Features
Features
Media Experts celebrates XXX
As Canada’s oldest indie media agency hits 30, strategy takes a look at what it took to navigate the last three decades in media.
The word on Wind’s manifesto
Matt Cammaert and Doug Hawe weigh in on the mobile co’s new customer-powered push.
Kestin & Vonk: pooled talent is better than one
As the internationally renowned duo venture into new waters with Swim, strategy reflects on their impact on the biz.
Nova Scotian cars get tipsy
Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation adopts a humorous approach for its holiday “don’t drink and drive” campaign.
Whistler Film Fest messes with Hollywood
Genre-defying film trailers remind viewers to “prepare for the unexpected” in this campaign by Vancouver-based Dare.
Newfoundland & Labrador evokes childlike curiosity
The new chapter of Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism’s “Find Yourself” campaign includes awareness-building TV and tactical print and online ads.
Quebec Food Banks’ uncanny report
The organization puts its first annual report in the can (literally) with help from Lg2boutique.
Jackson-Triggs goes back to its roots
Industry pundits weigh in on the wine company’s new positioning, and whether it hits the mark.
A big decade for Mini
As the car co celebrates its 10th anniversary in Canada, strategy reflects on the brand building that got it here.
Sky Spa elevates its look
Lg2boutique gives the Montreal spa a high-end rebrand, with revamped written materials, uniforms, bathrobes and towels, as well as a new campaign.
TFO’s iconic update
Lowe Roche gives Télévision Française Ontario a modern makeover.
Less is more with Instagram in your marketing mix
Newer micro-social networks, like photo-sharing platform Instagram and online pin-board Pinterest, are attracting more focused followings than broader-based elders Facebook and Twitter.
How would you spark a trip to the park?
We asked a stable of advertising, marketing and consumer products licensing experts to tell us how they would revive the Parks Canada brand.
Generation tech demands digi-retail
From social networking to augmented reality, kids have an unprecedented level of digital know-how, and they’re demanding the same of retailers.
Youth marketing that pops
As Coca-Cola cranks up the volume on Covers and bows “Move to the Beat,” strategy talks to Canadian president Nicola Kettlitz about how the brand is engaging teens through music and social media.
The next kid thing
From participatory cross-platform TV to junior franchisation, our experts predict four upcoming trends for little ones.
The sweetest battleground
Some of the wackiest, most innovative advertising lately is coming from the candy industry. Is confectionery the new hotbed of creativity? In other words, is candy the new beer?
Rolling Rock keeps it simple
The beer brand’s first Canadian campaign, developed by Red Urban in Toronto, champions uncomplicated bar behaviour.
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Amour wants viewers to go all the way
A campaign by Dare Vancouver offers to fulfill people’s typically doomed fantasies.
Photo gallery: 2012 Shopper Marketing Forum
Our annual event saw industry members gather in Toronto to hear some of the top shopper marketing experts in the business share their views on how to move the industry forward.
Going glam at 75
Through decades of often-turbulent times, Air Canada has built an iconic Canadian brand. Now it’s attempting to bring a bit of glamour back to the skies.
Sparking urban movements
Experts in the fields of CSR, cause campaigns and social movements weigh in on how brands can align with the growing trend of urban renewal.
CAN Fund wants Gold for Gold
BBDO and the Canadian Athletes Now (CAN) Fund are soliciting unwanted jewellery to raise money and awareness for Olympic-bound athletes.
Mitsubishi offers electric car therapy
A new online campaign by John St. is helping potential electric car buyers overcome their fears.
Drawing the line on sexual violence
A bilingual campaign by Public Inc. aims to spark debate over what is and isn’t considered sexual violence.
A whole new world for Walmart
With new CMO Emma Fox on board, the retailer is boldly going where it has never gone before, putting a focus on moms, taking private label up a notch and entering the social media era.
How to win international business
Sid Lee, Bleublancrouge, Juniper Park and Capital C give their do’s and don’ts for winning clients outside of Canada’s borders.
