During the second edition of the Latino US Day that took place at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and hosted by Advertising Week LATAM and powered by PRODU, Lisette Arsuaga, Co-President and Co-CEO of Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM), sent a powerful message about the growing relevance of the U.S. Latino community on the global stage.

“The importance of being here at Cannes is growing every day,” Arsuaga stated. “As the United States becomes more multicultural and the world more integrated, it’s critical that we show up and make our presence felt — especially in advertising and communications.”

Reflecting on the early days of Latino participation in Cannes, Arsuaga noted the initial resistance: “We were told that Latino representation was a U.S. — only conversation — not a global one.” But, she argued, demographics and economics tell a different story. “The Latino community is the fifth-largest economy in the world, and soon to be the fourth. If that’s not a global conversation, I don’t know what it is.”

Arsuaga’s remarks came during the AIMM session titled “Consumer Expectations: Why Culture and Authenticity Can’t be an Afterthought”. She shared the stage with leaders from companies like Vivo, TelevisaUnivision, and The Shade Room, highlighting the importance of intersectionality and inclusion in marketing, especially on Juneteenth.

“Today we made sure the African-American and Black segments were part of the conversation,” she mentioned. “At AIMM, inclusion is not an event — it’s a principle. We don’t talk to people, we talk with people. That’s how we create meaningful change.”

The Latino US Day has become a landmark moment within Cannes Lions, establishing a presence for the voices, insights, and creative power of the U.S. Hispanic market — and underscoring its global significance.