In the 2026 advertising ecosystem, where visuals saturate every corner of our existence, audio has moved from being the agency “ugly duckling” to becoming a tool for unprecedented intimate and emotional connection. Beto Nahmad, ECD of VCCP Spain, arrives at Cannes Lions with a
clear vision: radio is no longer just a device, but a sonic experience that cuts through everything from TikTok to gaming. With a background navigating film, music, and advertising, Nahmad argues that audio forces creativity to present itself “naked,” without the refuge of spectacular photography or expensive visual effects. For him, a well-placed silence or an intentional breath can be more powerful than any long take, triggering the listener’s imagination to build universes that exist only in the mind.
In this exclusive interview with Roastbrief, Beto Nahmad breaks down how his cinematic background taught him that what matters most is what is not shown, and how that “off-screen” technique is the essence of great audio. In the face of Artificial Intelligence, Beto remains firm: the tool doesn’t matter, but rather the human intent and sensitivity that decides what to say and how to make it felt. From the richness of nuances in Hispanic culture to sound’s ability to transcend languages through rhythm and emotion, this conversation is an invitation to close your eyes and understand why, before rationally understanding an idea, we must first feel its frequency.
- The Irrelevance of the Name “Radio”
Look, I grew up in love with radio and I also studied it as a kid. We had a radio studio at school when I was 16. Literally. Radio taught me something I later confirmed while studying film: when you don’t show everything, the viewer’s brain works twice as hard. Now, it’s true that audio lives everywhere today. A TikTok without sound doesn’t exist. Spotify, podcasts, gaming, ASMR… audio stopped being a format and became a cultural layer. - Does it make sense for Cannes to keep saying “Radio”? I think as a historical word, yes, because it represents an origin and a narrative discipline. But the heart of the category probably isn’t “radio” anymore—it’s “sonic experiences.” The best audio work today doesn’t even seem like advertising. It seems like culture. It seems like something people would choose to listen to even if there were no brand behind it.
- The Most Underrated Format?
For years, yes, it was the ugly duckling. The place where pieces that didn’t have the budget to be filmed ended up. But that’s changed a lot. In recent years, I’ve seen audio ideas braver than many film campaigns. Why? Because audio forces you to have a naked idea. You can’t hide behind beautiful cinematography, a drone, or spectacular post-production. Plus, audio has something punk that I love: it gets into people’s heads in an intimate way. You can ignore a banner. But a voice in headphones… that goes straight in. As a musician, I really feel this: a frequency, a breath, or a silence can be more emotional than a very expensive image. - Can You Win Without a Great Visual Idea?
Absolutely. And in fact, when I was judging, we often fought harder for pieces where the
audio was the idea, not the accompaniment.
For me, a great audio case has to work even if you turn off the screen. That’s the real test. If the case film needs to explain too much of what the audio “supposedly” generated, then the work probably wasn’t that strong.
What makes me fight for a piece? An idea that can only exist in sound. Intelligent use of voice, silence, or rhythm. Something that activates the listener’s imagination. And something key: emotional craft.
Craft in audio is hugely underestimated. A badly placed breath can ruin a piece. Just like in music. - Your Film Background vs. Audio
Film taught me timing. And sound is pure timing.
When I was studying film, I understood something I later took to radio and music: off- screen space. The most powerful thing is often what you don’t show. In audio, that’s everything. You build universes with gaps.
I also learned editing. In film, you edit images; in audio, you edit emotions. A cut to silence can work just like a Godard jump cut or a long take that lets you breathe.
And as a musician, I also think a lot about audio from a dynamics perspective. Not everything can be shouting at the same emotional volume. The best pieces have crescendos. Like a song. - Artificial Intelligence in Audio
AI can already produce flawless voices, decent jingles, and even fairly convincing emotional imitations. But there’s something that still interests me a lot as a judge: the human intention behind the decision.
I don’t care if you used AI. I care if you had something to say.
Because technically, anyone can play a guitar… but not everyone can convey something. The difference is still in the judgment, the taste, and the sensitivity.
In 2026, it will probably be technically impossible to distinguish what was generated and what wasn’t. And honestly, I don’t think that should be the focus either. The focus should be:
“Did this make me feel something I haven’t heard before?”
Human originality isn’t in the tool. It’s in the point of view. - The Power of Voice in Hispanic Culture
Absolutely. In the Hispanic world, the voice has body. It has temperature. It has street smarts. We listen a lot to tones, pauses, irony, subtext. Sometimes the same sentence changes completely depending on how you say it.
And yes, I think certain subtleties sometimes get lost in very Anglo-Saxon juries. Not due to a lack of sensitivity, but because there are cultural codes that are impossible to fully translate. An Argentine, Mexican, or Spanish accent already tells a story before saying a word.
But I’ll also tell you something: when an audio piece is truly good, it crosses language barriers. Music does that. Rhythm does that. Silence does that. At Cannes, I’ve seen work in languages I didn’t understand and it still moved me.
And there’s something beautiful about audio that appears here: before rationally understanding a voice, you first feel it.