AtoMiC Tech: the new ad creative superstar
From Volkswagen’s AR to History Channel’s interactive documentary, the future of technology is now. Here are some best-in-class examples from the past year.
Mobile to the rescue
A panel of experts from Cossette, Best Buy, Virgin Mobile and Tribal DDB weigh-in on how mobile can solve new advertising dilemmas.
Made you laugh
We asked a couple of industry insiders, known for their funny bones, to weigh in on a few of the funniest commercials of the past year.
From consumers to fans: the new brand relationship
Creating conversations and experiences that win fans is the new Holy Grail, and R&D and PR is part of the reward.
Samsung finds its heart
The electronics giant may be in two-thirds of Canadian households, but it’s not top of mind for consumers. Now it has a plan to go from a brand we simply buy to a brand we must have.
Canada’s creative contenders
What should bring come the Cannes hardware this year? Strategy reached out to Canada’s top creative and media stars to shed light on the best work of the year.
CTV stretches scope of Saving Hope
To promote its new Canadian series Saving Hope, CTV has launched its most transmedia campaign to date.
Kokanee goes to the movies
The details on the Labatt brand’s move to the big screen, for which it’s asking fans to participate.
Secret Location game plays PR, R&D and pitch roles
The Toronto-based transmedia company launches a game that will serve as its digital R&D sandbox, where they can test new technologies and storytelling techniques.
Viddy, Socialcam and YouTube tee off
New video-sharing mobile apps are gaining ground, but are they going to usurp YouTube’s shining star in the video space? We asked a few industry pundits to weigh in.
Best Buy Canada’s bold plan to stay #1
Angela Scardillo, VP marketing, says the Canadian arm of the electronics retailer has a plan to fend off increasingly heavy online competition and stay ahead of the curve.
The hard sell
Can the CFL ensure its biggest game ever lives up to the hype amid Toronto’s crowded pro sports market?
Shopper marketing techs up
From geo-targeting to augmented reality shopping apps, brands and retailers get digital.
Advertising grows up with the boomer generation
As boomers start to retire, marketers will have to change their storytelling tune. Strategy went to the experts to learn what they’re looking for.
MTS pulls teens into an online love story
Manitoba Telecom Services wants teens to fall in love with its phone services through a Facebook video that pulls in content from users’ feeds.
GSP cross-promo changes the game
Sid Lee enlists UFC champ Georges St-Pierre to help relaunch the videogame Sleeping Dogs.
BioSteel plots next move
The pink energy drink maker wants to move from word-of-mouth phenomenon to mainstream success.
Audi goes off to the (little) races
To get the attention of businessmen, passersby were invited to grab an iPad and play with motorized cars on a mini track.
Cadbury pits Screme against Creme
The Hive launches a campaign for the new Halloween confection.
The big pour-off
We asked Molson and Labatt to pick their best-of-the-year marketing efforts, and highlighted a few of our own, then asked industry experts to weigh in on this tasty battle.
Old school innovation
Not all attention-grabbing, clutter-busting ‘firsts’ involve tech.
Taxi adds CBO remit, gains new global CCO and loses Taxi 2 ECD
Changing of the creative guard: Steve Mykolyn passes the CCO baton and takes on the new CBO role, while Lance Martin tackles a start-up.
Instagram & Pinterest insider intel
Industry experts weigh in on how brands can best take advantage of the latest social media trends.
The un-siloed quest for integration
Whether from beginnings as a media-agnostic, digitally integrated agency or from a silo-heavy global network, creative houses across Canada still grapple with integration. How agencies approach the problem of meshing different creative disciplines.
Roundtable: What happened to advertising?
Our experts say whether the focus on niche executions means brands are losing mass audiences.
Ikea and Reitmans tone down the funny
What happens when brands known for their comedic approach get serious? We ask industry pundits to weigh in on these changes of direction.
Marketing’s mobile-first future
Media buyers react to signs mobile is ready to realize its potential as an ad channel.
Beer borrows vineyard techniques
Amid falling sales for mass brands and increased competition from craft beers, wine and spirits, the big beer cos copied a page out of wine marketers’ handbooks.
