During the Círculo Creativo Session: The Freedom to Create Viral Ideas at Latino US Day, Beatriz Torres Marín, Executive Creative Director, Digital & Social of alma challenged one of advertising’s most common ambitions: going viral.
Rather than treating virality as the objective, Torres Marín argued that brands should focus on understanding culture and becoming part of it naturally.
“I don’t really like the word viral,” she said. “I don’t think that’s how you should approach a brief. It’s not about being viral—it’s about creating behavior, listening to culture, and working at its speed.”
According to Torres Marín, brands succeed when they stop interrupting culture and instead find authentic ways to participate through creators, influencers, and communities.
“It’s about not interrupting culture, but becoming part of it and knowing when it’s the right moment for your brand to show up through creators, influencers, and the community,” she explained. “That’s when you might achieve virality, but it shouldn’t be where a brief starts. Saying, ‘I want to go viral,’ is incredibly difficult, and more importantly, it shouldn’t be the goal.”
She also highlighted the growing relevance of Latino US Day at Cannes Lions, saying the event has become an essential gathering for the industry’s Latino creative community.
“I think Latino US Day should continue happening every year at Cannes because we’re becoming more and more important,” she said. “You see more and more Latino work being recognized, so it’s great to bring everyone together, build this community, and keep pushing it forward.”
Reflecting on this year’s festival, Torres Marín said she was especially drawn to sessions that explored artificial intelligence and data in greater depth.
“To be honest, I really enjoyed the talks that went deeper into topics like AI and data,” she said. “I wasn’t as interested in the more generic conversations about AI and the importance of craft. Overall, though, I had a great time. I loved the TikTok and Pinterest pop-ups and the atmosphere of Cannes. I really enjoyed the experience.”
