About us
Experiential AgencyWe reach unreachables, Gen Z and Millennials, through experiences that deliver new customers, improve lives and elevate communities.
Why Care About Millennials?
- Collective net worth of over $9 trillion (Fortune)
- Will account for 75% of the workforce by 2030 with annual income projected to reach $32 trillion (Decalia)
- Will inherit over $68 trillion from their Baby Boomer parents by 2030 (Forbes)
Why Care About Gen Z?
- Account for 40% of the world’s consumers
- Have spending power estimated up to $323 billion
- Have an estimated collective buying power near $150 billion
Alrighty, I get it. How do I reach them?
The best brand activations foster a deep, meaningful, customer connection. We’ve worked with over 350 lifestyle brands on their experiential activations and as your experiential marketing consultant, bring that experience, knowledge and best practices to your team.
Millennials crave experiences
- More than 8 in 10 millennials (82%) attended or participated in a variety of live experiences in the past year, ranging from parties, concerts, festivals, performing arts and races and themed sports - more so than older generations (70%).*
- But millennials can’t get enough. 72% say they would like to increase their spending on experiences rather than physical things in the next year, pointing to a move away from materialism and a growing demand for real-life experiences.
*Eventbrite
Gen Z wants fun, authentic, good brands*
- “Gen Z doesn’t buy brands, they buy into brands. Brand purpose drives those brand decisions and loyalty.” - Bridgit McCaluey (Former MKTG Director - Maker’s Mark, Four Roses, Current Sr. Executive at GE Appliances
- “Gen Z are looking beyond products to understand what it is that makes the company tick. What’s its mission? What’s its purpose? And what is it actually trying to build for us as a society?” - Bo Finneman (McKinsey & Associates partner)
*MarketingDive
Meet the Team:
We hail from the South and Midwest – Austin, TX, Cincinnati, OH, Louisville, KY and Richwood, WV – but have worked with clients across the country, including Atlanta GA, Charleston SC, Nashville TN, Indianapolis IN, Asheville NC and more…
JK McKnight
Founder
At 21, JK created a mission-driven festival and guided it from 0 to 75,000 fans, alongside a nonprofit that also grew from grassroots to global. Along this journey, I discovered the Art of Impact – a 3-tiered model that connected and resonated with Gen Z and millennial audiences.
learn more>
Chrissy Hanna
Creative Producer
A seasoned experiential marketing wizard, Chrissy earned her stripes working for national brands and festival sponsors like Mars-Wrigley, Pedigree, M&M’s and more. She is a passionate, creative enthusiast who gets the job done efficiently…and with flair!
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Emily Pratte
Creative Producer
Connector, creator, strategizer and community steward...Emily is an opts master who pulls the things together behind the scenes to allow you to fully engage all of your senses and be present in the experience. Never far from a good laugh, Emily spent 15 years in Austin TX working for the likes of SXSW, Wine & Food, Texas Tribune and more…
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Creative Mornings
Ted Talk
JK McKnight
Founder
At 21, JK created a mission-driven festival and guided it from 0 to 75,000 fans, alongside a nonprofit that also grew from grassroots to global. Along this journey, I discovered the Art of Impact – a 3-tiered model that connected and resonated with Gen Z and millennial audiences.
In a family of creatives and community leaders, I became well-versed in art and impact as a child. My father, creative director at the city’s largest advertising agency, left to pioneer the city’s first digital marketing agency, while my mom volunteered for nonprofits and founded her own strategic partnership consultancy.
These experiences shaped and molded me to create a consultancy to help clients grow their businesses and organizations.
Chrissy Hanna
Creative Producer
Chrissy is a seasoned large-scale event and marketing professional with 7 years of experience working directly with lifestyle brands in various industries including: music, sports, confectionery, pet care, and food & beverage to help them engage their target audience through impactful experiences. She is passionate about opportunities that bring more authenticity to the world and crafting experiences that people will remember forever.
- What Makes you Happy?
- Fresh clean sheets, live music, clicking unsubscribe, a good hair day, checking off the last item on my to-do list, cheese boards, and that “Friday feeling.”
- Where can you be found on a day off?
- Being a tourist in my own city, thrift shopping, or spending quality time with the people I love.
Emily Pratte
Creative Producer
Emily has spent over 18 years honing her skills in the event industry. She got her start in event management working with a small, but mighty team who produced over 70+ concerts a year in across 4 venues in the Live Music Capital of the World; Austin, TX. From there she did everything in between: high-end weddings, nonprofit galas, multi-day destination conferences and festivals, large scale community events, creating fundraising opportunities, and curating and brokering sponsorship deals with Fortune 100 companies. She has unique experience not only in large event production and sponsorship, but also marketing and member/ donor cultivation and retention. She is constantly thinking through the lens of the end user, but always working with her clients to achieve their goals. Her track record has proven fruitful in leading clients to their defined success.
- What is your biggest fear?
- Dams, drains, and elevators
- If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be?
- Early morning hike in the mountains, followed by food and libations with friends and family.
- Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without?
- Since coffee is a necessity … Old lady alert - Vitamins and Kombucha - It makes all the difference in my days
Testimonials
Testimonials
“Global Visionary”
– World Affairs Council
“Innovative, catalytic creative”
– Greg Fischer | Louisville Mayor
“A major league entrepreneur”
– Roger Eaton | Fmr. President, KFC
“Southerner of the Year”
– Southern Living
“Elite leader, community builder”
– Dan Jones | Founder & CEO, Parklands
“Forward-thinking, hardworking visionary”
– Pat Hallahan | My Morning Jacket
“Global Visionary”
– World Affairs Council
“Innovative, catalytic creative”
– Greg Fischer | Louisville Mayor
“A major league entrepreneur”
– Roger Eaton | Fmr. President, KFC
“Southerner of the Year”
– Southern Living
“Elite leader, community builder”
– Dan Jones | Founder & CEO, Parklands
“Forward-thinking, hardworking visionary”
– Pat Hallahan | My Morning Jacket
Contact the Team
"JK is a visionary, strategist and tactician - he sees the potential of any product or service clearly, crafts a potent strategy, and is an effective leader building a team who tactically can reach any goal. An early adopter, he was a leader nationally in merging business with philanthropy and community benefit, always including the ROC (return on community) to the ROI."
– Gill Holland, Entrepreneur | Community Builder