MACIE SOLER-SALA

What’s a creative project outside of work that’s taught you something about yourself?

My son, Artie, was born with a rare neuromuscular disorder called RYR-1. You wouldn’t think a life-altering diagnosis would get the creative juices flowing, but he’s a very motivating little boss. I’ve gotten very involved with the foundation – I helped design a mascot and wrote a theme song for the conference this year (I write kids music on the side). I’m also in the process of raising money for a gene therapy that could specifically help him, which is flexing a lot of the same muscles I use for my job – coming up with a theme for the fundraiser, a tagline, and a mission.

My husband and I also put together a book proposal about the first year of his life. Throwing myself into these creative projects has made this whole experience slightly more bearable. It’s helped me process all of this and feel like I’m able to take a little more of an actionable role in this completely powerless experience. It’s taught me that I am a better person and mother when I am “doing,” versus sitting back and waiting for things to happen.

“Throwing myself into these creative projects has made this whole experience slightly more bearable. It’s taught me that I am a better person and mother when I am doing, versus sitting back and waiting for things to happen.”

How do you think the definition of creative leadership is evolving?

You have to be able to make stuff. And fast. Not just write or design stuff – but be able to make TikToks and write AI prompts. Understand what you’re putting out into the world and why it will or will not resonate with your audience – even if your audience is much, much younger than you. It’s not necessarily being a micromanager who does everything, but a leader who gets the pace of this industry and how fast it moves.

“It’s not necessarily being a micromanager who does everything, but a leader who gets the pace of this industry and how fast it moves.”

What does paying it forward look like for you?

I think it’s important to make a habit of personally calling out individuals for their contributions to campaigns – whether it’s a line, a script, a billboard, or the whole thing. Thanking the collective team is great, but it’s essential that people put good work to names and faces. Recognition is important, especially for younger or underrepresented creatives.

Who is inspiring you right now and why?

Can I say Bad Bunny? Am I fangirling right now? The fact that he collaborated with a professor from Wisconsin on designing the set for his residency to be this incredible representation of his country is so impressive and off the wall. It’s a good reminder to look where you least expect for creative inspiration. Oh, and Gavin Newsom is inspiring me to be pettier online.

“It’s a good reminder to look where you least expect for creative inspiration.”

What’s your breaking into advertising story?

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel like I’m still in the process of breaking into advertising at least once a day! But if I had to go back to the beginning – I started out as a digital media planner entering click-through-rates into Excel, and figured out pretty quickly that it wasn’t for me. Like, even THAT was too much math for me, which is pretty sad considering it’s basic division. My now-husband (also a media-planner-turned-copywriter) told me about an after-hours copywriting course he was taking and suggested I try it, which I signed up for without expecting much and immediately fell in love with it. I then got a job at a different agency writing and responding to tweets, which I slowly parlayed into a social content job that became a Junior Copywriter role I was beyond thrilled to get. My first shoot involved a real live horse. It was awesome.