Staying Connected: Sofia Escamilla, Acento

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On behalf of AdForum, we hope you are staying safe during this unprecedented time and its challenges.
Although our world is dominated by virus, we have made a decision to publish interviews we conducted earlier this month. These interviews are virus-unrelated, so we hope they provide some inspiration, relief and rejuvenation! We are in this together and because of this, we are upholding our commitment to our clients, to publish news and insights. 
Check out adforum.com to stay connected in our industry.
Above all, be safe. 

 

Sofia Escamilla
VP, Media Acento
 

How would you describe the overall culture at your agency / company?

One of the reasons I enjoy working at Acento is our exceptional work culture that is rooted in diversity and respect of colleagues.  We have a smart and enthusiastic team that is ready to dive in and support each other on delivering great work that drives clients’ business.  Our team is quick to adapt and our agency leadership encourages staff to be proactive in developing skills to provide additional value to our clients’ work.      

 

In your opinion, what do you see as the biggest change in the advertising industry since women have begun to break the glass ceiling?

With more women in advertising management positions, we are seeing more diverse teams working on client business.  In order to deliver work that resonates in today’s U.S. culture, talent needs to represent the diversity of the country with regards to gender, ethnicity and age to breakthrough.  Agencies led by women have typically brought forth an agency culture and diverse team that reflects the audiences that we are trying to reach.    

 

Do you think that women still face challenges in our industry, and if so, what are they?

Women have made significant strides in the workforce; however, she has gotten there by working twice as hard and for less money.  In today’s landscape, women in leadership must demonstrate that they can do it all faster, better and at a lower cost.  That continues to be the underlying issue – women need to show efficiencies with everything they touch and unfortunately that also includes salary. 

 

How should we tackle an issue such equal opportunity?

Ideally, we would like businesses to fairly provide everyone the same opportunity, but the reality is that this isn’t always the case.  The only way I have been able to tackle equal opportunity is through continuous learning and improvement of my craft.  I make it a point to sign up to multiple webinars (like marketing, diverse advertising, analytics, creating kick-ass client decks, etc.), attend conferences and lead various client projects with the goal of learning, developing best practices and expanding work experience.  It becomes harder to be denied opportunities when you can bring a wealth of knowledge to the table.  

 

How did you find your way into the marketing communications industry and what professional achievement are you most proud of?

I landed my first advertising job by accident when I was a student at USC.  I was not considering advertising as a career, but at the time, an agency close to USC was looking for a Latino/a to help build their Hispanic advertising business in Los Angeles.  It was this experience that made me very excited about the industry and set me on my path of diverse segment advertising.

  

Who inspires you the most, either inside the industry or outside? Why?

I have been very lucky to work with so many brilliant women in advertising who I have leaned on for support and inspiration.  What has been special is that I have been able to stay connected with some of these women over the years.  These women have moved on to big roles within their companies, but I have made it a point to meet-up in person to connect.  Through these in-person meetings (usually over breakfast) I have been able to continue learning from them as we continue to tackle new challenges in our ever-changing business.