The Art of Account Management: Christie Deantonio's Big Picture Approach

A proud Ohio native, Christie puts her well-honed listening skills and 19 years of advertising-industry experience to work at Brandon by helping clients identify impediments to growth and develop proven strategies for success. Her digital strategy, implementation, optimisation, research and marketing programs consistently drive increased awareness, preference and conversion across all channels, including owned, earned and paid.

Christie holds a degree in retail and consumer sciences from the University of Arizona and worked at respected agencies in Los Angeles, San Diego and Charleston before joining Brandon. When not working, she can be found spending time with her husband and two young kids at the beach, cooking, enjoying good wine, and traveling. 

Christie has helped a diverse array of brands such as Santee Cooper, CresCom Bank, MUSC, Daytona Beach CVB, Camp Hall, stayAPT Suites, Schleich, CRDA, The Southern Bank and Intel meet and exceed their business goals.

LBB> How did you first get involved in account management and what appealed to you about it? 

Christie> Marketing and advertising have always been part of my life. With both my father and grandfather having long careers in the industry, it was something I grew up surrounded by. When I went to the University of Arizona and declared my major in business and consumer sciences, I knew marketing was the path for me. My first role was in experiential marketing, where I helped plan and produce large-scale events for global brands such as Intel and BMW.

What truly excited me was the creativity behind these projects and how they came to life in ways everyone could see and experience. That tangible impact, combined with the client relationship-building, naturally led me into account management. Delivering great work for my clients and seeing their goals realised is what keeps me passionate about this career.

LBB> What is it about your personality, skills and experience that has made account management such a great fit?

Christie> My natural inclination to build relationships and my genuine interest in helping clients succeed have been key factors in making account management a great fit for me. Over the years, I’ve developed a strong understanding of client needs while also honing the ability to diplomatically manage competing interests.

I value clear communication, empathy, and problem-solving, which I believe are essential skills for balancing the demands of clients and internal teams.

My long tenure in the industry has also provided me with the experience to anticipate challenges and guide my teams through them with confidence.  

LBB> What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting their career in account management? 

Christie> The best advice I can offer is to always prioritise relationships. Building trust with your clients and your internal team is foundational. Listen actively, communicate clearly, and never lose sight of your client’s objectives. Be adaptable—every client and project is different—and embrace the unpredictability of the role. Most importantly, know that successful account management is about fostering partnerships where both the agency and the client thrive.

LBB> Thinking back to some of your most challenging experiences you’ve had in your career, what do you think tends to lie at the heart of the more tense or difficult client-agency relationships?

Christie> At the heart of most tense client-agency relationships is often a misalignment of expectations. Whether it’s unclear communication or different interpretations of goals, when expectations aren’t fully understood or managed, friction arises. Another common issue is a lack of trust. When the client or agency doesn’t feel fully confident in each other’s capabilities or intentions, it can strain the relationship.

LBB> And what are the keys to building a productive and healthy relationship?

Christie> Transparency, communication, and trust are the foundation of any productive client relationship. From the very start, it’s crucial to clearly define goals, roles, and expectations. Regular, open communication ensures that everyone is on the same page and can address issues before they escalate. Building trust takes time, but delivering on promises consistently and demonstrating a deep understanding of your client’s needs go a long way in solidifying a healthy working relationship. 

LBB> What’s your view on disagreement and emotion - is there a place for it and if not, why not? If so, why - and what does productive disagreement look like?

Christie> Disagreement absolutely has a place in account management, as long as it’s productive. Healthy disagreement fosters innovation and helps teams avoid groupthink.

What matters is how that disagreement is managed. It’s about keeping the conversation respectful and solution-focused, ensuring that all parties feel heard, and using differing opinions to refine and improve the work. Emotion can also play a role, but it’s important to keep it constructive. Passion can drive great work, but unchecked emotions can derail the focus.

LBB> Historically, account management has been characterised as the mediator in an adversarial client and creative relationship - what do you make of that characterisation, is there any nugget of truth in that or is it wildly inaccurate?

Christie> There’s certainly some truth to the idea that account management often acts as a mediator, but I wouldn’t characterise the client-creative relationship as inherently adversarial. It’s more about managing differing priorities.

Creatives are focused on innovation and pushing boundaries, while clients typically have specific business goals in mind. Account management bridges the gap by ensuring both sides understand and appreciate each other’s perspectives, allowing for collaborative problem-solving rather than conflict.

LBB> These days, agencies do so much beyond traditional campaigns and as account management you’re pulling together creative, experience, data, e-commerce, social and more - and that complexity can often be mirrored on the client stakeholder side too? What’s the key to navigating (and helping the client navigate) that complexity?

Christie> The key to navigating this complexity is a holistic, big-picture approach. It’s essential to keep a clear focus on the client’s overall objectives, which will guide decision-making across all these different facets.

As account managers, we need to act as both translators and integrators, ensuring that all elements—creative, data, digital, and beyond—work together cohesively.

Simplifying complex ideas and helping clients see how each piece contributes to their larger goals is vital to helping them feel more confident and in control of the process.

LBB> What recent projects are you proudest of and why? What was challenging about these projects from an account management perspective and how did you address those challenges? What was so satisfying about working on these projects?

Christie> As cliché as it might sound, I’m proud of all the projects I work on. However, one that stands out is a campaign for a travel and tourism client at the onset of COVID. Our challenge was to create a video spot that would keep the destination top of mind for consumers, ensuring they would consider it when travel resumed. The project was particularly challenging because we needed to act quickly, stay extremely budget-conscious, and adapt to the reality that a traditional shoot was impossible.

To address these challenges, we leaned into user-generated content, which not only fit the budget, but also added a personal, authentic touch. We knew that to capture people’s attention in such uncertain times, the spot needed to be emotionally resonant. The result was so powerful that when we presented it to the client, they themselves became emotional. That moment was incredibly satisfying.

What made it even more rewarding was seeing the results when the world started traveling again. The destination saw strong returns, and we attributed much of that success to the fact that we kept their brand awareness high during such a difficult time.