Mobile: who’s doing it best
Industry experts weigh in on their favourite mobile-related executions, apps or campaigns of the past year.
Reinventing the drug store
Joe Jackman brings his high-speed retail makeover formula to Rexall.
Diversifying a white man’s world
How does a lack of diversity in the senior ranks impact strategy, creativity and the bottom line? “It’s a brain drain.”
Royale at 50
The original catvertiser keeps building a strong brand.
Shine or bust: Advice for winning awards
Leo Burnett’s Judy John, Taxi’s Dominique Trudeau and JWT’s Martin Shewchuk offer words of wisdom on how to bring home the hardware.
Ben & Jerry’s Vine fishing
The ice cream brand tries out the Twitter-owned social media channel to launch a flavour inspired by the band Phish.
SpongeBob hits the BMX ramps
The cartoon character goes for a niche target to sell merchandise, tapping the BMX community through Instagram.
Transforming Maple Leaf
The manufacturer is changing into a food marketing machine focused on building love for its brands.
Stuck in a Mad Men era
In part two of strategy’s diversity series, we examine why agencies struggle to get women and visible minorities up the ranks.
Story Planet thinks outside the galaxy
Juniper Park developed the Intergalactic Travel Authority storefront theme for the non-profit learning centre.
Brands stand up to bullies
As the issue of bullying dominates global headlines, a slew of Canadian brands and agencies are responding. But will brands be recognized as authentic supporters and not just background logos?
Adopt a cause
Strategy picked a few lesser-known causes and asked experts to build a CSR program for a brand they thought could partner up with an organization.
Missing Children starts a stamp collection
Lowe Roche and the Missing Children Network are unveiling customized stamps, available for purchase from Canada Post, featuring the faces of missing kids.
Moving the needle on C-Suite diversity
In part three of strategy’s diversity series, we examine what brands and agencies are doing to address the issue in their senior ranks.
Cause marketing to the extreme
The desire to break through the clutter has many charities aiming for a major emotional response. Strategy examines the risks and rewards of marketing messages that teeter on the fringes.
Beer’s biggest fan
After years of decline, the (beer) world is watching as Debra Kavchak-Taylor cheers on the category with new products that go head-to-head with wine and sangrias – and messaging that focuses on taste rather than lifestyle – in the hopes that consumers will come back to Molson Coors.
The next generation of consumer involvement
The hottest trends in ad creativity right now are all about getting consumers involved. But does it work? Is it smart? And what if it all goes off the rails?
Canada’s emerging indies
There’s been a flurry of start-ups, as well as some merger and acquisition action lately. Here’s a run-down of some of the new kids on the block.
Getting back to its Roots
Canadian clothing company Roots turns 40 this year, and we map out its journey to icon status.
The Canadian advantage
Sure, the budgets may be smaller, but marketers working on the Canadian side of multinationals Unilever, PepsiCo and Volkswagen say they relish the challenge to do more with less, which means more freedom to take risks.
Canada’s top ad ideas: curated
A few of Canada’s top marketing and ad execs pick their favourite work of the year ahead of this year’s Cannes Festival of Creativity.
All the world’s a (branded content) stage
Coca-Cola’s Linda Cronin, Steam Whistle’s Tim McLaughlin and Bensimon Byrne’s Anthony Hello craft a few dream branded content execution.
Hellmann’s: 100 years of keeping it real
How the brand has stayed true to its positioning through a century of change.
Meet the new leaders
Q&As with the new head of Twitter Canada, Kirstine Stewart, and Samsung’s new VP marketing, Mark Childs.
Brands embrace hacking
In today’s parlance, hacking is associated with everything from Twitter bots, social media hijacking and even teching out items like fridges. Here are some cyber(ish) hijinks you may have missed.
Top tech to track
Industry experts round up some cool gadgets and platforms with big potential for marketers.
Brains Don’t Lie
Neuromarketing is getting serious, with four new Canadian entrants to the market in the past six months alone. These companies say they can tell what consumers really like – even when participants don’t know themselves.
