Opinionnation

Directing more ad spend to local media can be the most meaningful social cause in Canada, says dentsu’s Sarah Thompson. It connects the big issues we care so much about—the environment, our society, and democracy.

CIBC’s new ad campaign is based on an imagined scenario of therapy dogs helping people relax when talking personal finances. But Eric Blais wonders if the scenario might be too believable.

After two Januaries darkened by the dread of COVID, Fuse Create’s Stephen Brown is ready for a new year that feels more like the good old days, when the biggest challenge was fighting for great ideas, not fighting the pandemic.

French advertisers are increasingly relying on “Frenglish” because of its “cool, trendy impact,” but Quebec needs to safeguard against its rise, says Eric Blais.

It may be that the Simons “All is Beauty” campaign was always going to face backlash, but Eric Blais has a few suggestions for what the retailer could have done differently.

BDC has always been the bank of entrepreneurs, but now it wants to be about ambition. Eric Blais wonders what will happen if another ambitious bank has a problem with that.

Society Etc.’s Mike Sharma has been reflecting on Marshall McLuhan’s most famous axiom, and wonders if it’s still true today.

Engagement matters more than reach, says Eric Blais, and Poilievre’s provocativeness and bold declarations connected with a lot of Canadians.

Gino Cantalini has some questions: Why is marketing so misunderstood? Why do marketers get grouped with injury lawyers? Why don’t parents want their kids to be marketers?

With so many Canadians feeling they lack control of their life, marketers should find ways to give them more control of their brand experiences, says Crop’s Alain Giguère

The pandemic amplified existing flaws in our talent management systems, says Mo Dezyanian. Now is the time to reinvest in management skills training, and perhaps reconsider who we promote and why.

Aside from fixing the team on the ice, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment needs to fix its marketing message for next season if it wants fans to believe in the Leafs again, says Agency59’s Brian Howlett.

Amazon’s new “virtual product placements” may open up significant opportunities for brands, says David Pullara. But it will come with significant risks for great content.

Rogers’ shocking decision to move its account and close down Theo seems like a stark reminder of just how valuable personal relationships can be.

Great advertising is about real storytelling that is emotional and creates sticky memories, says Target’s Noel O’Dea. And it doesn’t come from a content factory.

When brands support high-quality journalism with rigorous standards and integrity, it’s good for the brands, media and society itself. Kevin Keane explains how it can be done.

The Twitter tiff was good melodrama for the ad world, says Ron Tite. But it was really about two important requirements for productive relationships: Respect and rewards.

Influencer marketing was in the news for all the wrong reasons again this month, thanks to an ill-conceived drunken flight to Mexico. But those weren’t real influencers on that plane, says Eric Blais.

Meant to combat racism, the ads upset Quebec’s Anglophones and might be unwittingly reinforcing racial stereotypes, says Éric Blais.

Air Canada’s English speaking CEO is a reminder of how many Canadian brands don’t think of French Canada as a priority market, says Eric Blais