- Marketing News Canada
- Posts
- A New Era for Canada's Marketing Legends
A New Era for Canada's Marketing Legends
Rivals no more: Canada’s top honours in marketing unite under one Hall
Hey friend,
This month marks a milestone moment for Canada’s marketing community. AMA Toronto has officially unified two major national award programs—Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends and the Hall of Fame founded by Jelly Academy—into one prestigious and inclusive platform. Together, they honour the people shaping our industry from coast to coast.
But this isn’t just about awards. It’s about legacy, leadership, and what it means to build a more connected, representative future for Canadian marketing. So what does it mean for the legends of tomorrow?
The MarKeting News Canada Lineup:
Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends Expands National Footprint
In a landmark move, AMA Toronto and Jelly Academy have come together to create a single, unified destination for recognizing the best in Canadian marketing, branding, PR, and communications. This strategic integration not only reduces industry overlap but broadens the Hall’s reach, welcoming 41 new alumni, including past honourees from the Jelly-led Hall of Fame.
The new chapter also brings a renewed focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Darian Kovacs, founder of Jelly Academy and one of Canada’s leading Indigenous marketers, joins the CMHOL selection committee to help ensure more underrepresented voices are celebrated in years to come.
This year’s class of inductees is a powerful reflection of the industry’s evolving landscape:
Joanna Griffiths (Founder & President, Knix) – Visionary
Michael Adams (Co-founder & President, Environics) – Enabler
Mark Harrison (Founder, MH3 Collective) – Mentor
Serge Rancourt (Co-founder, The Grid) – Enabler
Ted (Theo) Rosnick (Former Creative Director, Vapor Music) – Enabler
Also named is Michael Forsyth, Marketing Director at PepsiCo Foods Canada, as the 2025 Marketer on the Rise, an award that shines a spotlight on the next generation of industry-shaping leaders.
More than just an honour, CMHOL offers ongoing mentorship and thought leadership through year-round initiatives like the Legendary Leadership Series and Legends Journey podcast, amplifying the voices of marketing trailblazers and sharing their stories with a national audience.
Community Spotlight
Meet John Bermudez, Podcast Host & SaaS Educator with HighLevel. He’ll be hitting the SocialWest stage with powerful AI insights you won’t want to miss.
Representing our title sponsor, HighLevel, John brings over a decade of experience helping small and medium businesses thrive through SaaS solutions. With a wealth of knowledge and energy, he’s a standout speaker who knows how to empower and inspire.
As HighLevel’s go-to educator, John empowers thousands weekly to Capture, Nurture, and Close using AI-powered tools and insights. He also hosts HighLevel’s popular 5 Day AI Challenge and Spotlight Sessions, equipping marketers with the latest strategies to dominate digital.
His SocialWest session, "Digital Dominance," will be packed with real-world tactics for unlocking AI’s potential in your marketing workflow.
About HighLevel: HighLevel is the ultimate all-in-one platform built for marketers and agencies. It offers powerful automation, customization, and support—all designed to help you crush your marketing goals. Learn more at www.gohighlevel.com.
Join John and the HighLevel team when they bring the heat to SocialWest, June 11 to 13!
Upcoming Webinars, Workshops and Partner Events
A Seat at the Emergency Response Table: Are Your Communications Protocols Crisis-Ready?
Crisis can escalate quickly. From cyberattacks to reputational fallout, learn how to assess your organization’s readiness and respond with clarity. Jessica Harcombe Fleming walks through real-world scenarios and practical tools to help you protect your brand and lead with confidence when it matters most.
When: Wednesday, May 14 @ 10 AM MST/12 PM EST
Where: SocialNext Marketing Alliance
Registration: Free - RSVP
Join mental health advocate Brittany Krystantos as she explores how young people can turn their stories into impact. Learn how to use social media as a tool for connection, empowerment, and meaningful change. Discover how your voice can inspire a movement.
When: Wednesday, May 21 @ 10 AM MST/12 PM EST
Where: SocialNext Marketing Alliance
Registration: Free - RSVP
We’re getting closer to SocialWest in Calgary, happening June 11 to 13. The full schedule drops this week, so stay tuned to see what’s in store. With Canada’s largest gathering of marketers just around the corner, now’s the time to make your plans. Lock in your spot.
Over in Halifax, SocialEast is coming up on September 25 and 26, and there’s big news on the way. A new speaker announcement is just around the corner, and ticket prices go up this Friday—this is your last chance to save $200. Get your ticket!
And on the West Coast, SocialPacific lands in Vancouver on October 30. If you’re in BC, this one-day event is the perfect place to connect with marketers and get inspired heading into fall. Join us in Vancouver!