Pundits weigh in on the Next Big Thing
Industry experts lay out what’s ahead for the realms of advertising, marketing and media – from “full spectrum entertainment” to agile marketing.
Calling all anthems
Anthems are big right now. Check out the latest executions from Canadian Tire, the Strategic Milk Alliance and Okanagan Spring Brewery.
Wine borrows from beer’s badge-branding recipe
Vino makers like Constellation Brands and Peller Estates Winery are moving away from talking about terroir and tannins, looking to build a stronger emotional connection with a wider audience in the same vein as beer brands.
Kraft channels the spirit of a startup
Tony Matta, Kraft Canada’s new CMO, talks about his new role, the changes that have taken place at the company since it split from sister co Mondelez and some key lessons he learned from his time in the U.S.
Navigating the Sochi controversy
Our industry pundits weight in on how brands can navigate the tricky 2014 Winter Olympics, which have been marred by anti-gay propaganda laws in Russia.
The hits keep on coming
Radio has stared down every competitor it has faced, but will changing consumer habits finally force it to blink?
Mid-season TV check-up
With new programs hitting screens, new regulations set to hit cable bundles and specialty audiences to attract (and keep), here’s the lowdown on all the latest from TV land.
Specialty TV’s survival plan
As the future of specialty channels remains uncertain due to a move towards a pick-and-pay model, several channels have recently been rebranded.
Sunni’s shining career
As the media maven prepares to begin a new chapter, we look back at how she reshaped the industry.
Modern-day gentlemen
Guys are redefining what it means to be a man, meaning brands in traditionally female-dominated spaces, like fashion, beauty and cooking, will need to play catch-up.
Trending in 2014
We ask a few pundits to weigh in on the biggest marketing trends they expect to see in the next year.
Future technology…today
A look at how the advertising industry is channeling ideas of the future such as flying cars, teleportation and invisibility.
State of the marketing nation
Branded content and earned media are on the rise, while Facebook saw a decrease in brand participation, strategy‘s annual survey finds.
Lost and found spaces
The good, the bad and the legality of guerrilla ad placements.
Pigott’s brand new path
In our exit interview with JWT’s Tony Pigott, he reflects on his career, the challenges facing the industry and his plans for the charity BrandAid.
Sharon MacLeod’s career evolution
As she heads to the U.S., Unilever’s Sharon MacLeod talks about her new role, and how the industry has shifted in the past 15 years.
Re-learning the craft
In part three of strategy’s Future Proofing series, the ADC’s Ignacio Oreamuno looks at the need to embrace education.
The insecure future of ads
To kick off strategy’s Future-Proofing series, R/GA’s Nick Law on the real impact Big Data is having on advertising, and what to do about it.
The need to unlearn
In part four of strategy’s Future-Proofing series, TBWA\Hakuhodo’s Dean Sciole says we need to erase what we already know.
The scramble for relevance
In part four of strategy’s Future-Proofing series, FGL Sports’ Duncan Fulton looks at the need to consolidate data and content.
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You’re fired
In part six of strategy’s Future-Proofing series, Rick Boyko says firing yourself is the best thing you can do to fight complacency.
Future-proofing
Guest editor Steve Mykolyn enlists industry heavy-weights to reveal their thoughts on how to keep up, and stay relevant, in today’s quick-changing world.
A different kind of resume
Droga5′s Ted Royer and Leo Burnett’s Judy John share what made some new hires stand out from the pack.
Preparing for battle
Training grounds such as Hyper Island, Swim and the Berlin School are aiming to equip advertisers with a crystal ball to deal with tomorrow’s needs today.
Calling out lovers and haters
Brands like Expedia and Taco Bell tap those on both side of the emotional spectrum.
Volkswagen drives into the mainstream
Director of marketing Peter Blackwell shares his strategic plan for the brand.
The next wave of branded content
Here’s a crash course on fusing branding and entertainment from Koodo, Dempster’s, Molson and more.
Boston Pizza’s big 5-0
Look back at the casual dining brand’s history as it celebrates its anniversary.
