AMA Toronto has started its search for this year’s inductees into Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends with a revamped process intended to ensure a more diverse and representative list of nominees.
Originally launched in 2004, Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends honours Canadians who have dedicated their professional lives to pursuing excellence in marketing, and has become one of the country’s most respected industry awards. However, following last year’s widespread calls for the industry to become more diverse, inclusive and representative of the Canadian population, the AMA made changes this year.
In a release, the AMA said the nomination process has been re-designed to reflect its “invigorated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusiveness in Canadian marketing.”
“We’re acting on an acknowledged need to continue to evolve our awards to reflect the fast-changing and diverse marketing industry in Canada,” said jury committee chair David Kincaid, a 2014 inductee into the Hall of Legends. “The CMHOL recognizes the challenge and necessity to work harder and set stronger examples of DEI in its programs and content.”
Specifically, the AMA said it is expanding its outreach to attract a broader range of nominations, while the jury will be more representative and judges will have new selection criteria. “These changes enable CHMOL to more accurately represent the marketing community in terms of geography, line-of-business, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation,” said the AMA statement.
The CMHOL is also bringing back the Marketer on the Rise award honouring a young member of the marketing community.
“Re-introducing the popular Marketer on the Rise award is an important part of our CMHOL programming this season,” said Jacob Kessler, vice-president of Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends. “Exceptional younger leaders, injecting innovation and fresh thinking into their fields and businesses, may become the Legends of tomorrow. They need to be encouraged, recognized, and applauded.”
Nominations can be made until Feb. 15 at the CMHOL website. Winners will be announced in March and honoured during a virtual event April 22.
