Meryll Firmacion

Relocation and career transition to the U.S. focused on developing a professional media portfolio, strengthening practical and responsible AI use, and preparing for full-time roles in the U.S. market. Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

• Built a professional portfolio website using AI-assisted plain-language coding, featuring sanitized case studies showcasing work across integrated media, acquisition, lead generation, measurement and business reviews.
• Increased tailored job application output by approximately 167% and reduced manual tracking effort by 60% to 80% by developing AI-assisted application workflows, including a custom GPT, tracker automation and a prototype job-fit tool built in Google AI Studio.
• Completed 7 AI upskilling courses focused on AI-assisted workflows, prompting techniques and applied use cases across planning, research, writing, content creation, data analysis and app building.

Led integrated media strategy across a cross-channel portfolio spanning digital, TV, CTV and OOH, partnering with cross-functional teams across planning, execution, optimization and reporting.

• Led paid media strategy for a $10M+ annual cross-channel portfolio spanning leading global beauty and QSR brands, translating brand priorities into audience strategy, channel mix, budget allocation, and measurement recommendations.
• Led development of 24+ paid media campaigns annually across Meta, Google, YouTube, OOH, CTV, and TV while coordinating 6+ cross-functional and agency-partner workstreams monthly across strategy, activation, creative, influencer partners, and third-party vendors.
• Directed media strategy for a leading beauty brand’s hero product launch across digital and offline channels, driving a 5.5% lift in consideration and Digital OOH reach 170% above target.
• Directed optimizations across a beauty portfolio that improved ad viewability by 6% and brand safety scores by 7%, reallocating investment toward stronger-performing channels, YouTube inventory, and CTV opportunities.
• Reduced reporting synthesis and preparation time by approximately 50% through AI-assisted workflows, using AI to structure reporting inputs, accelerate insight development, and support output creation.

Progressed through five promotions over eight years, ultimately leading the agency's media practice across a 12-account portfolio spanning multiple industries.

• Led the media practice across a 12-account portfolio spanning fintech, nonprofit, e-commerce, education, beauty, healthcare, automotive, and entertainment, managing $150K–$200K in monthly paid media investment tied to CAC, CPA, CPL, ROAS, lead-volume, and conversion goals.
• Developed paid media strategy for an international nonprofit organization’s online donor acquisition program across Google Search, Performance Max, paid social, and marketplace ads, growing digital revenue by 28.21% and new donor acquisition by 30.06% YoY, while improving blended ROAS from 1.16x to 1.45x.
• Developed full-funnel enrollment campaigns across five higher-education institutions, with the flagship campaign delivering 113.36% of its lead-volume target and a 9.46% conversion rate against a 1% historical benchmark.
• Authored and implemented a six-stage campaign process and launch toolkit across the 12-account portfolio, establishing planning SLAs, benchmarking, audience targeting, implementation tracking, UTM governance, change management, and QA processes that reduced campaign setup and trafficking errors.
• Earned five promotions over eight years, ultimately leading the media practice and managing and mentoring up to seven direct reports across media planning, campaign setup, QA, optimization, and performance reporting.

Built a strong foundation in media planning, buying, campaign execution and performance tracking while supporting healthcare and pharmaceutical brands.

• Supported end-to-end media planning and buying for a leading pharmaceutical and healthcare company in the Philippines.
• Improved inventory value, cost efficiency and campaign delivery by negotiating media packages and placements with publishers and media vendors.
• Translated competitor activity and market-trend findings into planning inputs and campaign recommendations.
• Promoted from Media Trainee to Media Planner/Buyer within six months.