We were lucky to catch up with Tricia Lopez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tricia, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

My mom loves to tell this story: when I was little, I’d write stories about a spider. Full-on plots, drawings, I even made little books for her to read. Even then, storytelling felt like magic to me. As I got older, I’d rewrite the endings of Zoey 101 episodes or create new storylines for my favorite shows. It wasn’t just fun—it was a way to build a world I wanted to be part of.

Then came Fallout 3. My older sister let me play it when I was 12, and it completely changed everything I knew about storytelling. I was obsessed, not just with the gameplay, but all of the intricate storylines that weave together. I created a journal for my vault dweller character, aged it to look like it had survived the apocalypse, and filled it with entries. That was a defining moment: I realized this was the passion I had to see through someway, somehow.

In high school, English and literature classes were my safe haven. When it came time to apply for colleges, my parents had visions of of me being a lawyer or a diplomat. But I knew I the only thing I could ever do was writing. In college, I went all in, getting poems and short stories published, becoming editor-in-chief of our lit mag, and eventually I went to grad school for writing.

But here’s where the plot twist comes in: during grad school, I picked up a part-time job doing social media for an indie book publisher. And suddenly, I started seeing the connection between creative writing and marketing. Ads, TikToks, product launches—it was storytelling, just in a new costume.

That curiosity led me out of the literary world and into my first job at an ad agency, where I learned about copywriting and took the steps to dive in. Now, I get to brainstorm wild ideas, make people laugh, and ask myself, what would be ridiculously fun to make today? It’s still storytelling just through taglines, scripts, and campaigns instead of chapters.

So yeah, my journey’s had a few pivots, but at the core, it’s always been about creativity and connection. I still get to be a little silly, a little weird, and a lot imaginative. Just now, I do it with briefs and deadlines.

Tricia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a mid-level copywriter working in advertising, currently at Omelet. I got into the ad world by taking a leap, moving from a traditional writing background into a resource coordinator role at my first agency. I started from square one, helped manage freelance talent, and quietly soaked up every creative meeting I could. Eventually, I realized: I didn’t just want to be in the room, I wanted to be the one writing the work. So I worked my way up to be a junior copywriter and slowly built my way into the role I’m in now.

These days, I concept and write for 360 campaigns, social activations, taglines, scripts, brand messaging—basically, if it needs writing, I’m your girl. I’ve worked with brands like Netflix, Prime Video, ESPN, NFL, and Peacock. Currently, my clients include Google and Scopely, and I’m deep in the wild, wonderful world of Monopoly GO!.

Most recently, I helped develop ‘The Dice Life’ campaign. It’s a big, goofy, joy-filled homage to ‘90s sitcoms starring Jake Johnson, Sunita Mani, and the animated tycoon himself Mr. Monopoly. It was everything I love about advertising: a bold concept, great writing opportunities, a little nostalgia, and a lot of humor. I helped shape the narrative, write the scripts, and craft the tone from pre-pro to post. It’s been a surreal ride seeing this work out in the world (and in Adweek!).

What sets me apart? I care deeply about making work that’s fun for the audience and for the team. I approach every project with a spirit of curiosity and silliness, but there’s strategy behind the goofiness. I’m always thinking: will people actually care about this? Will it make someone laugh, share it, or remember the brand? That kind of connection is what drives me.

I’m most proud of the leap I made into this field. It was scary to start over, but I proved to myself that reinvention is possible, and worth it. I’ve gotten to work with celebrities, make weird ideas real, and grow in ways I never saw coming. Through all the shifts in the industry, I stay grounded in one thing: telling great stories, with a lot of heart and a little chaos. Because honestly? The world moves fast and this girl just wants to make people smile along the way.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Embrace the weird! Being Gen Z means my humor is off-kilter, strange, unhinged even. But here’s what I’ve learned: if something makes you pause and say “wait, what?”, you might be looking at creative gold. Some of the best ideas I’ve worked on were sparked by deep-fried memes or unhinged TikTok trends. It’s not just chaos, it’s culture.

Brands like Duolingo, Liquid Death, Del Taco, and Nutter Butter have all leaned into this beautifully bizarre internet energy. They don’t water things down. They speak directly to their audience’s humor, references, and collective experiences and that’s why people actually pay attention. That’s how you build a brand people want to interact with, not just buy from.

To support a thriving creative ecosystem, we need to stop treating unconventional ideas like risks and start treating them like opportunities. Let creatives take swings. Trust that audiences are smart—and strange—and want to see themselves reflected in the work. The more space we make for unconventional thinking, the more interesting, inclusive, and impactful the creative world becomes.

Give me the wacky ideas. Give me the left turns. That’s where the fun (and often the brilliance) lives.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Oh man. At first, my dream was to publish a book and live out my full Carrie Bradshaw fantasy. Then I discovered advertising, and like every ad nerd, the new dream became “make a Super Bowl spot.” (Still absolutely on the bucket list, by the way. I’ve got some unhinged ideas ready.)

But as I’ve grown in this field, my mission has shifted. Now, it’s about pushing myself to keep evolving and getting weirder in the best way. I used to be really shy about bringing my full personality into the room. I didn’t think there was space for someone as goofy or offbeat as me. But I’ve learned that the weird stuff? That’s the good stuff. That’s where my voice lives.

I want to look back on my career and say, “Yeah, I got to work with some cool brands. I pitched ideas that made people laugh, smile, or look at the world a little differently.” Even in advertising, there’s real power in connecting with people. Whether it’s through humor, insight, or just a beautifully strange campaign.

And okay I have to admit I want to win an award…or like 20. Also I would like—no, need—to make something with Pedro Pascal. If that ever happens, I can retire and I will be the happiest girl in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://triciamarialopez.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trvcvv.l/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/triciamarielopez/

Image Credits

Christopher Morales for the Creative Ladder image
Steven Jones for the image of me on set