Isa Espona Serra, Executive Creative Director at 14agency & and creative force behind the international campaigns of CUPRA & SEAT International

Isabel Espona Serra is the Executive Creative Director at 14 agency in Barcelona – part of the DDB network – where she leads the international creative direction for CUPRA and SEAT. In her role, she combines creative vision and team leadership with bold execution, telling strong visual stories and fostering a deeply collaborative culture.

Isa began her journey at 14 agency in 2016 as one of the agency’s very first employees. In just a few years, she advanced from Art Director to Head of Art and then to Creative Director – a career path that reflects not only her creative excellence but also her leadership and long-term commitment to building a distinct brand language for CUPRA and SEAT. With a background in graphic design, Isa brings more than 15 years of experience in advertising, design, and motion graphics. She began her career at the digital agency Doubleyou, where she worked with brands like Bacardi, Diesel, Evax & Tampax, and Carolina Herrera. She later joined DDB Spain, contributing to campaigns for Volkswagen, Audi and others.

Isa studied at Elisava School of Design and Engineering in Barcelona and holds a Master's degree in Motion Graphics from BAU Design College. Her work has been recognized internationally, including awards from the New York Festivals, El Sol, CdeC, Laus, and the Best in Auto Awards. Known for her calm, thoughtful approach and natural curiosity, Isa draws creative energy from photography, design, and art – as well as from close, trust-based teamwork. For her, openness, empathy, and strong collaboration are key to achieving truly original creative work.

In our interview, she talks about her work as Creative Director for CUPRA and presents three campaigns on GoSee. The opening campaign is the spectacular "First Safety Car On Water" campaign featuring the CUPRA Terramar, in which the CUPRA Terramar was used as the first safety car on water during the America's Cup.

CUPRA is a young brand that intentionally positions itself differently from traditional car brands. What makes its identity so unique to you – and how do you express that creatively? Isabel: CUPRA has a different kind of energy. From the very beginning, we chose not to follow the traditional path of the automotive industry. Instead of just talking about cars, we talk about attitude, design, and a way of seeing the world. It’s a brand that isn’t afraid to experiment – that embraces what’s unconventional. Creatively, that gives us incredible freedom, but also a big responsibility: to build a visual language that’s bold, consistent, aspirational, and soulful. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about connecting with a community that’s looking for something more than just a product.

If CUPRA were a person, how would you describe them – and what music would they be listening to?  Isabel: CUPRA would be magnetic – someone with a special kind of energy. Strong personality, but no need to shout. Someone who challenges the norm, but with elegance. Confident, yet curious. I imagine their soundtrack would be mostly experimental electronic music, but occasionally mixed with unexpected playlists that break the pattern – surprising genre shifts, bold contrasts, but always with an alternative edge.

CUPRA campaigns often feel like a mix of fashion film, art installation, and commercial. How do these unconventional concepts come together – and how do you balance emotional storytelling with performance messaging?  Isabel: For us, every campaign is an emotional design piece. We always start with a clear concept and a carefully crafted aesthetic, because we believe brands are also built through emotion and desire. At the same time, we aim to connect with the user and their needs to achieve the expected performance — but always from an aspirational, rather than a more rational or tactical, point of view. The key is to integrate both worlds from the very beginning, not treat them as separate layers. That way, every frame tells a story, but also serves a purpose.

Which recent CUPRA campaign felt especially challenging or fulfilling for you – and why? The safety car project for the America’s Cup has been one of the most challenging and exciting of my career. It brings together design, technology, creativity, and storytelling in a completely new format. It’s not just an advertising piece, it’s a symbol of how CUPRA dares to go beyond boundaries, quite literally, by creating a car that drives on water. Coordinating teams across so many different disciplines — automotive engineers, naval architects, creatives, designers, marketing, production — and turning it into one cohesive, aspirational story was a huge challenge, but also a project we’re all incredibly proud of. Watching it come to life — out on the water, in front of the world — is one of those moments that reminds you exactly why you love what you do.

