This year ALMA prepares for the Cannes Lions festival with great humility, optimism, but also with a reality check, according to the explanation offered by Luis Miguel Messianu, Chairman, Creative and CEO of the agency, because sometimes these awards create false illusions.“On the way to Cannes Lions, we are, yes, optimistic, and think it will be a very different Cannes, with fewer awards, more rational. I think, like companies do, as well, that people are trying to be more efficient, cutting expenses, and I think that trophies are a big cost.” The agency is focused on doing a very good job in their day to day, maintains Messianu, that makes clients think. “In every industry there is research for development and prototypes are made, which is why I think the creative search in our industry -which depends on innovation and creativity- must take place.” For the creative, the concept of Total Market has been interpreted mistakenly. “From our perspective, Total Market means there is a multicultural influence in the general market, and as such, that general market is what should actually be multicultural. These definitions, more than help, have created confusion. I think many brands are going to start suffering in their degree of affinity with their consumers due to lack of relevance.”