After several years of Cannes, Ojos, Fiaps, Clios and so much more in the world of advertising awards, SXSW Interactive has turned out to be a surprise of unimaginable proportions.

More than 30,000 people attend Austin, and among them in 2011: Paula Guevara and Rogelio Umaña for Tribu DDB, José Coto and Guido Bolaños for Bosz Digital and me. Sergio Restrepo from Darwin Zone is also here.

While Marcelo Serpa is the rock star of Cannes, here are others, from Zuckerberg to Tim O’Oreilly and Guy Kawasaki, from one geek to another. More names than I could try to repeat, more platforms, technologies, proposals, panels and exhibitions than could be assimilated in five years, all concentrated in 5 days. Up to 12 simultaneous events per hour with seas of people moving around the city and the Convention Center in particular.

I’ve always thought that we should be looking for a lot of inspiring experiences. SXSW Interactive immediately rises to the top of the list, although for many it is in Music or Film. It’s fast-paced, it’s intense and it keeps generating ideas that can make a difference in our work for the brands we serve.

We take the opportunity to go for the iPads2, to an Apple store with only the new product on sale, so we don’t stop knowing and always add to the bag of what we have seen, experienced and learned. Coming to Austin to SXSW is an idea that I leave you with in this paragraph, which in 2012 will surely be even better.

In the meantime, I’m going back for a second just to share with you my impression of Apple’s reach, prestige and influence. From the first Apple IIc with which I started more than two decades ago, to the iPad2 in our hands, all the innovations of this company have passed. Not in vain, it is the most admired brand in the world, even above the best known, Coca-Cola or the most recent and powerful Google.

So nothing more to add for now, tomorrow is the last day of SXSW Interactive, where you can meet Wozniak, Gorileo on his screen, Mike Tyson or the Riddler in any place or room. The streets are also there to go out and fight. Cheers!