Say Hello to Sofia Perez, Brand Copywriter

What do you do?

I team up with fellow designers to write the copy for marketing and product design.

How did you get into copywriting?

As soon as I learned to read I fell in love with books and words. After I finished a book (the first three in the Harry Potter series, for example), I would then read the books to my little brother and loved the act of storytelling and sharing the journey with someone else.

I knew I wanted to write and what seemed the most practical (and paired well with my love for photography) was journalism. I pursued that for a couple years, interning at magazines in San Francisco, but when a more stable opportunity fell into my lap as a copywriter, I said goodbye to my photojournalism dreams. My portfolio included copywriting projects that I’d worked on while attending the Academy of Art University, studying Advertising, so the transition (and putting my unfinished degree to use) felt like it was meant to be.

What makes everything worth it?

Seeing beautifully executed creative that sparks delight. Learning that something you’ve worked on has increased traffic or order rates. Watching projects transform from one iteration to the next becoming more impactful as collaborators weigh in. Having that a-ha moment when you’re brainstorming with someone and you land on the message or direction that feels just right.

What’s the greatest piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

Things are what you make of them. If you look at every challenge as a learning experience, you should be facing them with enthusiasm and positivity. It’s easy to get caught up in some aspect of a project that isn’t going right or as expected, but find a way to use that unexpected outcome to your benefit. Did it eventually get you to the right place? Did it teach you something? Did it help you see things from a fresh perspective? There are lots of good results that can come from challenges or bumps in the road, depending on how you face them.

What advice would you give to a copywriter just starting out?

Advocate for yourself. This is huge and a lesson I had to learn first hand, joining Instacart as the only copywriter and the first in many months. It was basically a new role so that meant inserting myself and working to get involved. Even in not-so-uncommon situations, putting yourself out there and striving to be a part of the projects you want is the way to achieve them. Never come from a place of shame. Go ahead and ask the questions.

Where do you find inspiration?

All over the place. In books that I read, I still find myself tripping over descriptions so picturesque I can see them and slapping myself for not being the one to come up with that flawless and unpredictable plot twist. In ads on the street that make me do a double take or sit with me, even hours later, for managing to tap into a feeling, emotion, joke, or witticism that I can’t shake. Online shopping, seeing copy that’s impeccably paired with an image that together make art. In shows and movies, when I find myself obsessing over a character or a line that I relate to and wondering how they know me (the viewer) well enough to connect on such an emotional level.

Working on various projects at Instacart, which one was the most challenging and exciting for you?

It’s all been very exciting, but I think the first few projects were the most challenging because there wasn’t yet any structure around process and collaboration. There was a lot of trial and error and even more questions while the team and I figured it out together.

Where did you grow up and what made it special?

I grew up on The Big Island of Hawaii. Yes, it’s actually called the “Big Island” or “Hawaii,” which is equally confusing because that’s also the name of the state itself and the whole island chain.

Growing up there was special in so many ways. I grew up jumping off cliffs into rivers, snorkeling amongst urchins, turtles, and a rainbow assortment of fish in coral reefs, hiking through lush jungles, catching invasive coqui frogs. Growing up in the thick of the jungle, every day was an adventure.

Not only was the emphasis on nature so special and unique, but the closeness of the “family” I grew up with also played a huge part in making me who I am today. My family was part of a really tight network of families of friends that came together, so I spent most of my childhood with these families. I grew up celebrating holidays, going camping, grilling on Sundays with not only my immediate family, but three or more families. It felt like I had a handful of brothers and sisters to grow up with and many parents to guide and teach us.

What was the first thing you ever wrote?

When I was somewhere between the ages of ten and twelve, I started writing my first “book” with some of the family friends I grew up with. We were staying in cabins with no electricity so when the sun went down and it got cold, we’d all sit together by the light of the fire and brainstorm, shouting out character names and events. I wrote our ideas with a pencil on wide-ruled paper, getting well into the hundreds in page count.

What is something you’re most proud of in your life/career?

I’m really proud of every time I’ve made the leap from something or somewhere very comfy, safe, and known to grow and learn new things. The big one was leaving the island where I spent my first 20 years and which contained everything I knew about life to move to a city. I was terrified to leave my family and all the things that were normal, especially when bound for such harsh things as freeways, skyscrapers, concrete, and speed limits that go over 55 mph, but moving proved to be the best decision I’ve ever made.

The same happens in careers and I went through similar change and growth when I left a comfy position with over four years under my belt for something very different. The new can be daunting, but it’s the best way to move forward and keep developing yourself.

What’s your favorite thing to order on Instacart? OR What role does food play a part in your life?

My favorite thing to order on Instacart is a radish bunch. For some reason I always have radishes in my fridge. I only discovered radishes within the past few years, so I’ll probably burn myself out and move on to another favorite vegetable soon. Hopefully, just as colorful and spicy.

Come build with Sofia.

If you’re excited about defining the future of a one trillion dollar industry, building an ad-serving network for groceries, scaling the world’s most extensive grocery catalog, perfecting a real-time on-demand logistics chain, all while simultaneously designing the future of food for millions of people, you should take a look at the available opportunities or reach out to someone from the team.

Instacart

Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.