christian sternal
creative director | copywriter
christian sternal
creative director | copywriter
“You should be an advertising creative—an art director or a copywriter,” said no one ever. All the signs were there. I was a constant maker. Always writing. Always art-ing. Building things. Taking things apart just to put them back together. Transforming things into other things. And designing or redesigning whatever. Yet no aptitude tests, teachers, parents or guidance counselors ever pointed me toward becoming a creative. I had to discover this path all on my own—and completely by mistake.
There isn‘t much I haven‘t done. That’s what happens when you spend a couple decades bringing brands and ideas kicking and screaming to life. And the more you do—the more you learn. My superpowers used to be just being able to think around corners and write copy that makes clients’ cry tears of joy. (Yes, really. Three times, in meetings). Today though, I know how to lead or follow. Play on a team or work solo. Listen. And be flexible. Mentor. Direct traffic. Present like no one is watching. And wear whatever other hat it takes to help the most creative and relevant work survive—to connect people with answers, new ways, points of view, plans, products and other people.
Category Exp:
Automotive, Higher Ed, Quick Serve Restaurants (QSR), Hospitality, Alcoholic Beverages, Financial Services, PSAs, Soft Drinks, Motorcycles, CPG and Retail Services, Telecom, other things, other stuff.
Agency Life:
Heavy • SCS (Schiefer Chopshop) • 160OVER90 • INNOCEAN • Pitch • RPA • Spacedog-Mendelsohn / Zien • Tool NA • O’Leary & Partners • FCB Global • Plowshare Group • Bailey Gardiner • Lehman Millet • Campbell Mithun • Bozell • other agencies • other in-house
Past life:
I wasn‘t always a world-class copywriter / creative director. No, before I was body-snatched and forced to become a host for the talented degenerate ad creative who lives in my brain now, I was a insatiably curious wandering human muppet doing random and occasionally inglorious things for a living. These are some of those things:
Education life:
Spent the better part of a decade as a professional college student. Exploring options in Jr. College first, I dove into Psychology. Then Biological Psychology. Then Business. Then Philosophy and English. Then penultimately—thinking I’d become a lawyer and go into politics—I transferred to CSULA to double in Speech Communications and World Politics. Which lead to serving as the VP, then President, of the their collegiate Model United Nations Organization. However, after shepherding five delegations of peers to two NMUN conferences in NYC, it made me realize, dang, I really don’t want to be a lawyer or a politician. Which sent me into a nasty tailspin. Eventually though, something completely absurd happened (ask me about it sometime) that made me realize that I should be doing exactly what I’d already been doing my whole life—writing and making cool sh*t. So I smashed the career reset button one last time and never looked back. Everyone thought I’d actually lost my mind. But after a few years of fumbling, flailing and figuring it out. Voraciously reading and studying every award show annual I could find. Deconstructing smart, iconic work and developing a portfolio at The Book Shop in LA, I finally got the first job that I ever really loved. Doing what I love to do—being creative as a creative.