Political Communication with a Latin American Touch
In a conversation with this medium, José Manuel Urquijo explained that the award represents "a signal of the creative potential that exists in Latin America to make high-impact political communication, even in adverse contexts".
The consultant stated that the project demonstrates that "strategy and narrative intelligence can replace traditional advertising when working with authenticity and cultural understanding".
The phenomenon attracted the attention of national and international media such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, ABC Spain, among others, which highlighted the unusual use of dating platforms and social media to promote voting.
The case was also cited by Integralia Consultores and academic Viri Ríos as one of the most visible and best-rated of the process.
Faced with those restrictions, the Sentido Común Latinoamérica team designed a strategy that bet on creativity and emotional connection with voters.
Strategist José Manuel Urquijo, founder of the Sentido Común Latinoamérica consultancy, was recognized in Spain with the ACOP 2025 International Award for the Best Latin American Political Communication Campaign, for his work "The Minister of Tinder", developed for lawyer Carlos Odriozola during the first judicial election of ministers of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) in Mexico.
The award was given by the Political Communication Association (ACOP), based in Madrid, an organization that brings together academics and consultants from more than twenty countries, and that recognizes excellence and innovation in campaigns, institutional strategies, and public communication in the Hispanic world every year.
An Unprecedented Election and a Restrictive Context
The award-winning campaign emerged in an unprecedented scenario: Mexico held its first-ever elections to appoint the ministers of the country's highest court, under a highly restrictive regulatory framework.
The National Electoral Institute (INE) prohibited the use of billboards, printed propaganda, and digital advertising, which limited the visibility of more than three thousand candidacies that participated with minimal resources.
The Value of the Recognition
For ACOP, the Mexican campaign was recognized for "its ability to connect with citizens through humor and digital innovation in an unprecedented judicial electoral process".
The jury considered that the case offers replicable lessons for democracies facing similar challenges: regulatory limitations, institutional distrust, and digital misinformation.
Based in Madrid since 2008, the Political Communication Association has consolidated itself as an international reference in the academic and professional field.
Media Impact and Electoral Results
Without partisan support or public financing, Odriozola's candidacy achieved more than 417,000 votes and positioned itself as one of the most commented on during the process.
On social media, the generated content exceeded 5 million reproductions and attracted more than 30,000 followers on TikTok in just two months.
Their awards bring together consultants, researchers, and strategists from all over the world every year.
"The Minister of Tinder" was presented as a disruptive narrative that used humor and the cultural codes of digital citizens to translate a complex judicial process into accessible and viral formats.
