SEE IT & BE IT Q&A: Marina Filippelli, Orcí

Chief Operating Officer (COO) & Director of Client Services at Orcí

 

Words of advice to young talent

“Never be afraid to speak up and ask questions. Listen to every person in the room, not just the ones you think might have the right answers. Be fearless, hardworking and humble. The business world can be a tough place to maneuver, but I’ve found that those three qualities are pretty much always appreciated by both your team and clients alike.”

A personal moment of challenging or overcoming discrimination

“Working in the multicultural space, there have been many instances where I’ve had to defend against stereotypes and biases about the Latinx community. In most cases, the discrimination isn’t overt. People won’t say ‘We don’t want to spend money advertising to this community because we mistakenly believe they are poor or uneducated,’ or whatever other stereotype they might have heard and now repeat. They also won’t outright say ‘We don’t value your opinion because you’re a Latina.’ But I have had marketing clients walk out of a presentation before we were done because they didn’t feel it was important enough to hear out a Latinx agency. And I have had, on occasion, to demonstrate that all Latinxs aren’t from a low income demographic, for example, as gently as possible so as to not have someone feel they are being called racist. You have to tread lightly but say the things that need to be said.

Your first mentor and what that meant for your career

“My mentor in advertising was one of the best strategic thinkers I’ve ever worked with and had an uncanny ability to challenge teams to create work that helped drive business, while not losing sight of the importance of creativity. I am grateful for the time we worked together as it taught me to think critically, question everything and always push myself to go beyond the expected. Also he never lost his sense of humor and as I have progressed in my career I appreciate that more than ever!”