If you’re going to start an ad agency somewhere unconventional, you may as well do it in Chattanooga—with a view, a point of view, and zero delusions about the odds. That’s pretty much what David Littlejohn did. The founder and Chief Magician of Humanaut didn’t draw up a master plan—he just wanted to live somewhere beautiful, work with brands he believed in, and avoid making things he couldn’t recommend to his mom.
Twelve years later, Humanaut is still stubbornly independent, still working on better-for-you brands, and still building emotionally resonant campaigns with the urgency of people who know that every second (and every dollar) counts. “We’re underdogs who work with underdogs,” says Littlejohn. “And we’ve built a process to protect the creative—and our sanity.”
Littlejohn didn’t plan to start an agency. “You can kind of accidentally start a company” in Chattanooga, he says. After freelancing and landing a couple of clients, the wheels started turning. Partnering with former mentor Alex Bogusky didn’t hurt either. “We got to learn everything by trial and error,” he says. “We basically just did it the way it should be done—or went out of business.”
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What the Agency is Best Known For and Strengths
Humanaut made a name with early viral work like Save the Bros and Halfpocalypse for Halfpops—big ideas with weird energy and heart. “We design for shareability, but we can’t guarantee it’ll be shared,” Littlejohn says. Their sweet spot: “fun, provocative, playful, even funny creative” for brands trying to make the world a little better (or at least snack better).
“Our work has to matter,” says Littlejohn. That means building emotional resonance, not just running campaigns. Humanaut develops long-term platforms rooted in real human needs—and injustice. “Nobody makes rational decisions. We make emotional decisions and rationalize them later.” Their process is designed to inject meaning, surprise, and protect what matters most: creative that actually works.
Why Independence is Important
Littlejohn puts it plainly: “A principle isn’t a principle until it costs you money.” Independence lets Humanaut walk away from brands that don’t align—and push back when timelines or strategies are broken. “We’re not afraid to risk the relationship,” he says. “That’s the luxury of knowing what we’re doing—and not being afraid to say it.”
Why Brands Should Work with the Agency
Humanaut works mostly project-to-project, yet they’ve had decade-long client relationships. Why? Because they don’t do yes-for-yes’s-sake. “We’re not going to nod along to a plan that sounds like a failure,” Littlejohn says. “We’d rather not do the work than do it wrong.” Clients may not always hear what they expect—but they get what they need.
Why Talent Should Consider the Agency
If you’re tired of decks and wondering what happened to your craft, Littlejohn has a pitch: “Do you remember making things?” Humanaut is a working production studio where people still saw wood, build sets, shoot, edit, and get their hands dirty. “We make real stuff,” he says. “And we’re out by five.”
Weirdos, Misfits, or Underdogs?
“We’re underdogs,” Littlejohn says. “And we work with underdogs.” The shop’s 30-person team often partners with challenger brands going up against legacy giants. “We’re small, we’re scrappy, we care more than anybody else—and that shows up in the work. You can feel the urgency.”
The Marketer and/or CMO They Want to Say Hello To
Littlejohn would love to talk to the team at Dave’s Killer Bread—a brand he admires for both product and potential. “They could be the coolest bread in Walmart,” he says. He also floats Bass Pro as a fascinating wildcard. Outdoorsy, mysterious, and very Tennessee.
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Doug Zanger is the founder and editor-in-chief of Indie Agency News. He is also the founder of the Creative Bohemian consultancy, lives in the Pacific Northwest and is insufferable about it.
