Karen Costello, Chief Creative Officer, The Martin Agency
Karen has always considered herself a dreamer and an optimist. She believes in the power of creativity, loves to ask the question “What if?” and rarely says no to a challenge.
Prior to joining The Martin Agency in 2017, Karen was an executive creative director for Deutsch Los Angeles. She helped grow that office from 13 people to over 400 in its first few years. She led the Target account for over six years and was behind the award-winning Gwen Stefani video, an ambitious feat that had never been done before: creating a music video live on TV during a commercial break on the Grammys.
Now, as the first female CCO in The Martin Agency’s history, Karen is embracing yet another challenge. She believes in using creativity to make brands, the industry, and the world better. In addition to creating effective and award-winning work, throughout her career she has endeavored to create and advocate for more female leadership roles; has helped create more equitable and humane work environments; and has addressed local community needs by working on political campaigns and building volunteer workforces.