Helena Lopez is Global Lead at OMD Worldwide, where she leads global business for entertainment services and apps. Lopez also manages Hispanic audiences for the U.S. Her role involves overseeing multiple divisions and ensuring strategies are effective and innovative.
Can you tell us about your role at OMD Worldwide?
Hi, I'm Helena Lopez. I lead global business for entertainment services and apps at OMD Worldwide, and I also manage Hispanic audiences for the US. My role involves overseeing multiple divisions and ensuring our strategies are effective and innovative.
Tell us about your journey.
I was born in Madrid and started working there for a few years. I moved to England to learn English and attended university in London. I started my career in Search Engine Marketing, which was a new field at the time. Over the years, I worked in various agencies before moving to Media Lab, where I worked for four years in London and then transferred to Los Angeles six years ago.
What are some of the brands you've worked with?
I've worked with many big brands, including Procter & Gamble, Shell, Volkswagen, and Allianz. Currently, I work for Apple, which is a brand I greatly admire.
How did you navigate limitations in your career, especially when search marketing was new?
In the early days, clients often didn't understand search marketing. It felt like teaching them a new language. For example, I had to explain Google and its importance to their business from scratch. It was challenging but rewarding to see their understanding and appreciation grow.
What excites you about your work in 2024?
I'm excited about continuing to innovate and push boundaries. We strive to think outside the box and create respectful, non-intrusive media experiences that drive business for our clients. Our team is always looking for new ways to engage with consumers and grow our clients' businesses.
How do you manage and push your team to be limitless?
I manage about 100 people globally and empower them by providing the tools they need to succeed. We hire brilliant minds and encourage creativity and innovation through brainstorming and other techniques. We support our junior staff and allow them to dream big, which helps them feel fulfilled and driven.
How has Apple TV Plus helped push past limits in your industry?
Apple TV Plus was a new venture for a company known for its devices. We had to transition from selling the best devices to selling the best entertainment services. This brought back the excitement of my early days in search marketing, where we were figuring things out together. We applied learnings from entertainment to other parts of the business, amplifying our events and product launches.
How does Vizio help you break limits in your advertising efforts?
Vizio has been instrumental in helping us innovate our advertising. Their technology allows our creative content to look exceptional. They also work with us to create new products and advertising formats that align with our brand's vision and deliver results.
How do you measure the success of your advertising campaigns?
We measure success through various KPIs and data points, always ensuring we are privacy-compliant. We track subscriptions and engagement to see if our campaigns drive the desired business outcomes.
Can you share a fun activation you’ve done?
One simple but effective activation was creating a banner on the search bar. It was a small idea, but it performed incredibly well and provided a new way for us to engage with users. It was a quick and collaborative effort that paid off.
What advice do you have for young people starting out in their careers?
Be true to yourself and constantly challenge the status quo. Keep learning and stay curious. Media is always evolving, and it's important to adapt and grow with it. Keep your passion alive and push through barriers to feel more rewarded in your career.
How do you approach advertising to Hispanic audiences?
It's crucial to be respectful and ensure that creative and media work together to speak to all cultures. When targeting Hispanic audiences, we make sure our content appears in appropriate environments and resonates with the audience’s cultural values.
What are you most excited about for 2024?
I'm excited about innovations in data collection and privacy. Finding ways to use data to grow businesses while protecting consumer privacy is a key focus for us this year.
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