Topo Chico, Amazon Fire TV, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Maggi, and Olipop. Its New York outpost extends HAYMAKER’s reach and provides an East Coast team to better serve its expanding clientele. 

Kamath said:

“Looking at today’s advertising industry, there’s never been a time like this where a small group of dedicated creative individuals can accomplish so much by being nimble, fast, and able to crack things quickly. That’s the kind of energy that drove us when we started, and now, those qualities are supercharged by the addition of a New York location and team.”

 

Never ones to back down from putting their bold stamp on a major move, HAYMAKER has approached the New York opening as a creative campaign in itself, complete with a launch film that’s as loud and brazen as The Big Apple. Created in partnership with production company The Goodocks, the film features a bodega owner hilariously griping about holding companies, while championing indies like HAYMAKER – which is “independent,” “minority owned,” and brings “big swings” and “big impact.” Then there’s the HAYMAKER merch: A spin on the classic Anthora coffee cup that reads, “HAYMAKER Is Happy to Serve NYC,” is being mailed and distributed to press, partners, clients, and friends. A custom T-shirt was also designed, inspired by the city’s famed $1 Pizza and touting HAYMAKER as delivering ”Strategic creative in 30 min or your pizza is free!”

Johnson said:

“New York isn’t just another new market; it has been the epicenter of advertising for decades, and we can't wait to leave our mark. Amy and Sam are the perfect duo to lead the office. Together, they have the chops, experience, and strategic and creative chemistry to help HAYMAKER grow with our current clients and beyond.”

 

Travis’ responsibilities will include shaping HAYMAKER’s creative, building out the New York office, and serving as the face of HAYMAKER across clients, press, and industry relations. A humor-driven, improv-powered and concept-first creative, Travis has previously worked in major markets like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and she joins the agency with nearly 20 years of experience, having collaborated with global brands like Google, Apple, Nike, T-Mobile and Godiva. 

Wright will help lead HAYMAKER’s creative vision, production, and execution of brand marketing strategies across the agency’s client roster. Having previously worked at industry-leading agencies like Droga5, Mother and 72 and Sunny, he’s won both Emmys and Effies across a wide range of categories – from CPG and tech to entertainment, gaming, and sports – for major brand clients including Coors, Meta, Chase, the NFL, and Activision.