John Carstens - Chief Creative Officer - Team DDB (Omnicom)

John Carstens is the Chief Creative Officer at Team DDB (Omnicom), leading creative efforts for the US Army account—a massive, multidisciplinary consortium of 11+ agencies. A seasoned writer, strategist, and creative leader, he specializes in building and managing large teams to deliver innovative storytelling across brand categories. His career includes roles at SapientNitro (where he led digital creative departments), Apple, DDB, and others, with a focus on creative diversification, research-driven ideas, diverse perspectives, and evolving industry trends like AI in advertising. He's appeared on podcasts such as "How I F*cked Up" (discussing leading the Army account and lessons from setbacks) and others on unlocking ideas through perspective and storytelling.