As the Multicultural Editorial and Programming Manager at Comcast, Marcela curates content for the Latino, International, and Asian American destinations on X1, Stream, and Flex. This year for Hispanic Heritage Month, Marcela and her team curated a special collection of content called 'Echando pa'lante juntos' - hear more about her career and what this collection means to her.
Our People
Meet Marcela: Multicultural Editor and Programming Manager
How She Got Here
I joined Comcast back in 2014. We were part of the Accessibility team and I was hired to work on the Spanish translation for X1. Prior to joining Comcast, I worked for a multinational translation agency with headquarters in New York City. I was a Quality Director there. That meant I was the last person to check on the quality of the translations before they were sent to the client.
I was getting burn out from translations, but I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do. When a recruiter called and explained the job [at Comcast], I thought translating the TV guide would be so cool! It wasn’t like the translations I was doing before. We later moved to the Multicultural team under Xfinity Consumer Services. In 2016, I became the manager of Multicultural Products.
Career Snapshot
In my role as Editor for Multicultural, I curate content for the Latino, International and Asian American destinations on X1, Stream and Flex. We update the content weekly and also create collections for specific tentpoles like Hispanic Heritage Month.
On my day to day, I do research on the latest trends in multicultural entertainment, meet with the networks to learn about their upcoming programming, and work on different ways to provide our customers with the best multicultural entertainment options. We also meet with the rest of the On Demand editors, Video Pricing & Packaging teams, Content Acquisition, Marketing teams, Employee Communications and several others to ensure we are all aligned on strategy. I also track the engagement of our collections and look at the Voice Commands usage to get insights into what our customers are interested in.
Xfinity TV Hispanic Heritage Month Collection
The collection is called Echando pa’lante juntos (which means in a literal sense 'moving forward together'). The campaign is based on a song from Rubén Blades and became the inspiration for the tone and content of the collection. The collection features many of the Latino pioneers who have paved the way for us here in the US. We have highlighted the key role that family plays in our lives, and we touch on some of our values like courage and resilience. The collection wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t take the time to celebrate our entertainment accomplishments as well, and highlight Afro-Latinos and Afro-Tainos, and Latinx.
DAY-AT-A-GLANCE
Morning
- Day starts at 6:30
- Makes her son breakfast and sets him up for school
- Gets in a quick workout with friends before starting the day
Workday
- Meets with networks & editors
- Plans content programming & monitors engagement
- Researches the latest in programming
Evening
- Takes walks or meets with friends to unwind
- Watches new TV shows
- Catches up with friends and family abroad
Hispanic Heritage Month 2020: Echando pa’lante juntos
"I believe in the power of stories," says Marcela. "It makes me proud having been able to tell a history that captures the essence of us Latinos through our content." Marcela's favorites from this collection include The Others, Un Cuento Chino, Entre Nos, and Pan y Circo.
Interested in viewing the collection for yourself? Just say ‘Latino’ into your Xfinity Voice Remote.
I wanted to elevate the Hispanic content and the Hispanic people to the place they deserve. If I mention the movie The Others you probably immediately think of Nicole Kidman. But you probably don’t know its director, Alejandro Aménabar, who’s Chilean. Ok, maybe I’m biased, but we have many talented Latino filmmakers and actors that don’t get the exposure they deserve.
What She Loves About Her Job
I feel I’m coming full circle with providing the best customer experience for Hispanic customers. We launched the first bicultural experience with the launch of X1 in Spanish. Later, we added other products like Stream, Xfinity Home, Xfinity Connect, etc. Language choice is one component of the service we provide for Hispanics, the other is curating the content the audience likes to watch. And if that wasn’t enough, I get to watch TV for a living!
But the biggest reward has been the teams I’ve been a part of and the people I’ve met. I have had the pleasure to work with great leaders and report to amazing bosses. I have always felt that my opinion matters and I’ve been trusted as a subject matter expert. It goes a long way when you feel supported by your boss who provides opportunities for you to develop new sets of skills.
What It Takes to Get the Job Done
Be creative and willing to adapt quickly if you don’t get the results you expect. Be open to learn from others and be able to put yourself in the shoes of different customers. Also, don't ever be afraid of throwing a crazy idea to the table, it might become the next big offering!
How Marcela Likes to Unwind
I love the beach! That’s where I recharge, it doesn’t matter if it’s winter or summer. The funny thing is that I don’t know how to swim, so those couple of seconds when the wave lifts you up and you can’t feel the ground are pure adrenaline!
My son and I share many interests. Some of the things we like to do include crafts, baking and going on hikes. I enjoy living in New Jersey where there are so many hiking places and beaches nearby.
We also love to travel. As long as my son is getting on a plane, he signs up for any trip! That’s what we miss the most this quarantine.
Quick Takes
3 FAST FACTS
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Born to Explore
Marcela was born in Chile, but moved to Equador with her parents when she was 9 months old. She then returned to Chile for college, but she has found her "tribe" in the US with a diverse group of friends that are from all over the world, as well!
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Natural Chef
Marcela once had an internship with a restaurant - with no prior culinary training.
- Editor By Day, Knitter By Night
With more time at home due to the pandemic, Marcela has rediscovered her love of knitting and vows to finish the project she started from before her son was born (11 years ago).
FAVORITE XFINITY PRODUCT
