Former Code and Theory CCO Amy Carvajal Launches Design Studio, Fulltank

Former Code and Theory chief creative officer Amy Carvajal has today launched a new design studio, Fulltank.

While design is ‘the lens’ through which the ‘impact studio’ will work, the founder tells LBB that the company is “built for the full arc of brand building”.

“Our capabilities span strategy, brand identity, marketing, copywriting, and tech development, because modern brands need it all working in harmony across their ecosystems,” she says. “Here, ideas move seamlessly from insight to identity to experience. The through-line is ambition: leaders who see creativity as a lever for real change.”

Over the last year, Amy has been quietly building Fulltank, partnering with seasoned talent across strategy, design, writing, tech, marketing, and business operations, forming a “flexible model”. This means a core team backed by independent collaborators that they can activate as needed. “That keeps us nimble, senior-led, and built to scale with the challenge,” she says.

“Building Fulltank has been exciting;, it’s given me the chance to partner with brilliant, very different minds, proving that true diversity of thinking is what unlocks fresh approaches.” This includes Fulltank partner Jessica Davis, former Essence COO and head of NA operation for IPG Mediabrands. “[She] brings deep expertise in transformative business approaches and guiding companies from vision to fruition,” says Amy, “and that builder’s mindset is invaluable in shaping how we work with our clients.”

As well as building out the team, Fulltank has been partnering with clients to ‘pressure-test’ the model, recently helping a transformative sustainability company “articulate its entire value chain”, and working in a new packaged goods product category. Now that the process is refined, Amy is finally bringing Fulltank and its proven approach into the light –- along with her personal experience leading creative at large agencies such as Wunderman Thompson, Publicis, McCann and Ogilvy.

“That gave me the ability to think systemically: brand, media, technology, culture, all working together,” she says. “With Fulltank, I’m returning to the precision of craft, infused with the strategic depth and operational scale that leadership has given me. I believe design is the most powerful force we have. It stirs emotion, untangles complexity, and unlocks transformative thinking.”

One of the main targets of this transformative thinking is startups, which Amy has set her sights on, as they are “at a moment where design and storytelling can make or break them”. She explains, “They need to look credible, compelling, and differentiated. We’re structured to deliver senior-level thinking without the overhead of a legacy agency, and we assemble the right team for each project. That means startups gain access to top-tier talent they wouldn’t normally have within reach, delivered at a pace and scale that matches their reality.

“A startup mentality is to push bold, innovative ideas into the market, which aligns directly with our vision: to fuel ideas that disrupt, challenge, and drive change. We want to partner with people intent on reshaping their categories and leaving a lasting mark.”

After an ‘equally exhilarating and humbling’ year building this new company, while also delivering for brands behind the scenes, Amy says she is excited to officially launch and work with fast-moving leaders who are ready to step on the gas to do just that.

“We have some really exciting projects underway that show the range of what Fulltank can do, and we’re eager to share them soon. We look forward to partnering with brands that need a full tank to back them in doing work that resonates then ricochets, so we hope the many that see this, get in touch at fulltankstudio.com.”