Canadian Marketing & Business Weekly Brief
Canadian Business leaders say trade diversification should be Ottawa’s top priority: Léger polls -A Léger poll found that Canadian business leaders want Ottawa to prioritize trade diversification and are increasingly uncertain about the U.S. as a reliable partner.
'Business traveller anxiety rises as tales of U.S. border harassment and delays emerge - As business travel to the U.S. picks up, Canadian workers are increasingly concerned about harassment and delays at the border. How companies are working on policies to help employees navigate the situation?
What the U.S.-China tariff pause means for some Canadian business owners - The U.S. and China have agreed to a 90-day tariff pause. Hear how it impacts Vancouver business owner, Teresa Lake.
These Canadian millionaire are asking for tax increases- but just for themselves -The Patriotic Millionaires, a group of wealthy Canadians, are lobbying for higher taxes on the rich to address wealth inequality. What’s their proposition?
The Future of Marketing is Audio - Podcasting is becoming a powerful marketing tool, and Quill founder Fatima Zaidi says its intimacy, data-driven strategies, and storytelling potential make it the future of brand engagement.
Trends & Insights: Take Note
If influencer marketing is part of your strategy, you’ll want to check out the expert forecasts in the 2025 Influencer Marketing Predictions that spotlight what’s next for creators, brands, and platforms.
A new TikTok Analytics Guide from SocialWest sponsor Metricool breaks down key metrics like engagement and reach to help marketers and creators better understand what’s working.
If you manage product listings, this guide to product attributes explains how to boost search visibility and conversions by optimizing how your products are displayed.
Today’s shopper journey is anything but linear. Google offers insights into how shifting habits are changing retail marketing strategies in their recent report on consumer behaviour.
The Industry’s Top Tools & Software
Here’s one new tool on our radar (and it might just become your secret weapon for visibility):
🚨 Want to become famous(er), grab more customers, and 100X your reach?
Stop burning budget on ads and hoping for clicks. Podcast listeners lean in, hang on every word, and buy from guests who deliver real value. But appearing on dozens of incredible podcasts overnight as a guest has been impossible to all but the most famous.
PodPitch.com is the NEW software that books you as a guest (over and over!) on the exact kind of podcasts you want to appear on – automatically.
⚡ Drop your LinkedIn URL into PodPitch.
🤖 Scans 4 Million Podcasts: PodPitch.com's engine crawls every active show to surface your perfect podcast matches in seconds.
🔄 Listens to them For You: PodPitch literally listens to podcasts for you to think about how to best get the host's attention for your targets.
📈 Writes Emails, Sends, And Follows Up Until Booked: PodPitch.com writes hyper-personalized pitches, sends them from your email address, and will keep following up until you're booked.
👉 Want to go on 7+ podcasts every month? Book a demo now and we'll show you what podcasts YOU can guest on ASAP:
Find Your Next Career Move
Account Marketing Manager, YETI (Toronto, ON)
Ready to lead bold product launches and multi-channel campaigns for top retail players? Bring your 5–8 years of brand or retail marketing experience, sharp project management skills, and a flair for in-store impact. Bilingual in English/French? Even better. If you’re a team player who knows how to make marketing magic happen—this one’s for you.
Marketing Manager, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (Jasper, AB)
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is hiring a digital marketer to lead multi-channel campaigns that drive bookings. Bring 3–5 years of experience, creative skills in Adobe, and confidence with analytics. Luxury hospitality experience, GA4 certification, or French fluency are all assets.
Paid Media Specialist, Lululemon (Vancouver, BC) 6 Month Contract
Join lululemon’s team to shape high-impact paid media campaigns across Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat. You’ll bring 3+ years of experience, sharp analytics skills, and confidence managing budgets and performance metrics. Excel expertise is a must, and DV360 or knowledge of US/CA markets will give you an edge.
Brand Marketing Specialist, Roots (Toronto, ON)
Roots is looking for a marketing pro to support go-to-market rollouts, campaign success, and ‘retailtainment’ strategy. If you’ve got 2–5 years in brand marketing or event coordination, plus strong project management and communication skills, this one’s for you. Experience in apparel or CPG? That’s a definite plus.
Director, Content Marketing, Sobeys (Toronto, ON & Montreal, QC)
Are you looking for a chance to lead content at scale? Sobeys is seeking 2 seasoned content marketing leaders to drive strategy, creation, and influencer partnerships. With 10+ years of experience (including 3+ in leadership), you bring deep expertise in SEO, analytics, and CMS tools—plus bilingual fluency in English and French. Strong leadership and collaboration are key.
Catch you at one of our upcoming events!
Until next week,
Mike Morrison and the SocialNext Team
Reply