Dami Johnson

What happens when you swap legal briefs for viral moments? For Dami Johnson, the journey from studying law to her role as Creative Strategist at Mother has been anything but conventional. Building experience at leading agencies like Anomaly and We Are Social, Dami's story is one of bold moves, saying 'yes' and always trusting her instincts. Here, she shares how she made the leap from law to creative strategy, the unexpected skills she’s carried over and the networks that have helped her so far.

What I do

How would you describe what you do?
I shape ideas by blending social, content and digital culture with real-life experiences, spotting trends, analysing data and turning what we learn into content and activations that resonate.

What are the main influences and inspirations behind your work?
Growing up immersed in fan(stan) culture, I learned a lot about how sub-communities interact and consume content. Some of my first viral moments were tied to the fan base I was a part of, which deepened my connection to content creation. For me, content has always been about self-expression and connecting with people.

Would you say you need any specific training for what you do?
I have a Master’s in Marketing, which was kind of (but, not really) my training, but there's no set path to becoming a content strategist. The key skills are critical thinking, research, and spotting opportunities in digital culture. You need to analyse data, build strong arguments and present confidently. Since social is unpredictable, trusting your gut and taking initiative are just as important as knowing platform best practices.

What’s been your favourite project to work on from the past year, and why?
My favourite project hasn’t come out yet, but stay tuned to IKEA UK & IE socials because I’m really excited for people to see it! I enjoyed working on the Amazon Music UK account at We Are Social. We focused a lot on fan culture and community management, and being authentic in tone of voice when connecting with fans. The work we did around community management became award-winning, and we got a few viral posts! I also had the chance to work on a cultural insights report, which we presented to the client to help further inform their community management strategy globally.

What does a normal day-to-day usually look like for you?
Every day looks different, but one constant is scrolling to stay updated on social news and trends. Beyond that, it’s a mix of reading reports, tracking trends, analysing data, recommending cultural moments, reviewing content, writing influencer briefs, sitting in on client meetings and evaluating performance to refine strategy. In short, I write a lot of decks.

How I got here

What was your journey like when you were first starting out? Did you find your feet quickly?
My journey wasn’t exactly linear. I started in law, moved into agency production and eventually found my way to content strategy. When I first started, I didn’t have a clear picture of all the roles within an advertising agency. Getting my foot in the door, asking questions, and having countless conversations helped me navigate it. I had to be patient with myself along the way, but every step gave me valuable experience that still shapes my work today.

How did you go about landing your first few jobs, clients and/or commissions?
I studied Law at university and went down that path briefly before getting a Masters in Marketing during the COVID years. My first advertising job was at Mother, where I initially applied for a junior account manager role via It’s Nice That, but the in-house recruitment team suggested a production assistant position instead because of my previous experience freelancing.

I found my next two roles at Anomaly and We Are Social through LinkedIn before returning to Mother, where the Head of Content at the time reached out after learning about my social experience and brought me on as a content strategist. I'm very all-or-nothing in my approach, and quite passionate about things and bring that energy to my interviews. When it comes to things I care about, I am not a mysterious girlie. Nonchalant isn’t in my vocabulary!

What motivated you to make the switch from law to strategy and the creative industries?
I was eager to work in a creative environment where my passions and interests would be valued. I seized every opportunity, had countless conversations with people, and took big risks – sometimes even turning down or leaving jobs, trusting that the right one would come along.

I had this crazy, almost delusional faith in myself, convinced that nothing was out of my reach, even when others tried to tell me otherwise. I had a list of all the companies I was interested in working at and learnt everything about them. I used to have a fact sheet for every company on that list.

Were there any surprising overlaps between your law background and your current role?
My law background sometimes comes in handy with content strategy, especially when it comes to building strong arguments and presenting ideas clearly. It’s also helpful to know copyright and trademark law when reviewing content ideas.

What has been your biggest challenge along the way?
A major challenge is navigating the pressure to always be 'on' in such a competitive industry, but I’ve learned to focus on the work and what truly matters instead. Honestly, I haven’t quite perfected the LinkedIn humble brag, but I'm all about the work!

What are three things that you’ve found useful to your work or career, and why?
Three things that have been useful to my work are my Reddit account, reading every report I can get my hands on and my network. Connecting with people in the industry, whether in similar roles or different departments, and learning from their expertise has been invaluable. Everyone focuses on networking up, but don’t forget to network across too!

Have there been any courses, programmes, initiatives, access schemes or job boards you’ve found helpful or would recommend to get into your sector?
It’s Nice That helped me get my foot in the door, so I’d definitely recommend it. Good old LinkedIn landed me my next two jobs. The Dots and Run The Check are also great job boards.

I’ve also heard great things about collectives and companies that focus on improving access and opportunities for women and people from Black and Minority Ethnic groups. The Black Network, Who’s Your Momma, and WEarePOCC all do amazing work. People Like Us, which primarily hosts events, is another great way to network and build connections.

Advice

What’s the best career-related advice you’ve ever received?
"Your career isn't your worth." It almost sounds wrong to repeat this advice. However, I've learned that your value isn't defined by your job or how much money you earn, no matter what the world we live in tells us. It helps me keep perspective and helps me to be resilient even when things are going wrong.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into a similar role?
Save a job description for the role you want and take on responsibilities that help you meet some of the requirements. Don’t let job descriptions throw you off because someone out there might be applying with fewer qualifications than you! Also, talk to people who are doing the role you want to apply to.