For more than 18 years, I've created and written authentic brand stories which have turned into award-winning work for: Wal-Mart, Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL),12 Foot Beard Whiskey, Bayer, Hallmark, Cherry Creek Arts and AT&T. As a Creative Director, I've spent more than 10 years developing diverse creative cultures which empower and motivate teams to do the best work of their lives while also focusing on building strong and lasting client relationships.

I've had a front row seat watching the immergence of ChatGPT and AI (Midjourney etc). I'm actually a fan of these tools and have used them often. I believe they have a role to play within branding and marketing as long as they support a human and compelling brand story (everyone settle down, you're not losing your jobs...yet).

I also ventured into the crowded landscape of podcasts when I created, produced and hosted the "12 Foot Beardcast" — a podcast dedicated to highlighting people of character and integrity. After partnering with music venues and bars, this podcast with a shoe string budget culminated in a live event at The Monocle (a bar in Saint Louis). All of the effort paid off when 12 Foot Beard became the fastest growing whiskey brand in Missouri.

When I'm not at the office late, I'm feverishly working as the owner, writer and artist of my own side hustle publishing company, Ichabod Oldbuck Press.

"Steve is an amazing writer, creative thinker, and an incredible leader. Steve led multiple teams that won national recognition for the work, pushed the boundaries of design experiences, all while adding new clients to the agency. Steve thrives as a leader, inspiring and understanding how to get the best out of his team. He approaches every project with passion, creativity, and a sense of humor." Dan Klevorn CD Toky

"Steve is the type of creative leader who will speak up and say the work isn't there yet. He won't tell you to figure it out, he'll work with you to build upon it and push the work to be great. He challenged, motivated, and encouraged me to create work that was smart and beautiful. He knows advertising, he knows creative and he knows how to be a true leader." Tony McAley CD

"Steve John is the real deal. Here's a Creative Director who still, amidst all the song and dance of "modern" agency life, will fight like hell for the best idea to win. He's kept the best parts of our ad heroes — ones who rake creators of thin briefs over hot coals — and added a sense of tomorrow." Caitlin Steever CD

"Steve is one of those creatives that really gets into the consumer’s head and wants to know how things work, why they work and how to make it happen on the advertising end. I was never disappointed with his contributions — in fact, I was almost always amazed at what kind of thinking he would bring to a project." Karen Gregory CD

Awards:
National ADDYs
Regional ADDYs
AIGAs
Brodersons
NAMAs
TAMMs