Where some live their lives continuously wishing they鈥檇 done things differently, Aisling Penco has but a single regret. The Leo Burnett Toronto copywriter rues the day she traded her Yugioh cards - giving away two fully working decks - because she was moving from Trinidad and Tobago to Toronto. 鈥淚 thought that it wouldn鈥檛 be cool,鈥 she says. 鈥But, I joined the anime club as soon as I started school in Canada鈥opefully that balances out my anime street-cred.鈥
This inclination to enjoy life sans regret has always served Aisling well. It鈥檚 also been something that her experience in the advertising industry has reinforced. In fact, one of the most memorable early lessons she received was being told the importance of self-belief and the need to 鈥渒eep showing up for yourself.鈥 But even from a young age, Aisling always knew her passions and fervently pursued them, albeit usually in a quiet fashion.
鈥淢y passion was escapism: swimming, drawing a lot and writing my original cringe comic book,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 was a quiet, queer kid in a very Catholic upbringing in Trinidad. I was always scribbling or drawing into my notebook and not into my textbook at all (sorry mom).鈥
Despite Aisling鈥檚 creative inclination, she never had an overarching plan to one day find work as a copywriter. As she puts it, 鈥淭here was no inkling that I would be doing anything in this field because I didn鈥檛 know it existed.鈥
That changed when Aisling opted to attend university. Although she started with visual arts, she moved into general advertising, where she was both shocked to learn that it wasn鈥檛 a linear experience, and also discovered the existence of copywriting.
鈥淚 went into advertising thinking I would want to be an art director, but only knew traditional art, paint, charcoal, and a little photography,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 had no idea about the Adobe suite. I went to a free portfolio review, and someone told me my writing wasn鈥檛 half bad. So, I cried that night, gave up on my art director dream and moved on because I just wanted to start making and creating. Then I enrolled in a copywriting course. I learnt how to accept criticism: the good, the bad, the weird. My biggest lesson, that I accidentally taught myself, was to go with the flow.鈥
In Aisling鈥檚 case, 鈥榞oing with the flow鈥 meant making the far more deliberate move of getting into the industry. Following the completion of her copywriting course, she attended a portfolio night where alumni would check out the class鈥 books and, if impressed, potentially offer opportunities for professional work. 鈥淚t felt like that business card scene in American Psycho mixed with a school dance,鈥 Aisling adds. 鈥淪tudents would stand up against the wall as we watched industry professionals ponder if they would want to take your business card back to their agency. Hopefully you got an email and then from there an interview. I was lucky and I did!鈥
It was around this time when Aisling worked on her very first professional project - an advertising campaign for the Vancouver Aquarium. Taking several different forms including a billboard ad and a radio spot, she says that it was a really cool experience and that she loved watching people react to it. However, the piece which really changed Aisling鈥檚 career came shortly after she started working at Leo Burnett Toronto. At the time, Metrolinx was doing heavy construction in the city, which gave Aisling the chance to try out a 鈥榖ack pocket鈥 idea.
鈥淐onstruction is awkward, Metrolinx was doing a lot of it and everyone knows what it鈥檚 like to go through an awkward phase: braces, acne, weird peach-fuzz,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 always wanted to work with teens in some capacity and this ended up being the perfect pairing for that. The outtakes were hilarious and some so awkward it borderlines cringe. You really see yourself in these moments and it makes you relate to a brand that you might have hated before.
The campaign was a success. According to Aisling, a lot of people in the industry loved it, and it would go on to win several awards, including a Silver from the Advertising and Design Club of Canada and a Bronze from the Marketing Awards.
Yet despite her achievements and the willingness to live regret-free, Aisling admits that she doesn鈥檛 always find it easy to work. 鈥淚 have imposter syndrome,鈥 she says. 鈥淸I feel like] I鈥檓 not good enough. I鈥檓 not fast enough. I鈥檓 not smart enough. I鈥檓 not whatever enough. I鈥檓 definitely not cool enough for this feature.鈥 It鈥檚 at times like these when it becomes crucial for Aisling to keep showing up for herself - taking heed of that all-important first lesson.
Aisling adds that the support of her partner also helps her get through difficult, doubt-filled periods. 鈥淪he believes in me when I don鈥檛 or when other people don鈥檛. She鈥檚 an honest critic and doesn鈥檛 laugh at all my jokes. It really helps to have someone in your corner at all times.鈥
But, while Aisling may sometimes struggle with showing up for herself, she never struggles when it comes to showing up for others. Specifically, she鈥檚 not afraid to speak out about what the industry could be doing better. 鈥淓ven though we are keen to solve a lot of problems, I think advertising professionals and marketing professionals need to step back and realise what can be solved through the platform that they have,鈥 Aisling says. 鈥淲e will never solve racism with a .鈥
Additionally, Aisling wants to see greater gender diversity within the business. 鈥淲e should have more women in advertising, more people of colour, more diverse thoughts and experiences. I鈥檝e had maybe three female creative directors? I know we鈥檙e getting there, but I鈥檇 like more!鈥
With that said, Aisling adds that the industry鈥檚 ability to adapt is something she finds exciting. She鈥檚 passionate about advertising鈥檚 consistent drive to find life's solutions and solve problems - whether they work out or not. As she says, 鈥淚 just love that we keep trying. We throw more ideas on the wall and we push ourselves to achieve what others haven鈥檛.鈥
In Aisling鈥檚 case, this appreciation of adaptability proved useful when she was working on the 鈥楪ender Creative Kids - Genderless Poster鈥 campaign. Although the team had originally intended to use Troxler鈥檚 fading technique (an optical illusion that happens when someone fixates on a particular focus point) which would showcase blue and pink (colours often associated with gender stereotypes) fading into the background, the effect on the screen was totally different from the printed out posters, meaning the experience was being lost.
The only solution was to adapt the plan. Although the final product wasn鈥檛 the result of the first approach taken by the creative team, through hard work and some long nights of tinkering, an piece was created nonetheless. 鈥淲e printed at least 50 different posters, hung them up in the office and had people react to them sort of like the optometrist,鈥 she adds. 鈥淓ventually we found the right balance which gave us some amazing results.鈥
And while the accolades are nice, it鈥檚 seeing hard work pay off that Aisling says is her favourite part of the job. 鈥淚 like the rush of having to find that idea. I just want people to smile and maybe think a little. Good ideas are focused on life and life is short. An ancient philosopher once said 鈥楲ive, Laugh, Love鈥, right?鈥