Show them the money… being used for good
P&G and 7Up get creative with purchase-driven donations.
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Investing in trust
Want to be considered a trustworthy brand? Set aside one-off cause programs for long-term commitments that show the difference your company is making.
Tim Hortons celebrates half a century
Will quietly reflecting Canadians’ values be enough to stave off growing competition and resonate with a changing demographic?
Unilever’s edge is global, green and digital
Dickie Martin, the CPG co’s new VP marketing, brings worldly knowledge to the Canadian market.
The creative Wild West
Everyone’s saddling up to take a run at ad agencies’ lock on the ideas biz by bringing in creativity gunslingers.
Cracking the craft beer category
When uniqueness is inherent to a sector, how do brands break through?
Making it with the makers
Which brands are taking notice of the movement that blurs the line between consumers and creators?
Weekend reading: Chapman’s next chapter
The industry vet says goodbye to Capital C with some parting words for the ad biz.
The covers that almost were…
A behind-the-scenes look at our cover contest to celebrate our silver jubilee.
25 years of Next Big Things
Hey, it’s our birthday! Check out marketing and advertising highlights from the past quarter century.
Brands swipe right
Does tapping into Tinder get you admirers or will consumers spurn your advances?
Weekend reading: Aeroplan grows up
As it celebrates its 30th birthday, here’s how the brand learned to spread its own wings.
The trouble with shareable content
Brands are using more graphic content to break through, but have consumers had enough?
Coffee Crisp’s survival guide
Strategy looks back at how the chocolate bar fought fierce competition to become a Canadian icon in 75 short years.
Weekend reading: JWT’s nod to the past, eyes to the future
On the eve of two major anniversaries, the agency looks ahead to a new strategic direction.
State of the marketing nation
Better strategic partnering and insights are marketers’ top priorities in 2015, plus more findings from our annual report.
Weekend reading: Birks regains its lustre
The century-old retailer is trying to take its brand to the world stage with a younger, fresher identity.
Mid-season TV check-up
It’s that time of year, folks! Read up on the verdict thus far and what’s next.
What’s working, what’s gone, what’s next
How are networks faring, and what do they have in store for mid-season?
Creating for the next generation
Media cos are venturing into the over-the-top video playground and hoping advertisers will join the game.
What keeps marketers up at night?
We asked industry leaders about key issues and how they’re addressing them. Here are some themes that emerged.
Weekend reading: Axe bromances the older gent
How Unilever ditched the bikini babes, toned down the scent and matured its messaging to reach a demo that’s growing up.
Weekend reading: Incubation nation
Read up on three organizations that are taking the incubator model in new directions.
Learning the ropes
How colleges and universities are trying to ensure the next generation of marketers have the skills needed to succeed in the biz.
Weekend reading: How to train your marketers
Are we on the verge of a talent crisis? CPG marketing experts weigh in on the state of training.
The old bait and switch
Can a deceptive cause campaign shock offenders into changing their ways, or will it just alienate them further?
Weekend reading: Normalizing today’s normal
We examine how a recent marcom diversity onslaught is helping to usher in a new era of normalization in mainstream advertising.
Canada Dry Mott’s new product love affair
Product innovation tends to fail. So why is the beverage co banking on new product launches? The simple answer: it’s working.
Sun Life: 150 years of making life brighter
How the financial company with humble Canadian roots has become an international powerhouse.
Weekend reading: Brands tap into foodie culture
Why getting in with that trendsetting crowd means more than just posting tasty images of food porn.
The next big things in retail
As omni-channel becomes the name of the game, and the lines between physical and digital blur, here are some trends to watch.
Game on
Pan Am’s top marketer on the challenges of getting a nation excited for those other games.
Weekend reading: Dairy Queen serves up 75 years
The iconic brand celebrates its sweet heritage, and uses product innovation to stay relevant in a crowded market.
Mykolyn’s new ride
On the eve of his retirement from the ad biz, long-time Taxi creative leader Steve Mykolyn talks about his achievements, the thrill of doing good and being the dumbest guy in the room.
