With just days to go before we meet at Volcan in Costa Rica, the country’s premier advertising festival, I’m impressed by news such as Vega Olmos being hired by JWT and Bob Isherwood reinventing himself outside of Saatchi Saatchi.

The world is moving at full speed, evolution is constant and competition is fiercer every day. The stages are expanding, like the Central American Volcano now, the Eurobest is attracting more entries than ever before and in Dubai the Lynx is already an institution of advertising creativity in full fight. Soon the organizers of the Cannes festival will open its Asian version in Singapore and for all they are worth, the traditional competitions are still going strong and moving forward, in my opinion, with a few exceptions such as the modest Caribbean in visible decline. The global competition, though clearly, starts at home.

With 15 days to go before the Volcano, in Costa Rica we continue to see clear signs of a country determined to become a nest of creative winners. On a separate note I will refer to the Nissan Contest that awarded prizes last night, but it is worth saying that as long as the country’s young creatives generate ideas like the ones that reached the final phase, in Costa Rica we can only hope for more and better results in the world.

So, in just 15 days we will know which agencies are determined to compete and add, because I believe that any agency that takes at least one Volcano, will be demonstrating its commitment to be creative and win. Likewise, any agency that competes and does not win, will be clearly indicating that it is in the fight and willing to grow until it is among the winners. Thus, Costa Rica wins and wins.

There are only 15 days left to know the agency of the year, the Great Volcano of the Festival, the pieces or ideas awarded with Golden Volcanoes, the production company of the year, the client of the year and so much more that will bring us the best Volcano in history, and that we intend to always be the next one. Personally, of course, I want Tribu to have a great night at the Volcano, and for this reason, I don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate the passion and dedication of our agency’s creatives. They deserve it all!

Lilliana González, as Executive Director, Pablo Silva, as head of the Volcán organization, Promotica as producers of the event, the judges and exhibitors for El Pellizco at the UVeritas, the entire ASCAP Board of Directors, we are all committed to confirming Volcán as the great national contest, as well as the next great regional festival. Meanwhile, as you read these notes, more than 20 international jurors outside of Central America are voting and choosing the Volcán winners, from their ASCAP-produced DVDs of all the entries, and voting online all the way back to Costa Rica.

It’s all a great effort on a great stage from a country that decided to compete… and win.

Cheers!