2 Minutes With
He's all about strategy, story, execution
David Brickley | Photo illustration by Gautami Upadhyay
David is CEO of STN Digital. He launched the company in 2013 with Kobe Bryant as its first client. The agency’s clients include NBC Universal, TikTok, the Olympics, Universal Music Group, Fox and the NFL. David’s Business of Social podcast has hosted interviews providing real-world case studies and actionable approaches to optimize marketing results.
We spent two minutes with David to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired.
Where you grew up, and where you live now.
I grew up in Yucaipa, Calif., an hour east of Los Angeles. Moved to San Diego for college at SDSU (Go Aztecs!), then made the leap to L.A. post-grad where I launched STN out of my bedroom. Literally. Startup style, 18-hour days. Not long after, I moved the HQ to San Diego, where I’ve lived for the last decade. Sunshine, palm trees and less traffic.
How you first realized you were creative.
I was the kid taking the family camcorder and creating sitcoms and newscasts with my sisters. My friends and I would run fake postgame pressers in his garage after rec league games. I wasn’t trying to be creative. It’s just what felt natural and what we did for fun.
A moment from high school or college that changed your life.
Summer 2009. A new skateboarding event, Maloof Money Cup, reached out to our college radio station. I didn’t know a kickflip from an ollie, but I saw the shot and took it. Borrowed a camera, booked a sketchy hotel, all to get content for my demo reel. And then Kobe Bryant walks in. I somehow pull off a 5-minute exclusive interview with my childhood hero. First time realizing I could hang in this space. Everything changed.
One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on.
Helping launch Caitlin Clarks’s rookie season with the Indiana Fever was lightning in a bottle. From draft day to breaking records, we helped shaped the narrative in real time with our partners at the Fever. A piece of viral-content we dropped during the draft won a Webby. My team spent 70 to 80 hours creating this video of a Toy Story-esque action figure of Caitlin. It got around 10 million views on TikTok alone and 500,000 engagements.
A recent project you’re proud of.
Super proud of our work with NBC Sports for the 2024 Paris Olympics. We helped generate 6.5 billion digital impressions—driving an estimated $50 million in earned media value. It was the perfect storm of smart strategy, deep prep, 12-hour grind sessions and hacking the algorithm to maximize ROI. That effort paid off big: multiple Webby Awards and a Sports Emmy. Moments like this remind us of the impact we can have and why we do what we do.
Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago.
The Gatorade x Derek Jeter “My Way” retirement spot. Black and white. Frank Sinatra. Jeter walking the streets of New York. It’s emotional and gives me chills every time. If you don’t get goosebumps by the time Bob Sheppard says, “Number two: Derek Jeter… number two,” check your pulse.
Someone else’s work you admired lately.
The Royal Kingdom mobile game campaign with LeBron. Honestly, it was fire. A rare case of branded content that tapped into NBA culture and elevated that culture instead of just hijacking it. More of this, please.
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Your main strength as a creative person.
I’m a walking BS filter. I can take big, bloated ideas or complex problems and trim them down to what actually matters. Strategy, story, execution. Clean, clear and fast. I trust my gut and don’t need a six-week brainstorm to move.
Your biggest weakness.
Slowing down. I’m a “What’s next?” guy, which is great for momentum but not so great for celebrating wins. I’ve had to train myself to actually enjoy the view before finding the next problem or sprinting up the next hill.
A mentor who helped you navigate the industry.
A huge shoutout goes to my business coach Aaron Keith. He’s been by my side for nearly eight years. Through every high, low, pivot and growth spurt. He’s helped me scale the business. But more importantly, he’s helped me scale myself as a human. When you’re building something from scratch, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos or chase the wrong metrics. Aaron helped me slow down, zoom out and lead with intention. Not just as a CEO, but as a human.
What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.
I’d still be building. Whether it was tech, wellness or media. I’ve always been entrepreneurial. I love identifying the gap, creating the solution and scaling it with purpose. If it wasn’t advertising, it’d be something else that blends creativity, business, leadership and impact.
2 Minutes With is our regular interview series where we chat with creatives about their backgrounds, creative inspirations, work they admire and more. For more about 2 Minutes With, or to be considered for the series, please get in touch.
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Shahnaz Mahmud
Shahnaz Mahmud is a contributing writer to Muse by Clios.