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Why attention (and outcomes) are moving off feeds and onto the street

December 17, 2025

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Hey friend,

Heading into 2026, a few marketing shifts are getting loud. Channels are blending, attention is tougher to earn, and outcomes matter more than ever. This week’s edition looks at one of the biggest changes happening in plain sight: how Out-of-Home is evolving into a measurable, outcome-driven channel.

Whether you’re planning campaigns, fundraising, or your 2026 learning roadmap, there’s something here to help you think a step ahead.

Coming Up

OOH Is Entering Its Outcome Era and 2026 Will Separate the Static From the Smart

If you’ve planned Out-of-Home recently, you’ve probably noticed it doesn’t behave like it used to. The channel is getting faster, more flexible, and far more connected to digital than even a year ago.

Vistar Media is calling 2026 a major inflection point for creativity across channels, and in Canada, that shift is showing up on the street. In a conversation with Scott Mitchell, Managing Director at Vistar Media Canada, one idea came through clearly: OOH is no longer just the final stop for awareness. With DOOH growth, programmatic access, and stronger measurement, it’s becoming a real-world layer that can be targeted, optimized, and evaluated alongside your digital mix.

A few signals already showing up in Canada:

  • Context is replacing broad targeting: creative can adapt to location, timing, weather, retail proximity, and live moments.

  • Motion-first creative is now expected: the best DOOH is designed to land in seconds, not be “noticed eventually.”

  • AI is scaling creative faster: enabling more regional, language, and situational versions without inflating budgets.

  • OOH is getting more flexible: campaigns can evolve in-flight, not sit unchanged for weeks.

Why this matters: Why this matters: people are tuning out, and digital efficiency is tightening. Canada’s streets are becoming one of the highest-attention environments left, with more accountability than OOH has ever had.

The full article breaks down the five creative shifts shaping Canadian OOH in 2026, plus what marketers should actually do differently when planning next year.

Community Spotlight: Gabriel Helfant on Building Before the Big Moment

This week’s Community Spotlight goes to Gabriel “Gabe” Helfant, Senior Account Manager at Data Sciences, someone many of you will appreciate for bringing a campaign mindset (shaped by time in federal politics with the Liberal Party of Canada and the Prime Minister’s Office) into practical, revenue-driving work for nonprofits and brands. Think audience-building early, testing messaging often, and activating supporters when timing matters most.

You can see that approach in the results: this year, Data Sciences’ nonprofit partners delivered 80% year-over-year Giving Tuesday revenue growth (with some triple-digit lifts) powered by always-on, full-funnel work. The takeaway is simple: momentum beats a last-minute push. Year-round visibility and warmed audiences win when the fundraising noise peaks.

And if you’re joining us at SocialNext: Ottawa, you can hear directly from Gabe in his session “What Elections Can Teach Us About Raising More Online,” focused on how audience building, supporter identification, and activation translate into stronger fundraising.

SocialWest 2025 - Photo by Neil Zeller

SocialNext Quick Hits

SNMA Webinar Calendar

Wednesday, December 17 | 10 AM MST/12 PM EST
AI in Marketing: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Wrapping the year with an AI reality check. Adil Dhanani will cut through the hype with real examples of where AI helps, where it hurts, and how to use it in a way that keeps your marketing sharp, and still unmistakably yours.

Friday, December 19 | 2 PM MST/4 PM EST
Holiday Happy Hour: Share Your Marketing Origin Story
Pour something festive and join the SNMA community in the Circle live room for a Holiday Happy Hour. We’ll share marketing origin stories, the accidental beginnings, wild pivots, and “wait, SAME” moments. Jump in to share or just come to listen. Ugly sweaters encouraged, zero pressure guaranteed.

SocialPacific 2025 - Photo by Neil Zeller

SocialNext 2026 Conference Calendar

Your 2026 SocialNext roadmap is here: dates, ticket deadlines, and the latest updates so you can lock in the events that matter.

SocialNext: Nonprofit & Public Sector (Ottawa) | Jan 28–29: Two days focused on nonprofit + public sector marketing, comms, and fundraising. Schedule is live + save $200 if you buy by Friday.

SocialNext: Toronto | Apr 9: A one-day SocialNext stop for marketers and brand builders across the GTA. Save $250 by Friday.

SocialWest (Calgary) | May 27–29: Our flagship event and 10-year anniversary edition, multi-day programming, big ideas, and the full SocialWest experience. Save $300 by Friday.

SocialNext: Montreal | Jun 11: A one-day Montréal edition bringing SocialNext programming to Quebec. On sale soon! Get updates.

SocialPacific (Vancouver) | Sep 23–24: Two days on the West Coast for social, brand, and growth leaders. On sale soon! Get updates.

SocialEast (Halifax) | Oct 29–30: Two days in Atlantic Canada with strong community + networking energy. On sale soon! Get updates.

Weekly News Brief

Gander Social Invites Canadians to Co-Own the Platform — Gander is opening the door to community ownership as part of its growth strategy. With the raise now live, it raises a bigger question about how platforms build trust in Canada. Here’s how to get involved.

Canada Risks Falling Behind on AI Adoption — The Canadian Chamber is warning that businesses are slowing AI adoption amid trade uncertainty. The marketing implication: the gap won’t just be tools, it’ll be speed, execution, and measurable advantage.

“Buy Canadian” Procurement Rules Shift — New federal procurement changes are coming into effect, reshaping how government buying preferences work. For Canadian agencies, SaaS, and suppliers: this could quietly influence vendor shortlists and B2G go-to-market strategy.

Jelly Academy Launches a Skills Hub — A new upskilling offer aimed at making marketing education more convenient and modular. Worth watching as talent pressure continues and “learning as retention” becomes a bigger employer brand lever.

Canada Soccer Drops a New Marketing Toolkit for Clubs — A practical resource for grassroots clubs to grow participation and community visibility. A reminder that the best “marketing toolkits” are reducing friction for the people doing the work, not adding more slides.

Sustainable Innovation Is Getting Measured Like Growth — Schneider Electric Canada’s president makes the ROI case: sustainability is shifting from values talk to performance math. For marketers, the opportunity is clearer proof, tighter claims, and “impact storytelling” that can stand up to scrutiny.

Employee Ownership Trusts Are Becoming a Succession Strategy — A primer on EOTs and what Canadian business owners should know as transitions accelerate. There’s a brand story angle here too: employee ownership can become a trust asset, if it’s communicated credibly.

NP Digital Canada’s Take on What’s Next in Digital Marketing — A forward-looking set of predictions on where digital is heading. Useful as a temperature check, even if you treat it as “industry POV” and not a neutral forecast.

Canadians and Americans on a Social Media Ban for Everyone Under 16 — Australia is moving to ban social media for under-16s, framing it as a child-safety measure against cyberbullying, harmful content, and online predators. The BBC asked people in Toronto and Washington, DC whether Canada and the U.S. should follow. See where their opinions land.

Pulse Check: Would you support a similar under-16 social media ban in Canada?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Find customers on Roku this holiday season

Now through the end of the year is prime streaming time on Roku, with viewers spending 3.5 hours each day streaming content and shopping online. Roku Ads Manager simplifies campaign setup, lets you segment audiences, and provides real-time reporting. And, you can test creative variants and run shoppable ads to drive purchases directly on-screen.

Bonus: we’re gifting you $5K in ad credits when you spend your first $5K on Roku Ads Manager. Just sign up and use code GET5K. Terms apply.

Coast-to-Coast Job Opportunities

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.

Thanks for reading and being a part of the MNC community!

We’re so happy you’re here.

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