Meet Gabriela Trejo, Brand Strategist
Creative without strategy is called ‘art.' Creative with strategy is called ‘advertising.’
To say that Gabriela Trejo lives and breathes advertising is an understatement. This creative genius has an extensive history in the field, starting with creative design and art direction and moving into branding. She currently works as a Brand Strategist at Carmichael Lynch, on brands such as U.S. Bank, Subaru, and Jack Link's. She was previously a Brand Planning Analyst with the agency. Gabriela graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing. During the program, she interned as a Vertical & Digital Marketing Intern at Capella University and worked as an MBA Marketing Research Consultant for Minnesota Public Radio. She also taught many of us the art of making simple yet beautiful presentations.
Before her MBA stint, Gabriela worked as a Senior Art Director at Arrechedera Claverol, a Senior Art Director at Leo Burnett, and a Senior Art Director and an Assistant Art Director at Lowe and Partners Worldwide. She also worked as a Freelance Translator for the PüR Project at P&G. Gabriela earned her Bachelor of Arts from Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de Mexico. She volunteered as a Creative Mentor/Art Buddy with Art Buddies and is trilingual, speaking Spanish, English, and German fluently.
What does a typical day in your role look like?
Well, I guess that’s the beauty of advertising: There is no typical day. Things change constantly, and we need to be ready to react as well as possible. I like to start my day early (or early-ish by ad agency standards) and have time for coffee while I skim news and trends. I subscribe to different newsletters (Iconoculture, WARC, PFSK, The Futures Co., etc.) that help me stay on top of what’s new.
What are you passionate about?
I’ve always been passionate about people because there’s always so much to learn from everybody’s stories and experiences. An old boss of mine (from my time as a creative) used to say that I was always “interviewing” people. It may or may not be true; I don’t know, but I do genuinely care about the stories behind everybody around me. I love asking questions about their childhood, their family, traditions, etc. I especially love talking to people from backgrounds different from mine.
What do you find most challenging about your job/career?
The most challenging part of my job is probably finding the right insights that inspire great creative ideas and connect the client’s business goals with consumers’ needs. A good insight can sometimes sound very obvious, but finding that sweet spot requires a lot of work and intuition. In my case, too, I do this in a language other than mine and in a culture other than mine, which makes it more challenging but also way more fun.
What do you find most enriching about your job/career?
I think the best part of working in advertising is that it lets you have a lot of fun with what you do. I’ve met some of the smartest, most talented people in this industry; some of them have also become important friends in my life. From my current role, I would say that seeing the final creative and knowing you helped “plant the seed” that led to a great idea is very rewarding.
How did you find yourself in your current career?
Well, my career path has been far from traditional. I’m a graphic designer and worked as an art director in Mexico City for a long time. Three years ago, I decided to move to Minnesota and go back to school to get my MBA—I know, weird combination, right? I originally left the creative world thinking the only way back into advertising would be on the strategy team, but I was looking for something in marketing. Looking for a job as an international student who needs a work visa is tough. I soon realized ad agencies were among the few companies that hired based on talent and recognized diversity for what it brings to the table, not just as a number. I was lucky enough to find Carmichael Lynch, one of the best agencies in town, that was interested in my background and open to hiring despite visa issues. I had to go a few steps back in my career and start over from the bottom because my advertising experience wasn't in strategy. Admittedly, to my surprise, I found my sweet spot on the Brand Planning team: the perfect mix of creative and marketing. I started as an intern, then became a brand-planning analyst, and was recently promoted to brand strategist. It’s been a rocky path, but I absolutely love what I do… (Phew! That was long!)
Words of advice for anyone who wants to pursue this career?
Stay curious. Ask questions. Network. Talk to people in the field, even if they’re not in the exact position you’re interested in. Look for internships, get your foot in the door, work hard; the rest will follow.
To learn about the amazing work Gabriela is doing and has done, check out her LinkedIn profile.
Thanks for reading!¨
