Inside a Creative Mind: Molly Johnstone on the Inspirations Behind Her Approach

Culture is at the heart of everything Molly Johnstone does.

A social creative at adam&eveDDB, Johnstone aims to bring an innate understanding of her generation to the work she creates, blending sharp conceptual thinking with a strong visual style.

At adam&eveDDB, she works across some of the agency’s most iconic clients, including PlayStation, Amazon, and Volkswagen, creating content that resonates with audiences and delivers impact. In just under two years at the agency, she’s already earned major recognition, including a Silver British Arrow for one of her social-first films for Volkswagen’s ‘YourWagen’ brand platform launch.

Johnstone's career has always been in the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of social. Before joining adam&eveDDB, she honed her skills through stints on TikTok’s in-house creative team, as well as at Google and YouTube.

Her creativity is deeply inspired by her love of music - particularly by artists who challenge visual norms and push the boundaries of innovation. From growing up immersed in YouTube to discovering storytelling artists like Charli XCX, Johnstone’s creativity has been shaped by musicians who blend strong visuals with narrative. Their originality and approach continue to fuel her passion for concept-led, culturally resonant work.

Here she outlines her career influences, so far.

A marketing apprenticeship and a pushy teacher

I didn’t have your average journey into advertising. While exploring career options in school, I wasn’t even aware that creative agencies existed. Growing up in Leicester, I didn’t know anyone working in advertising, let alone as a creative. One thing I knew for sure was that I couldn’t see myself following in my dad’s footsteps into construction, or my mum into finance (sorry!).

Expecting to go to university because that’s just what everyone did, I applied for a digital marketing apprenticeship at Google on a whim because it looked like an amazing opportunity, with a very kind push from a fabulous teacher. I got the position and couldn’t turn it down, so packed up bags, moved to the Big Smoke and joined in 2019. It wasn’t until then that I started working with creative agencies and saw first-hand what they actually did, that it opened my eyes to an entirely new world of career possibilities.

Later, I joined TikTok during a period of rapid growth in 2021, becoming part of their in-house creative team, which was an incredible experience, and where I fell in love with being a creative. I was constantly challenged and inspired by the incredibly talented people around me, who encouraged me to be bold and take creative risks.

Casey Neistat, Edgar Wright and Guy Ritchie

I wouldn’t say I have any major ‘heroes’, but I like to take inspiration from lots of different places and often that’s usually visually captivating work.

I was 100 per cent a YouTube kid growing up, and I remember discovering Casey Neistat just as he was starting to post his early videos. At the time, I didn’t realise it, but he was essentially making short films, little slices of life with real narrative intention. I’d never seen filmmaking like that before: raw, personal, and completely outside the Hollywood bubble. His playful use of camera angles, pacing, and music felt fresh and deliberate, and for the first time, filmmaking didn’t feel like some distant, unattainable art form. It felt accessible like maybe I could do it too.

Back then, I didn’t understand the technical stuff like why he chose a certain lens, or how his editing created rhythm, but I was completely mesmerised. I ended up getting a camera for Christmas and started experimenting myself (though let’s just say those early attempts are best left in the archives). It was so fascinating to me, watching this era of filmmakers, whether they knew it or not, begin to have such a widespread platform thanks to YouTube.

As someone who’s naturally drawn to visual storytelling, it would be criminal for me not to mention Edgar Wright and Guy Ritchie. Their distinctive visual styles, whether it’s Wright’s kinetic editing and sharp transitions or Ritchie’s bold framing and stylised dialogue, left a huge mark on me. I honestly wish I could go back and watch their films again for the first time.

Tiny Desk Concerts, Boiler Room and Turning The Tables

Music plays a huge role in my life, and it often sparks my creative thinking in unexpected ways. I find inspiration not just in the sound, but in how music is presented and experienced. Platforms like NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, Boiler Room, or YouTube’s Turning the Tables series don’t just showcase performance, they create immersive formats at the heart of culture that connect people through shared taste and storytelling.

Charli XCX and bold creativity

I’m also constantly inspired by artists who push creative boundaries, both sonically and visually. People like Tyler, the Creator or Charli XCX aren’t just musicians they’re multidisciplinary storytellers who use everything from set design and costume to motion graphics and narrative to build fully formed worlds around their music. That kind of bold, cross-medium thinking is something I try to bring into my own creative work too.

There’s so much opportunity for bold and refreshing ideas right now. The public are consuming so much on a daily basis, that it’s more important now than ever to make strong ideas that cut through all the noise. Which is so exciting because there’s so much room for newness as the work in the industry is evolving so considerably in adland right now.