Marion Miranda is a copywriter at Leith, a creative agency with offices across Edinburgh and Manchester.
Growing up in Singapore, Miranda eventually ended up in Edinburgh to study fine art. She replied to a job advert with Leith on a whim and has never looked back.
Alongside her creative partner, Joe Sayer, Miranda was awarded a Young Lions Global Gold Award at Cannes in 2023 and has been the behind the writing of some of last year’s most talked-about ads, including Lovehoney’s innuendo-heavy campaign.
Here, she shares her career journey and words of advice…
How did you first get into your industry?
I graduated with a Fine Art degree, so it’s no surprise that job prospects were slim. I was job searching with an open mind when I stumbled across an internship listing written beautifully by a creative director. It called for curious, creative storytellers with no experience needed. I had no idea what a copywriter was, but I gave it a go and never looked back.
What do you love about your job?
Several things. One day, I’m writing a film script for cancer research, and the next, I’m coming up with a billboard featuring a vibrator. Each day brings a fresh challenge, a new client to understand and a new skill to master. You’ll never be bored.
I also have some of the most interesting colleagues you’ll ever meet. Ad agencies – creative teams especially – are filled with curious, quirky, and clever personalities. It’s a joy to be among them. What I love most, however, is that you don’t need a relevant degree to build a successful career in advertising. Like me, you can learn on the job. This makes the industry open to a diverse range of talent, which is wonderful.
Who – or what – has inspired you in your career?
The first campaign that caught my attention years ago was called “Highlight the Remarkable” by Stabilo. They used their product, a yellow highlighter, to highlight important yet unnoticed women in historical photographs. It was the first time I realised that advertising could tell meaningful, compelling stories. Apart from award-winning ads, I’m also inspired by artists who use words brilliantly, like Grayson Perry, Nick Cave and Barbara Kruger.
What are the biggest challenges about your job?
It is difficult to remain positive in times of failure. At some point, you will lose a pitch, upset a client, disappoint a creative director or fail to win an award. I try to use those feelings of inadequacy to push myself further and improve on the next project but I’d be lying if I said those moments don’t sting. The biggest challenge, however, is job security. Advertising is a highly competitive industry where clients come and go and unfortunately, so can your job. It’s important to have a strong portfolio as your safety net.
What skills have been the most crucial to you succeeding in your career so far?
Pro activeness, if you could call it a skill, is crucial. Taking the initiative to start projects, ask for opportunities, enter competitions, attend workshops and study ads. These are steps no one will take for you; you have to make them happen yourself.
It may seem obvious, but the most important skill for any creative is coming up with good ideas. It involves identifying strong insights and crafting work that captures hearts and minds. Watching advertising case studies and reading books like Hegarty on Advertising or The Copy Book will help you understand the essence of a good idea.
What was your first salary and what could someone getting into the industry expect to earn nowadays?
My first copywriting job in the UK paid £28,000, this was after four years of experience in Singapore.
What education or training would be most useful for someone looking to follow your career path?
There are many talented creatives who took advertising courses in school, but that’s not the only path – you can learn on the job through an internship. I recommend starting with a small agency, where you’ll have to be very hands-on.
If you’re aspiring to be a creative, a portfolio is essential, even if you’re just starting out. It doesn’t need to be perfect; it just needs to show your passion for creating. I landed my copywriting internship with a portfolio of paintings.
What advice would you have for someone looking to follow your path?
There is creative opportunity even in the smallest of projects. You won’t always be handed big-budget advertising campaigns, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make an impact and have fun, just look at Surreal’s Instagram account.
