As part of its efforts to reach new diversity, equity and inclusion goals this year, at least 40% of inductees to Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends for 2021 will reflect diversity in the industry.
The new benchmark is intended to help Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends become more representative “in terms of geography, line-of-business, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation.”
The CMHOL, which is presented by AMA Toronto, was launched as the Marketing Hall of Legends in 2004 to recognize those individuals with long careers of contributing to the industry as visionaries, enablers, builders and mentors.
Last year, as much of society—and the marketing industry—faced a long overdue reckoning with issues of systemic racism, the CMHOL similarly faced some criticism for almost all of its inductees being white and a selection committee that also lacked representation.
“Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends is making changes to better represent and include Canada’s diverse marketing community,” said Miglena Nikolova, president of AMA Toronto, in a release. “This year’s selection committee—the most diverse group of brand and marketing leaders ever assembled by CMHOL—is updating the Legend selection process to reflect and celebrate our industry’s diversity.”
Led by 2014 Legend inductee David Kincaid, the judging committee this year includes:
- Simon Cazelais, director, global marketing strategy and innovation, BRP;
- Jonathan Daly, global group planning director, Ogilvy;
- Sean Humphrey, VP marketing, The Globe and Mail;
- Sarah Jordan, CEO, Mastermind Toys;
- Jill King, managing director, Advertising Review Board;
- Nancy Marcus, 2020 Legend Inductee;
- Paula Roberts, founder and CEO, Halo Brand Leadership;
- Bobby Sahni, partner and co-founder, Ethnicity Matters;
- Andrea Southcott, partner, Redshift Collective;
- John Wiltshire, president and CEO, Canadian Marketing Association;
- Winnie Wong, chief marketing officer, OCAD University; and
- Wahn Yoon, president, Bleublancrouge (BBR), Toronto.
“This year’s CMHOL jury is an accomplished group of brand and marketing leaders,” said Kincaid in the release. “I’m proud to say the selection committee is very Canadian—it exemplifies and values the diversity of the industry we work in—and will provide the CMHOL with strong, credible decision-making prowess.”
Nominations can be made until Feb. 18. As part of its efforts to ensure a more diverse cohort of inductees this year, the CMHOL has “significantly expanded” its outreach to attract a broader range of nominations.
“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 Kincaid. “The CMHOL recognizes the challenge and necessity to work harder and set stronger examples of DEI in its programs and content.”
The CMHOL has also brought back its Marketer on the Rise award for 2021 to celebrate marketers who are making a significant impact on the agency early in their career. CMHOL inductees will be announced in March and celebrated during a virtual event in April.