Innovation is central to CUPRA – whether in aesthetics or technology. How does your team stay experimental and fresh without losing sight of the brand’s core identity?  Isabel: To find new angles and challenge ourselves with every project, we try to create space for exploration, and even for failure. We draw inspiration from art, architecture, music, fashion… and we constantly experiment with new formats and languages. But we always ask ourselves the same question: Could this only be CUPRA? If the answer is yes, we know we’re on the right path. That’s the formula, staying bold and experimental, while keeping a strong, consistent identity.

You’ve been part of C14torce since 2016 and helped shape the CUPRA brand from the very beginning. How has your role as Creative Director evolved over time?  Isabel:  I’ve gone from thinking in pieces to thinking in vision. I started as an Art Director, then became Head of Art. In the early days, the challenge was to build an aesthetic, a language, a tone. Now, the challenge is to sustain it, evolve it, and adapt it without losing its essence. My role has become more strategic and team-focused, but I never want to lose touch with the craft. I care as much about a big campaign idea as I do about the design of a flyer or the color of a piece of merchandise. And more than ever, I value teamwork. Being a Creative Director isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about asking the right questions and trusting the people around you.

What do you look for in young talent – and what makes a creative team truly great, in your opinion?  Isabel: I look for sensitivity and taste. Not just technical skills, but curiosity, people with a unique perspective, who observe the world around them and dare to question it. And above all, people who know how to work in a team, who share, who build on each other’s ideas. The best teams aren’t just defined by what they create, but by how they create it: with respect, generosity, a hunger to do things differently — and always with a smile. Or at least for a good laugh.

What inspires you outside of advertising – and when do you feel most creative?  Isabel: I find inspiration in photography, architecture, cinema and travel. I’m fascinated by the balance between form, light and function. I also get a lot from conversations with people who think differently, unplanned adventures, and just being immersed in culture. I feel most creative when I’m not “doing advertising” — when I give myself space to observe, to wander, to connect dots without actively looking for them.

What’s the one creative tool, habit or guilty pleasure you rely on when you’re stuck for ideas?  Isabel: I often dive back into other disciplines that have inspired me — old design books, photography archives, unexpected music videos. And if that doesn’t work… I go for a walk in nature. No destination, no plan. There’s something about physical movement that unlocks mental flow. Sometimes, the spark you’re looking for is hiding in something completely unrelated to what you’re trying to solve.


CUPRA TAVASCAN - ONE OF THEM. ONE OF US.  Starring Willow Smith



"The launch film for the CUPRA Tavascan marked a bold evolution for the brand. It doesn’t just introduce our first 100% electric SUV coupé, it speaks to the dreamers and challengers who drive our tribe forward. Starring Willow Smith and set to a unique version of ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’, the campaign’s concept ‘One of them. One of us.’ reflects CUPRA’s unique perspective, blending progressive design with emotional storytelling, and connecting a new generation to the brand’s unconventional spirit." Isabel Espona Serra



CUPRA LEON - THE RED THREAD THAT CONNECT US 



"The Red Thread comes from this ancient legend about an invisible bond that connects us all. For us, that bond means something different: it’s the connection between people who share the same passion for performance, instinct, and design. In the film, we bring that invisible thread to life through the red coast-to-coast lights of the CUPRA Leon, creating a journey full of magnetism, emotion, and bold visuals. The magic really came from finding powerful visuals that could truly symbolize that invisible attraction. What we wanted was to show how the characters are pulled by this energy toward the car, creating a strong visual and artistic force. And we did it in a way that felt fresh and innovative, making that invisible thread something you could actually feel throughout the film."  Isabel Espona Serra

More campaigns and work 14agency.com

 

Isabel Espona Serra, Executive Creative Director at 14 agency, Barcelona

 

Isabel Espona Serra, Executive Creative Director at 14 agency, Barcelona

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