The future has arrived: Targeting the multicultural population is a proven growth strategy

Author's Biography

Javier Farfan is a seasoned marketing executive, and has established his career by leveraging music, entertainment, technology and culture to build brands. He is currently VP of Segment Marketing for Verizon. Previously, Javier was the head of the Music and Entertainment group across PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) and was in charge of leading culture marketing strategy. He has focused on developing programmes that inspire cultural fluency across Pepsico brands. He assumed the role at PBNA in June 2010 to oversee PBNA’s efforts to build brands and drive volume with key cultural groups. Before joining PepsiCo, Javier served as Director of Product Marketing at Microsoft and was responsible for marketing and communications efforts for their Entertainment and Device Division. While at Microsoft he also managed International Marketing Strategy for Entertainment Content on Xbox Live, Windows Media Center and Zune. Mr Farfan served as Marketing Director for MTV Networks where he helped launch a Hispanic cable network, MTV Tr3s. Prior to joining MTV Networks, Farfan spent his career in finance and the consulting industry at JP Morgan Chase and Accenture Consulting, respectively. In 2005, he co-founded the UA School of Business for Young Women, a New York City High School Charter School that fosters the development and growth of socially conscious young women to become business leaders. Additionally, Farfan also founded JUMP Nation; a New York State non-profit youth mentoring organisation. Javier, a New York City native, holds a Master of Arts from Columbia University and a Master of Business Administration from New York University, Stern School of Business. He defines himself as a creative strategist and has a passion for entertainment, social impact, innovation and cultural immersion.

Jake Beniflah is the Executive Director of the Center for Multicultural Science, a leading US non-profit, non-partisan multicultural marketing research think tank and data science accelerator dedicated to increasing the representation of women, and ethnic and racial minorities in the USA. Dr Beniflah is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cultural Marketing Strategy and author of ‘The Big Shift: Redefining Marketing in a Multicultural America’. He has a doctorate in business administration from Golden Gate University.