Looking for the number of a company featured in Strategy’s news and special report pages? Look no further. We’ve pulled them together in a handy-dandy list that appears every issue in our Perspectives section. For a more comprehensive listing, please visit our Web site at www.strategymag.com and click on Directory.

Amex Bank of Canada

Markham, Ont. (905) 474-8000

Ammirati Puris Lintas

Toronto, Ont. (416) 203-5300

Anderson Advertising

Toronto, Ont. (416) 960-3830

BAIGlobal

Tarrytown, N.Y. (914) 631-8300

Bates Canada

Toronto, Ont. (416) 925-8835

Brandworks International

Toronto, Ont. (416) 340-8845

Canadian Airlines

Calgary, Alta. (403) 294-2000

Canadian Marketing Association

Toronto, Ont. (416) 391-2362

Canoe

Toronto, Ont. (416) 947-2154

Cossette Communication-Marketing

Toronto, Ont. (416) 922-2727

Evans Research

Toronto, Ont. (416) 621-8814

FCB Direct

Toronto, Ont. (416) 483-3641

Ford Motor Company of Canada

Oakville, Ont. (905) 845-2511

Genesis Media

Toronto, Ont. (416) 967-7282

Glennie Stamnes Strategy

Vancouver, B.C. (604) 737-4346

Go Direct

Vancouver, B.C. (604) 687-7622

The Hockey Company

Westmount, Que. (514) 932-1118

ICOM

Toronto, Ont. (416) 297-7887

J. Walter Thompson

Toronto, Ont. (416) 926-7300

Kraft Canada

Toronto, Ont. (416) 441-5000

Lakeport Brewing

Hamilton, Ont. (905) 523-4200

Lipton Canada

Toronto, Ont. (416) 964-7255

M2 Universal

Toronto, Ont. (416) 594-6200

Marketel McCann-Erickson

Montreal, Que. (514) 935-9445

Maxim

New York, N.Y. (212) 302-2626

MaxxMedia

Toronto, Ont. (416) 487-1393

Mediacom

Toronto, Ont. (416) 255-1392

The Media Edge

Toronto, Ont. (416) 961-5111

Media Experts

Toronto, Ont. (416) 597-0707

MediaVest Worldwide

Toronto, Ont. (416) 927-3300

Microsoft Canada

Mississauga, Ont. (905) 568-0434

Milky Way Entertainment

Vancouver, B.C. (604) 664-7401

Ogilvy & Mather

Toronto, Ont. (416) 367-3573

OMD Canada

Toronto (416) 929-1855

Padulo Integrated

Toronto, Ont. (416) 966-4000

Palm Publicité Marketing

Montreal, Que. (514) 845-7256

Palmer Jarvis DDB

Vancouver, B.C. (604) 640-4309

Toronto, Ont. (416) 925-9819

Points.com

Toronto, Ont. (416) 595-0000

POPAI

Washington, D.C. (202) 530-3000

Prevention

New York, N.Y. (212) 697-2040

Procter & Gamble Canada

Toronto, Ont. (416) 730-4711

Publicis Canada

Toronto, Ont. (416) 925-7733

Radio Marketing Bureau

Toronto, Ont. (416) 922-5757

Rethink Communications

Vancouver, B.C. (604) 685-8911

TN Media

Toronto, Ont. (416) 483-4728

Toronto Hydro

Toronto, Ont. (416) 542-8000

Unilever Canada

Toronto, Ont. (416) 964-1857

Urban Juice & Soda

Vancouver, B.C. (604) 654-6050

Watts List Brokerage Services

Toronto, Ont. (416) 503-4000

By Karen Howe

I’m attending Cannes from the glory of my dining room table. There’s not a palm tree in sight, yet inspiration and intel are present in abundance.

Cannes Lions is a global cultural pulse check. The social course correction in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and BLM has delivered far greater diversity in the judging panels as well as the work. And we are all better for it.

I’m proud to say that creativity defeated COVID, which speaks to its power. Great work and big ideas flourished, despite unimaginable odds.

The work from the past two years spans a vast emotional range. From the profundity of Dove’s “Courage is Beautiful” to the hyper exuberance of Burberry’s “Festive,” they are opposite ends of the spectrum, but each answered a need in us.

Take note, the ascendency of gaming cannot be understated. Smart brands have embraced the channel. It makes sense, because gamers participate to meet others around the world, not just to play. And they represent a huge and powerful community. That’s why QSR Wendy’s gamified their iconic gal in RPG’s Feast of Legends.

Burger King sponsored the unknown Stevenage Football Club, transforming the team into online heroes and vaulting BK into the fray at the same time. Once again, the brand embedded itself in culture.

The birth of gaming tourism arrived when Xbox snuggled up to travel guides and created a brilliant baby: a travel guide for gaming worlds. It, too, embedded itself in culture.

From the standpoint of social good, Reporter Without Borders showed how it worked with Mindcraft for its “Uncensored Library” to bypass press censorship, with Minecraft providing a loophole to a space where young people could be educated. It provided youth with a powerful tool to fight oppression: truth.

COVID changed us in unexpected ways. We learned how to pay attention again and there was a notable lack of 30-second commercials. Instead, longer format content thrived. Apple’s WFH was seven minutes long. Entertainment reigned king, so we find ourselves returning to our advertising roots.

Seeing competitive brands form partnerships was one of this year’s other great surprises. The brilliantly simple “Beer Cap Project” by Aguila to reduce binge-drinking saw the brand reach out to competitive beers to join in. Aguila put incentivizing (keyword: free) reminders to drink water, eat food and get home safely on its bottle caps from all sorts of fast food chains, ride-share co’s and H2O brands.

On a personal level, I’m so proud of Canada again this year. Given that it was two years of work from all over the world being judged, even making the Cannes shortlist was an accomplishment. Canada is herding in the Lions in tremendous numbers – and it’s not even over. Fingers are crossed.

Karen Howe is a Canadian Cannes Advisory Board Member and founder of The Township Group