Meet PACO: Veronica Villalon, Director of Client Services
By PACO
Veronica loves to spend time with her family. Here she is picking pumpkins with her husband and two sons.
Veronica Villalon Pinela always had a knack for communication. Since she was young, Veronica has had a love for talking, writing and has had a slightly argumentative side. Her parents used to joke that she would make a great attorney someday. After exploring several options, she decided to pursue marketing communications at Columbia College Chicago because it was a perfect blend of business and creativity.
“My favorite part of working on a project is seeing something through from start to finish,” Veronica said. “I love planning and coordinating all the details and ensuring that the end result is flawless. It’s especially true when a project seems almost impossible. While those can be the most stressful, they are also the most rewarding to see come to fruition.”
Recently Veronica was named PACO’s Director of Client Services. In addition to overseeing all of the agency’s accounts, she also works as the Account Director for ComEd. Her previous experience in Account Services includes clientele such as Aeromexico, American Cancer Society and Hormel Foods. She is incredibly passionate about the work she does with PACO.
“To me, PACO means opportunity,” Veronica stated. “It means doing things differently and taking chances. It means always going above and beyond, not to prove anything, but just because we don’t know any other way.”
Veronica believes that multicultural marketing has already gone mainstream. “We’ve been saying that for a long time, but it’s never been more obvious than now. Not only is Hispanic media outperforming mainstream programming in some cases, but it’s also going after General Market audiences and the highly coveted NGLs (New Generation Latinos) with bilingual and bicultural programming. I think it’s safe to say that savvy marketers know that the most successful marketing is multicultural and that includes everybody!”
Her favorite non-PACO campaign in the market right now is the Pure Michigan campaign. Veronica believes that the series of billboards and TV commercials are extremely affective. A life-long resident of Chicago, Veronica appreciates the slower pace of life that the campaign suggests.
“I love the outdoors and these spots do a great job at capturing the natural beauty of our neighboring state at all times of the year,” she said. “Maybe it’s because we lead such busy lives, but every time I see one of their TV spots or a billboard, it makes me want to pack my things and go away for the weekend. They’re definitely hitting the mark with me because my family and I visit quite often!”
Since graduation, Veronica has lived her life, personally and professionally, based on a piece of advice that was given to her during one of her last courses at Columbia.
“We didn’t have a final exam,” Veronica explained. “Instead, our professor told us to write down exactly where we wanted to be and how we envisioned our future, our career, our family, our life in general. Then he said, ‘Now go make it happen,’ and class was dismissed. I’ve been living by those words ever since and can honestly say that I’m exactly where I want to be. I’ve realized that it’s true when people say that if you want something, you just have to go for it. No excuses. Write your own ticket and then find a way to make it happen!”
