Associate Director of Copy & Storytelling Stephanie Granado recently interviewed with Canvas Rebel. She reveals how her start as a teacher informed both her creativity & leadership styles in the Advertising/Marketing world.
Alright, Stephanie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you became a storyteller?
From the time I was young, I have always been an avid reader. I think that is where my fascination with words and storytelling was first ignited. Throughout my education, I didn’t even know that a career in writing existed beyond becoming an author or a screenwriter. It wasn’t until college that I learned about advertising and was introduced to copywriting. The industry was very traditional then, and social media wasn’t what it is today. So, early in my career I wrote blogs (bloggers were the “OG” influencers). I started to hone in on my creative process – concepting ideas and digging into strategy. That’s when I started to love Creative and really see a path that I wanted to pursue and succeed in.
Can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Once I discovered advertising, I knew that’s what I wanted to pursue. But my path was not linear. For me, it was absolutely essential to have a paid salary coming out of college. Any creative knows there isn’t much to do without a portfolio, and I wasn’t even aware that portfolio schools existed. So I decided to take a detour.
I had a professor once tell me that when you start out in advertising you’re grossly underpaid, but if you stick it out and put in the work you become grossly overpaid. I couldn’t shake this feeling of guilt (and in retrospect, imposter syndrome). Like, who was I to be that audacious? So I decided that I wanted to do something impactful and positive before I jumped into the world of advertising. When I got accepted to Teach For America, I wasn’t even sure if I should do it. But the same professor told me that any agency would see it as a completely different exercise in creativity.
Turns out I absolutely loved teaching. No career offers more fulfillment or impact than teaching. But it’s no secret that teachers are not generously compensated. So I would moonlight after school, writing copy at a tiny social media firm to keep my foot in the door of advertising. I learned so much in my time as a teacher and grew creatively. You have to get creative to get kids excited about math and reading. Ultimately, I knew I wanted to take my talents beyond the classroom. That’s when the teacher literally became the student, and I went back to school to obtain my masters and build my portfolio.
Since then, I’ve worked as a copywriter – writing anything and everything from social and commercials to print and radio to dreaming up activations. You name it; I’ve done it. Over the course of my career, I’ve worked with a diverse range of brands from Google to Coke, to Medicare, to household cleaners. I’ve worked on campaigns in nearly every capacity. What sets me apart is how I approach my work: I’m a creative problem solver first and a storyteller second.
Since storytelling is my passion, I strive to set new standards for clients when sharing brand stories that resonate with different audiences.
My approach involves drawing inspiration from every part of my life and immersing myself in cultures so I can uncover insights that will benefit clients’ campaigns and deliver results. As a Creative Lead at THE 3RD EYE, my mission is to uphold the belief that successful stories are driven by both rational and emotional consumer insights.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Although I’ve been in this industry for several years, seeing my work out in the world is still rewarding and exciting. Creative, regardless of form, is always a labor of love, but seeing an idea come to life makes it all worthwhile. Working in the health and wellness space at THE 3RD EYE has been especially rewarding, not just because of the results we’re able to produce for our clients, but also because our campaigns have a direct impact on the people we serve. The work we do often provides greater access and knowledge about healthcare resulting in the opportunity for people in these often underserved communities to live better, healthier lives.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Representation is so important, especially for young people. If you can see it, you can be it. I myself didn’t even realize creative careers existed until I was in college. For people who look like me or come from families like mine, it’s not something I’d ever seen. And even now to this day, I’ve yet to have a creative director or executive creative director, or chief creative officer who looks like me. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever even encountered a woman who’s held any of those positions. When I made the switch from teaching, I remember thinking about how some of my students would make great creatives, and it’s a huge part of what motivates me to be successful – to simply prove that it can be done.