Inside SocialEast 2025: Highlights, Trends, and What’s Coming Next

Over 500 marketers gathered in Halifax, now we’re sharing what stood out, what’s next, and how Canada’s marketing community is evolving.

October 01, 2025

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Last week, more than 500 marketers from across Canada gathered in Halifax for SocialEast. The energy in Halifax proved again why SocialEast is more than a conference, it’s where Canada’s marketers connect, share ideas, and spark new collaborations. And Marketing News Canada was on-site, capturing the stories, strategies, and standout moments you won’t want to miss.

Coming Up

Arlene Dickinson — Photography by: Mat Higgins-Savidant

Special Edition: SocialEast 2025 Recap

Speakers Who Stood Out

From Arlene Dickinson’s powerful keynote to practical takeaways from HeyOrca, Brody Hanson, and Charlie Grinnell, SocialEast delivered a mix of inspiration and action. Attendees were especially drawn to conversations around authenticity, community-building, and Charlie’s “outsights”, a reminder to pay attention to what people do, not just what they say.

Social Media Strategy

With platforms multiplying and attention spans shrinking, social strategy is always evolving. Adam Constantine, Co-Founder of ACE Creatives made the case for focusing on one to three platforms that matter most, while ChangeMakers’ Marty Stevens emphasized the need to stay adaptable.

Adam Constantine, ACE Creatives — Photo by: Mat Higgins-Savidant

Building Community Online

What makes a brand community thrive in 2025? HeyOrca’s Joe Teo and Lysle Hood, Brooke Hahn from Flockler, Differo Founder Will Yang, and Geoffrey Blanc of Cyberimpact shared that it comes down to authenticity, co-creation, and consistency. The message: don’t just post at your audience, build with them.

What inspires the speakers who inspired us? From Marcus Sheridan’s They Ask, You Answer to Arlene Dickinson’s Reinvention, here’s the reading list that fueled SocialEast 2025.

Geoffrey Blanc, Cyberimpact — Photography by: Mat Higgins-Savidant

Canadian marketers know that CASL compliance isn’t optional, but it can also be a competitive advantage. Quebec-based Cyberimpact is helping businesses market securely, effectively, and with trust at the center.

That’s a Wrap

SocialEast 2025 reminded us why events like this matter: authentic conversations, practical insights, and a strong sense of community. Thanks to everyone who joined us in Halifax, and we’ll see you at the next SocialNext event.

Stay tuned for more stories, podcast episodes and highlights from SocialNext’s coast-to-coast conferences.

Photography by: Mat Higgins-Savidant

Community Spotlight: The SocialEast Attendee POV

SocialEast 2025 didn’t just happen in the conference rooms, it carried on across LinkedIn and Instagram. Here’s a look at what the community shared.

Anthony Naimo

Spending two days in beautiful Halifax among peers and fellow marketers from across Canada at SocialEast was insightful and reaffirming as we head towards 2026. It was great to learn, connect, uncover new strategic approaches and embrace the importance of marketing with heart. A great few days of professional development.

Mariner Innovations

That’s a wrap on SocialEast 2025! 🎉 It was energizing to be part of Atlantic Canada’s largest digital marketing conference, surrounded by 500+ marketers, innovators, and storytellers shaping what’s next in our industry. A special shoutout to keynote speaker Arlene Dickinson, who offered sharp, timely insight into today’s business and marketing landscape. From data-driven insights to authentic content and brand building, every session reinforced one key message: marketing is about connecting people, not just platforms. The conversations were practical, inspiring, and full of ideas we can bring back to our work right away. A big thank you to the organizers, speakers, and fellow attendees for making this such a valuable experience. We’re leaving with new ideas, fresh perspectives, and stronger connections — and we can’t wait to put them into action. Until next year, SocialEast! 👏 

Ryan Hughes, Humanity — Photography by: Mat Higgins-Savidant

SNMA Webinar Calendar

Join the SocialNext Marketing Alliance for free webinars to up your game, plus an interview with a new author that is making big waves.

Wednesday, October 1 | 10 AM MST/12 PM EST
The $8.9 Trillion Blind Spot: Why Marketing Starts Inside
Most campaigns fail before they launch, and no one talks about why. Cerys Thompson pulls back the curtain on the internal gaps killing your results, and shares the checklist top-performing teams won’t launch without.

Thursday, October 2 | 11 AM MST/1 PM EST
SNMA Interviews: Christina Garnett on the New Rules of Brand Loyalty
Forget funnels. Christina Garnett is rewriting how loyalty actually works and what brands must do to earn it. In this no-fluff interview, she sits down with Mike Morrison to share the emotional drivers behind today’s most resilient brands. Miss this, and you're marketing last year’s playbook.

Wednesday, October 8 | 10 AM MST/12PM EST
The Brand-First Approach & Thought Leadership for Growth
You don’t need another trend, you need a brand people trust. This session dives into how modern marketers are leading with brand to drive growth, visibility, and long-term authority. Thought leadership starts here.

Photography by: Mat Higgins-Savidant

SocialNext Events Roundup

SocialNext’s final event of the year, SocialPacific is just weeks away, and it’s your last chance to connect and learn with the community before 2026. Whether you’re refining your Q4 plans or already thinking ahead to next year, SocialPacific will send you into 2026 with fresh ideas and serious momentum.

Big news for 2026 coming soon! Keep an eye on your inbox for announcement SocialNext announcements from coast-to-coast!

Canadian Marketing & Business Weekly Brief

Growclass Launches AI Marketing & Strategy Certification — Growclass’s new 6-week AI Marketing & Strategy Certification helps marketers cut through AI hype and build a 30/60/90 roadmap. Join the SocialNext Marketing Alliance for a special 30% discount!

YouTube Canada Debuts Creator Tools — New features like the Creator Partnerships Hub and BrandConnect API aim to strengthen brand–creator collaborations and boost Canada’s $1.8B creator economy.

Cedar Leaf Capital Marks Milestone Year — On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Canada’s first majority Indigenous-owned investment dealer celebrated a year of landmark bond issuances and Indigenous talent training.

Gander App: Beta Coming Soon — Canadian social startup Gander previewed its first release ahead of October beta tests, designed to be informative, communal, protective, and authentic.

Canada Launches AI Strategy Task Force — Ottawa has announced a new AI Strategy Task Force and a month-long national sprint to gather ideas on research, adoption, commercialization, and trust. Recommendations will be released this fall.

Mike Morrison on Growth and Community — SocialNext’s president reflects on building SocialEast into a 500+ attendee event, the power of authenticity, and why sometimes the best advice is: “say yes and figure it out later.”

How to Start a Reconciliation Plan — From Starbucks and the We Wai Kai Nation to corporate boardrooms, Tanya Tourangeau shows how reconciliation strategies can move from statements to lasting partnerships.

Canadian TV Viewing Trends — Canadians still watch an average of 12.6 hours of TV per week, with the Stanley Cup Finals reaching 18.3M viewers and reality shows dominating summer screens.

Turning Feedback Into Action — Christina Garnett’s Pocket CCO series highlights how listening beyond surveys (through social listening, interviews, and QBRs) drives real business change.

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Coast-to-Coast Job Postings

Have a great story or big news to share?
We’re always looking for fresh campaigns, smart strategies, and standout wins from Canada’s marketing community. Send us your news at [email protected] and you could be featured in an upcoming edition.

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