Gamification is everywhere
How brands are tapping into consumers’ desire to keep on winning.
Risky business
Which brands are proving that a calculated risk can reap big rewards?
Grolsch’s creative connections
Don’t let this European beer’s 400 years fool you. It’s stayed fresh, thanks to collaborations with contemporary artists and forward-thinking partners, like Vice.
Online video grows up
Is it time advertisers got over their misconceptions about working with digital video creators?
Diageo’s domestic plan
How the liquor company is looking to grow – and stay ahead – by paying attention to what Canadians are really about.
Inside the CFL’s digital drive
The league’s playbook has been overtaken with online content moves and a dive into data as it looks to connect with fans in new ways.
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TD’s growing interest
From JohnnyCash machines to grumpy old men to heartfelt thank-yous, how TD Canada Trust has banked on comfort for 160 years.
Science fiction tech gets a reality check
From mind control to teleportation (well, sort of) the future of marketing is here.
Can cereal get its groove back?
As consumers stray to other options, can changing perceptions and new strategies revamp a stale cereal category?
Advertising by the numbers
Tomorrow’s next big thing is getting creative with the data you have and baking it into the stories you tell.
What’s in store for Cadillac Fairview
Former Xbox marketer Jason Anderson plans to make the mall property owner a household name.
Employees in ads: what could go wrong?
Here’s what brands should consider before giving their staff the spotlight.
Rejuvenating Reitmans
How the mid-priced retailer is staying in the game by asking a new generation to reconsider the brand.
Female empowerment (finally) comes of age
Brands move from tear-jerker creative to sassier ads that celebrate ditching insecurities.
Campbell takes soup into the new age
In its 85th year, the CPG co is rolling out new products and targeting a younger crowd, but will millennials warm to it?
Dominic Mercuri’s new direction
As he prepares for retirement, we ask the TD CMO to reflect on the changing banking landscape.
Teach me to drink
Beverage brands are getting consumers to sip from the fountain of knowledge.
How to turn 195, the Alexander Keith’s way
For the last two centuries, the Labatt-owned beer brand has been reflecting Maritime values back to its fanatical drinkers.
The 2015 Marketer Survey
From shrinking departments to shifting budgets, here’s what the industry had to say in our annual poll.
Mid-season TV checkup
From the return of the X-Files to a new Seth MacFarlane comedy, see what’s in store for 2016.
Agency survival strategies
How three Canadian shops are parlaying a U.S. client strategy into growth at home.
Branded content gets real (and pays for itself)
A look at who has moved beyond test-and-learn to make compelling content part of their business model.
Getting Canadians to love it
How McDonald’s SVP of marketing has been fighting the perception of the chain as a faceless corporate giant, portraying it as part of the Canadian fabric.
2016 Agency Survey: The state of the ad world
Agency staffers weigh in on the big issues impacting the industry.
Inside WestJet’s fight for the skies
In two decades, the airliner went from being a challenger brand to one that upstarts want to challenge.
This watched pot will boil
We look at the marijuana industry’s high hopes for new regulations and how three producers are preparing their brands.
Enter the retail ring
How high-end retailers, grocery chains and banks are bringing new strategies to the retail rumble.
Putting shoppers in the lap of luxury
High-end retailers are upping their experience game to win loyalty among a discerning customer base.
The omnichannel future of grocery
Digital grocery shopping faces a number of challenges. But the supermarkets are taking it on anyway.
How the banks are branching out
Why Canada’s established players are capitalizing on the startup space to innovate.
Meet the new brewmaster
Christine Jakovcic is leading a reinvestment in Molson Coors’ brands, launching new products and taking on the craft beer crowd.
Culture shock
L’Oreal, Mondelez and FGL sports are trying to infuse new thinking with a jolt of hands-on learning.
The new Sears wish book
COO Becky Penrice discusses how the 64-year-old retailer is finding its foothold for the future with Initium, Pinball and its iconic catalogue roots.
