Paco—as he likes to introduce himself because no one can quite pronounce "Olavarrieta"—is an award-winning Chief Creative Officer with a successful track record both working with top-notch agencies and as agency owner.
His journey started in Mexico, where he honed his craft as a copywriter at industry powerhouses like BBDO and Leo Burnett. In 1995, he crossed the U.S. border (legally, he likes to add) and landed at Del Rivero Messianu Advertising (now Alma DDB) in Miami. After four years of shaping creative strategies for the Hispanic market, he took the helm as Chief Creative Officer at The Vidal Partnership in New York. A three-year run at TVP brought the agency a national reputation as one of the most creative shops in the Hispanic market, with work for clients like Heineken, Cingular, and Wendy’s.
Riding that momentum, Paco ventured into entrepreneurship, launching his own agency, Ole. What started as a humble operation running on caffeine and ideas in New York City’s Starbucks soon grew into a $3 million business with clients such as Target, HSBC, and La Costeña in just three years.
Then, in true creative spirit, he hit pause. Paco packed his bags and headed to India to pursue his passion for yoga and meditation. (Yes, it was a real Eat, Pray, Love moment—minus the eating and the Julia Roberts casting.)
Refreshed and recharged, he returned to the ad world and landed a game-changing opportunity to pitch for Tecate beer. Winning the account gave birth to the agency Adrenalina, backed by MDC and aligned with legendary independents like Crispin Porter + Bogusky. For two years, Adrenalina lived up to its name, producing what was widely regarded as the best creative work for Tecate. Unfortunately, the brand later decided to "import" its creativity from Mexico, pressing pause on its U.S. Hispanic efforts.
Next, Paco joined Dieste, first as Executive Creative Director of the New York satellite office, then as Chief Creative Officer, leading 40 creatives across the Dallas and New York offices. During his tenure, the agency won its first Cannes Lions and Clios in 20 years, restoring its creative pedigree. He also spearheaded major new business wins, bringing in clients like Goya, Miller Lite, AT&T Wireless, Cricket Wireless, Chivas Regal, and Lala.
Today, Paco leads the creative charge at d expósito & Partners, where he continues to blend strategy with storytelling for brands like Tajín Seasonings, Tufts Health Care, McDonald’s, Café Santo Domingo, and Community Life. When the pandemic hit, he and his team launched the award-winning “Lucha vs Virus” campaign, encouraging mask-wearing in the Hispanic community.
And through it all, his mission remains the same: create work that is simple, relevant, and unexpected and have a damn good time doing it.
