Luis Miguel Messianu, Founder, President, Chief Creative Officer of MEL, highlighted the strong link between multicultural marketing and measurable business growth during the second annual Latino US Day at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. This exclusive event, hosted by Advertising Week LATAM and powered by PRODU, celebrated and amplified the vital influence of the U.S. Hispanic advertising community.

Messianu spotlighted the unparalleled importance of Latino US Day within Cannes’ bustling schedule. “The U.S. Latino Day is one of the highlights of the week. This is my second time around,” he said. “Despite all the events across the city, not just in the Palais where everything began, you have to be here. This is a must. It’s a point of encounter, where we truly celebrate our cause and our industry. It’s a matter of pride for me to be invited again.”

The executive moderated the session titled “The Only Purpose is Growth,” where he was joined by a renowned panel that included Lela Coffey, VP of Multicultural Business Acceleration, P&G North America; Carla Dodds, CMO, The Aaron´s Company; and Sindy Chapa, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication, School of Communication, Florida State University (FSU). He explained the deliberate choice of the panel’s name: “I purposely – pun intended – wanted to call it ‘The Only Purpose is Growth‘ because we need to make a distinction and draw a clear line between DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and multicultural marketing, highlighting the resulting growth opportunity.”

He delivered a convincing call to action for brands and companies: “It’s time to open the eyes of the country. There’s a lot of runway, and brands and companies need to embrace this opportunity. Otherwise, they’re going to be in the dumpster.”

Messianu’s insights strongly reinforced that investing in the U.S. Hispanic market isn’t just about social responsibility, it’s a strategic imperative for undeniable business expansion. His contributions at Latino US Day highlighted the urgency and immense growth potential that brands can unlock by genuinely embracing multicultural marketing.