Enter the branded podcast
Millennials are hooked on the digital version of old-timey radio serials. Here’s how brands are playing along.
The ride of a lifetime
As luxury auto brands offer more affordable vehicles and creative for a wider audience, they’re maintaining premium status through tech and heritage.
One wild escalator ride
How Canadian publications are using sophisticated targeting and engagement techniques to retain and win more valuable readers.
The UX shift
Consumers are defining brands through every interaction. Designing experiences that cater to their needs is more important than ever.
Searching for Joe Canada
As the country celebrates its 150th birthday, marketers are planning a patriotic outpouring in the rush to define what it means to be Canadian in 2017.
Mid-season TV checkup
Execs from Canada’s major networks give the inside scoop on their mid-season strategy, from old faves to potential new hits.
Start! Stop! Change!
We gathered five Canadian marketers to talk about what the industry needs to start doing, stop doing, or change, from the way they innovate to data collection.
When social content does the heavy lifting
Here’s how three brands are laddering up their branded content to make sure it links back to business results.
Inside agencies’ best laid plans
An influx of strategists join creative agency c-suites as shops invest in data-led insights and planning with strategic purpose.
The future of shopping: The changing consumer
In part one of our series, we look at how time spent online is warping consumer behaviour.
The future of shopping: Grocery robots and flowers by mail
In part two of this series, we explore the not-so-distant future of pick-up and delivery.
The future of shopping: Striving for personalization
In part four of our series, we delve into how brick-and-mortar is taking on online shopping.
The future of shopping: Trimming the (packaging) fat
In part three of our series, we look at brands conquering waste with new formats.
The future of shopping: Less friction, more transactions
From payment to scanning as you shop, customers demand a smooth experience.
Media’s new seat at the table
Four industry execs sit down to talk data, changing consumer patterns and client relations in our latest roundtable.
Lessons from abroad: The builder of common ground
How Labatt’s Todd Allen took his Canadian experience building integrated platforms around occasions to the global level.
Lessons from abroad: The holistic thinker
How a stint in Switzerland helped inform Christine Jakovcic’s approach to collaboration.
Fall TV 2017: What’s all the complaining about?
Media folk air their grievances. Broadcasters respond.
Fall TV 2017: Leaning in to brand building
Buyers weigh in on which new shows and classic reboots will catch on as broadcasters bring conventional back to its roots.
Fall TV 2017: Specialty shifts its targeting
While conventional is coming back to its broad audience strengths, specialty is fine-tuning its niche targets.
Fall TV 2017: Looking for action
From true crime to superheroes to Shondaland, here are the dramas networks are betting on to get the heart pumping.
Fall TV 2017: Heartstrings and funny bones
Network and media execs explain why medical dramas are looking on the bright side and comedies are mixing with sci-fi.
What’s next in TV’s digital revolution
Canada’s BDUs and networks are vying for eyeballs in the streaming wars.
Media roundtable: Facing the pace of change
Media agency leads and brand execs gathered to discuss change and competition in the industry.
Preparing for brands that talk
With voice assistants, brands are figuring out how to insert themselves into a new kind of conversation and the high-stakes method of search.
Real world meets social content
Bridging the digital world with physical platforms is the driver behind long-running branded content strategies.
Mazda, well-crafted
The automaker is taking a page out of craft beer’s book as it celebrates 50 years of fun-fast cars and energetic marketing.
The new speed (and paths) of retail
How mass brands are going direct and digital in an effort to win consumers first and fast.
Embracing the starting position
How Huggies connected with new moms and took home an SIA Grand Prix.
Going direct to donors
An SIA Grand Prix is the latest accolade to be given to SickKids’ groundbreaking “VS” platform.
Packaging and partnerships that break through
How brands used refreshed design and ambitious stunts to stand out at this year’s Shopper Innovation Awards.
Out-of-the-box targeting tactics
How a diverse doc and tracking pollen levels helped these brands reach the right crowd, in the right place, at the right time.
Taking a hands-on approach
How interactive executions helped brands drive trial and smash stigma.
