Joshua Ott, Head of Revenue of The Shade Room, shared great insights during Latino US Day at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, an event hosted by Advertising Week LATAM and powered by PRODU. Ott was one of the speakers on the panel AIMM session: “Consumer Expectations: Why Culture and Authenticity Can’t be an Afterthought“.

For him, attending the event signifies something more meaningful than mere brand presence. “The important thing for The Shade Room, and the reason why we’re here, is to help bridge both Black and Brown communities,” he said. “It’s really important to create connections rather than divides, especially in this political economy.”

Ott stressed the need to challenge the narratives that often divide communities with shared cultural roots. “It’s critically important for Black and Brown publishers to show up together in spaces that connect us, that unite us around our shared intersections,” he noted. “We like similar foods, we like similar music — it’s all derivative of similar cultures. So it’s important to show some unity there.”

When asked about key takeaways from the panel, Ott called attention to the discussion around authenticity as particularly resonant. “What I loved about the panel was the conversation around breaking down the stereotypes of authenticity,” he explained. “Authenticity is not something you can label externally — it must be considered from a unique, individual perspective. That really stuck with me.”

Latino US Day continues to build momentum as a platform for voices shaping the cultural conversation within the U.S. Hispanic market, spotlighting how representation and intersectionality are vital to the future of marketing and media.