PHOTO BY ANDREW MCLUHANMy career has followed a consistent trajectory—from designing artifacts, to leading creative teams, to helping founders and organizations align strategy, culture, and communication.
While the contexts have changed, the practice has remained the same: creating coherence where complexity obscures meaning; providing stories where meaning is felt and shared.
Follow Christian on Substack
-
![]()
Nobody Beats The Biz
-
![]()
Campfires and Water Coolers
-
![]()
Cultures Are Shaped By The Traumas They Survive
-
![]()
Lead with Emotion. Justify with Intellect.
-
![]()
Merch For The Military-Industrial Complex
-
![]()
How The Grid Ate The Golden Ratio
-
![]()
Mind Your Business
-
![]()
The Bravery to Consistently Choose Relational Over Transactional
Christian P. Acker
Creative Executive
Design is meaning made manifest. Meaning emerges when values become coherent. Value is realized when that meaning is experienced.
Core Expertise
Strategy
Leadership
Narrative
Identity Systems
Facilitation
Big Ideas
Attention to Detail
Impact & Highlights
I help founders, executive teams and organizations transform uncertainty into opportunities people genuinely value by aligning strategy, culture and story through design. For over twenty years I’ve led multidisciplinary teams, built brands, launched products, advised founders and Fortune 500 organizations, and developed creative and communication systems that scale businesses and strengthen cultures.
Led global brand design for Converse across product, retail, communications, and digital
Direct multidisciplinary creative teams across agencies, startups, and independent consultancy.
Advise executive leadership on positioning, organizational alignment, and strategic creative initiatives
Built Mythic Proportions to help organizations create meaningful brands through strategy, storytelling, and design
Authored Flip the Script, published Gingko Press, with 30,000+ copies across five editions worldwide
Lectured at Stanford University, Parsons School of Design, School of Visual Arts, Type Directors Club, and industry conferences
Featured by The New York Times and National Public Radio
Experience
2020 – Present, New York, NY
Mythic Proportions Co-Founder | Creative Director | Strategist
Founded a strategic brand consultancy helping founders and executive teams build coherent brands by aligning purpose, culture, positioning, identity, storytelling, photography, and communications into unified brand systems.
Select Clients include:
McKay Inc. (Art of Manliness)
Luke Burgis
Mercatus Center (George Mason University)
McGrath Institute (Notre Dame University)
East of West Vineyards
LAX World
TYR Athletics
Areas of Focus:
Executive brand strategy
Organizational positioning
Leadership alignment
Brand Design & Identity systems
Narrative development
Executive workshops
Cross-functional advisory
2018 – 2020, New York, NY
Mullen Lowe NY Vice President, Design Director
Led brand design and creative direction function across integrated campaigns, editorial storytelling, photography, digital experiences, and new business while partnering with strategy directors, executive leadership, and multidisciplinary creative teams.
Select Clients include:
William Hill
Schick
Banana Boat
E*Trade
Banner Health
Vitamin Shoppe
Hawaiian Tropic
OB
Carefree
2016 – 2018, New York, NY
Adnauseum, Inc Founder | Creative Director | Designer
Built an independent practice serving leading organizations across sports, publishing, apparel and media.
Select Clients include:
Nike
Under Armour
Puma
Obey Clothing
R/GA
The New York Times
ESPN
Complex
Oxford University Press
Northwestern University Press
Mercatus Center (George Mason University)
Sheridan Beer Co
2016 – 2017, Burlington, VT (Remote)
Solidarity of Unbridled Labour Consultant–Creative Director
Partnered with the founder and lead strategist to reposition an established outdoor consumer brand into a new product category through creative direction, photography, and design.
2014 – 2016, Boston, MA
Converse Associate Creative Director, Global Brand Design
Led Global Brand Design across seasonal campaigns, editorial storytelling, photography, retail experiences, product launches, and integrated brand communications for a $2B annual business.
Worked Directly with Senior Leadership Across:
Brand
Retail
Product Marketing
Communications
Completed Nike Leadership Development Programs:
Coaching Plus
Manager Plus
Insights Discovery Personality Workshop
Think & Speak for Results
Key Contributions:
Directed global creative across product, retail, brand, and storytelling
Aligned cross-functional teams around a unified creative vision
Built scalable design systems for global communications
Led multidisciplinary creative teams from concept through execution
Oversaw creative stewardship for Chuck Taylor, CONS, and Jack Purcell
2013 – 2014, New York, NY
Mass Appeal Associate Creative Director
Helped lead the creative relaunch of the iconic culture publication across editorial, digital, and product.
Worked Directly with Senior Leadership Across:
Brand
Retail
Product Marketing
Communications
Completed Nike Leadership Development Programs:
Coaching Plus
Manager Plus
Insights Discovery Personality Workshop
Think & Speak for Results
Key Contributions:
Directed global creative across product, retail, and brand storytelling
Aligned cross-functional teams around a unified creative vision
Built scalable design systems for global communications
Led multidisciplinary creative teams from concept through execution
Oversaw creative stewardship for Chuck Taylor, CONS, and Jack Purcell.
2010 – 2014, New York, NY
Adnauseum, Inc Founder | Creative Director | Designer
2004 – 2010, New York, NY
Zoo York Sr Art Director
Progressed from designer to department leader responsible for brand identity, apparel graphics, on-product branding and creative team leadership. During tenure, company revenue increased by more than 500%.
2002 – 2004, New York, NY
SME Branding Brand Designer
2002, New York, NY
Zona Design Brand Designer
Writing, Speaking & Press
Author
Flip the Script
Gingko Press
Five editions
30,000+ copies in print
Speaking
Stanford University
Parsons School of Design
School of Visual Arts
Type Directors Club
International Arts Movement
Press
National Public Radio
The New York Times Book Review
Additional Items of Note
Adjunct Professor
Parsons School of Design
Taught: Communication Design, Typography, Presentation, and Studio Practice.
Handselecta Founder
Independent type foundry and preservation project working with 100+ artists worldwide documenting the contemporary lettering culture that is graffiti.
Honors
OMMA Award Winner
Education
Parsons School of Design
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Communication Design, Honors
Operating Principles
Improve the question before solving the problem
Design begins before execution
Meaning emerges when values become coherent
Great brands reveal meaning rather than manufacture it
Culture is a hierarchical value revealed through behavior
Build emotional brands through systems that outlast campaigns
Personality &
Leadership Style
DISC: Coordinating Observer (Blue)
Big 5: O: 95% C: 86% E: 66% A: 74% N: 70%
Myers Briggs: INFJ
IYKYK
The Journey So Far
2020-Present
2018-2020
2016-2017
2014-2016
2013-2014
2003-Present
2010-2013
2004-2010
2002-2004
1998-2002GOT A PROJECT OR OPPORTUNITY BREWING?