The recipe for reinvention
When faced with dwindling interest, tweaking a product, perception or positioning can have big results.
Rethinking retail engagement
How going outside the box helped brands get the most out of new store concepts, different platforms and small budgets.
Combining tech and shopper marketing
How some of this year’s SIA winners used filters, bots and loyalty apps to connect with customers.
Cause marketing gets tangible
Selling things as a fundraiser is not exactly novel, so there needs to be a twist to draw attention to causes.
Best Buy morphs into your tech curator
How this year’s Retail Innovator of the Year is reworking bricks-and-mortar to beat ecommerce competitors.
Welcome to the wild world of weed
How brands in a new billion dollar industry are navigating regulations and social perceptions as they prepare for liftoff.
The diversity dilemma in the #MeToo era
Seven leaders from across the marketing industry discuss the importance of fostering an inclusive organization.
Maple Leaf and Schneiders craft a real food manifesto
Spelling out the insights and strategy behind the bold rebranding of two of Canada’s oldest food brands.
Fall TV: The complaint line
Experts express their complaints about TV buying and the networks respond.
Fall TV: What’s in it for the buyers?
From data-enhanced TV to new ways to engage with viewers, all the latest offerings coming from Canadian broadcasters
Fall TV’s balancing act
Broadcasters aim to draw eyes (and advertisers) with rejigged schedules, fresh content and digital streamers.
Enter the Parka Wars
Here’s how three Canadian companies are targeting tribes to build global brand cred.
Marketing in the Age of Anxiety
How a bevy of brands are jumping on the wellness trend to help people chill out and live their best lives.
Creativity comes to the fore
A growing number of below-the-line disciplines are being called upon to deliver big ideas.
Weed Wars: Cannabis brands get creative
Up Cannabis, Doja and Figr spark up buzzy marketing as they fight it out in a highly competitive category.
Manufacturing culture
How Canada’s network agencies are building and maintaining their creative cultures in a time of global change.
The Next Big Thing in artificial intelligence
New ways brands are using AI to find efficiencies, launch products and get closer to customers.
The Next Big Thing in research
As the field begins to see more traction, players in neuromarketing look to automate their tech.
The Next Big Thing in measurement
How legacy research companies are sparking a rebirth of audience measurement.
The Innovation Roadmap
L’Oreal, Telus and RBC’s investment strategies offer lessons on how to lay the groundwork for innovation.
Are brands ready for a gender-fluid future?
As gender continues to evolve, strategy looks at who is evolving with it, from targeting to advertising to retail experiences.
Consumers in 2020 and beyond
Strategy looks at Mintel’s seven drivers of change and how consumer demands will shift over the next ten years.
The new sustainability
Strategy tapped experts and members of its CMO Council to examine the new realities of going green.
CSR reaches a tipping point
How the events of 2020 hastened the rise of stakeholder capitalism and reshaped the meaning of corporate purpose.
Innovation under the microscope
Strategy’s CMO Council offers insight into where marketers are applying agility and ingenuity to their content and innovation strategies.
Brands begin the process of learning and listening
To advance DEI, some companies are taking slow-but-steady steps to build a culture of understanding within their organizations.
Agencies work to create a legacy, not a moment
To create lasting change, shops are rewiring everything from their organization and culture to behaviour and thinking.
Cashing in on advancements in frictionless shopping
From Shopper Marketing Report: For retailers chasing convenience and speed, are contactless concepts the new Holy Grail?
Retail innovation in a year of digital pivots
By thinking outside (and inside) the box, brands like General Assembly and Duer emerged as pandemic success stories.
How marketing is changing the way companies hire
Brands like Lowe’s, McDonald’s and Staples are using creative promotional tactics to recruit in today’s tight labour market.
CCOs, CMOs and CSOs chat creativity in Canada: Part One
Agencies and brand marketers met for an informal discussion on how local strengths and business models stack up on the global stage.
CCOs, CMOs and CSOs chat creativity in Canada: Part Two
Agencies and marketers talk relationships, changes brought on by the pandemic and what’s holding the industry back.
