Founder / Chief Creative Officer

Jay Kamath

Since founding HAYMAKER in 2017, Jay has lead the company to become an Emmy-award-winning, 2x Ad Age Small Agency of the year. During that time he’s guided the creation of a functioning couch potato farm for Pluto TV, launched the Seattle Kraken, inspired families to use Greenlight by not making the financial decisions of Ty Burrell, and documented the transformative power of the ocean for Reef by taking foster kids to their First Beach.

Prior to HAYMAKER, Jay’s creative leadership experience spanned companies such as 72andSunny, R/GA and Google where he consistently created culturally impactful work for brands like Nike, Activision, ESPN and Sonos. He’s been a creative force behind iconic brand campaigns including Jay-Z releasing his album “Magna Carta Holy Grail” exclusively on Samsung devices and Kenny Powers’ hostile corporate takeover of K-Swiss, leading Jay to be featured in Business Insider's 30 Under 30 list for "Most Creative People in Advertising."

In 2023, HAYMAKER became an official certified minority owned business. To celebrate the milestone, Jay’s mom came to the agency and cooked Indian food for everyone.

Jay hails from Augusta, GA and is enjoying his home state’s sports franchises emerging from decades of mediocrity to achieve greatness. He currently lives with his wife and kids in Culver City, where you might hear his poor renditions of Usher or Enrique Iglesias at a local karaoke bar.

Founder / Chief Strategy Officer

Matt Johnson

No matter the opportunity, Matt’s thought leadership and expertise have consistently helped his partners win. In 2016, his strategic insight helped win six awards for his partners: four Effie Awards, the Most Effective Brand in North America for truth, as well as Ad Age’s A-List Marketer of the Year for adidas.

Matt brings his expertise to Haymaker by way of world-class agencies such as 72andSunny, 180LA, Venables, Bell & Partners and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.

Matt has also worked as a voice actor for over 19 years, most recently starring in the critically acclaimed HBO animated series, The Life and Times of Tim.

Raised in Northern California, Matt has a soft spot for rocky coastlines and bold wines. When not in the office, Matt can be found drinking lemonade with his wife and two daughters.