- Marketing News Canada
- Posts
- Toronto Talked. We Listened. What Did Marketers Love at SocialNext?
Toronto Talked. We Listened. What Did Marketers Love at SocialNext?
Real Insights. Real Voices. Real Takeaways. Straight from the Community.
krista sylvester
April 30, 2025
Hey friend,
On Monday, the Liberal Party was victorious in what was a closer battle than many expected. Regardless of who people voted for, one resounding message we heard at SocialNext: Toronto was that people are ready to ditch the slogans, roll up their sleeves, and get back to doing what they do best — and for us marketers that's thinking about the next cutting edge campaign to best represent our brands. We are hopeful that Canada can unite as a country and can't wait to see all of the incredible marketing campaigns designed to support local Canadian brands and products. If what we saw from Toronto is any indication, we are ready to level up the standard of Canada’s marketing industry.
Coming Up
There’s no better way to capture the energy of SocialNext: Toronto than by hearing from the brilliant attendees themselves. We rounded up the top insights shared by our community—you’re going to want to bookmark these.
The Community’s Top 10 Takeaways
1. AI Is Not the Future—It’s the Now
Marketers must adopt AI tools and strategies today to stay competitive. It's changing search, advertising, and how we engage online.
2. Values-Driven Marketing Builds Trust
Brands that live and breathe their values build stronger connections. Empty promises don’t cut it anymore.
3. Reddit: The Untapped Marketing Goldmine
Jump into conversations where they happen naturally. Platforms like Reddit and Quora offer incredible brand opportunities.
4. Email Marketing: Deliver Value, Not Volume
Forget spammy blasts. Email needs to be human, personal, and often GIF-enhanced.
5. Authenticity Rules B2B Influence
Influencers matter more when they’re real. Authenticity drives trust, especially in B2B marketing.
6. A Newsletter Is a Community
Email newsletters aren’t just outbound marketing — they’re core community spaces.
7. New Metrics for a New Era
Measure emotional resonance, emerging community influence, and digital PR—not just impressions.
8. Emotional Storytelling Cuts Through the Noise
Embrace the mess, the journey, and the human side of brand stories.
9. AI Search = SEO Reinvented
Longer queries, smarter content. Brands need rich, answer-focused content to stay visible.
10. You Don’t Have to Be Everywhere
Niche down. Go deep. Focus your marketing energy where it actually matters.
Marketing isn’t just about tech trends—it’s about the humans behind the brand.
From authenticity to AI adoption, SocialNext reminded us to stay sharp, stay connected, and stay human.
To everyone who shared insights, energy, and good vibes—thank you for making SocialNext: Toronto unforgettable.
Shoutout to volunteers, speakers, organizers, and our marketing community at large!
Community Spotlight
The Marketing News Canada Podcast is re-entering the chat
SocialNext and Marketing News Canada have teamed up to relaunch the MNC podcast with fresh new energy.
This marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the podcast: new voices, deeper insights, and stories that spotlight Canada’s marketing scene.
To kick things off, we brought Maddie Alvarez, Senior Content Strategist at Evans Hunt, to Toronto to record a special mini-series. Think bite-sized conversations that summarize what you heard (or missed 😉) at SocialNext.
Before you tune in, get to know Maddie, our first host behind the mic.
Maddie is not your average strategist. She’s a multidisciplinary marketer leading award-winning digital initiatives grounded in 10+ years of experience in digital marketing, crisis communications, and research. Since 2022, Maddie has shared insights on content marketing and ethical tech at SocialNext events in Calgary, Halifax, Vancouver, and Ottawa.
She spoke with SocialNext heavyweights like Joe, Driscoll, Marc, Charlie, Geoffrey, Vince, Jake, Nithya, and Lana.
When can you listen? Soon! And our community members get first dibs—join the community to catch the first episode.
Upcoming Webinars, Workshops and Partner Events
Join us in the SocialNext Marketing Alliance for free webinar and workshops every week. Plus, build your network and make connections with marketers across Canada.
AI-Powered Advertising: Merging Human Creativity with AI Efficiency
AI is transforming advertising—but not replacing creativity. Jason Hunt reveals how his agency uses AI to streamline campaigns, boost creative impact, and drive real results. Packed with real-world insights, this session is a must for marketers ready to work smarter.
When: Wednesday, April 30 @ 10 AM MST
Where: SocialNext Marketing Alliance
Registration: Free - RSVP
Now that SocialNext Toronto is in the rearview mirror, we turn our attention to Calgary’s SocialWest, which is just around the corner. Join Canada’s largest gathering of marketers June 11 - 13th at the Calgary TELUS Convention Center. Lock in your spot.
The first speaker announcements for SocialEast are on the way! Keep an eye on our socials to see who will be taking the stage on September 25 and 26 at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel. Get your ticket!
If you’re on the West Coast, you won’t want to miss SocialPacific at the North Vancouver’s The Pipeshop on October 30. Join us in Vancouver!
Canadian Marketing & Business Weekly Brief
Toronto pet food brand is encouraging romance through mutual pet obsession - Designed to use a love for pets and storytelling to reach a wider demographic of pet parent, Toronto’s Open Farm’s latest campaign is all about connection. So, what is the goal of the new campaign?
It’s “Never Just Coffee”: Starbucks looks to ‘reintroduce’ itself to Canadians - This new campaign from Leo is highlighting the simple yet powerful role that Starbucks plays in the everyday lives of Canadians. How is the company planning use emotion and empathy in this latest campaign?
The “Buy Canadian” movement is delivering promising results across the retail sector - Major retailers, such as Loblaws, have reported a 10% increase in sales of Canadian-made products. What other companies are seeing marked differences?
Canadian visitation to Bermuda has led to new marketing opportunities for Canada - The Bermuda Tourism Authority has selected Toronto and Vancouver-based Fever Pitch Marketing Communications as its new Canadian agency of record to lead its lead Public Relations for Canada. Is this approach expected to lead to more tourism in Bermuda?
Trends & Insights: Take Note
This is what businesses need to know about how AI is transforming digital marketing, with AI-enabled marketing solutions projected to grow to $107.5 billion by 2028.
For marketers and creators, the era of passive adaptation has ended, and now the question is no longer whether influencer marketing works, but how to unlock its next evolution.
Platform algorithm changes, new ad formats, and shifting audience behaviours: Explore these 50 diverse marketing campaigns to stay ahead of the curve.
The Industry’s Top Tools & Software
If your team lives in Google Workspace and dreads clunky CRM systems, Copper might be exactly what you need. It’s a lightweight, intuitive CRM that integrates seamlessly with Gmail and Google Calendar, designed to eliminate friction and simplify sales and marketing workflows.
What Marketers Love
No steep learning curve — Copper feels like a natural extension of Gmail, making onboarding fast and frustration-free.
Automatic data capture — Contacts, emails, and activity are automatically tracked, removing the burden of manual entry.
Transparent collaboration — Your entire team gets a shared view of lead and customer interactions from start to finish.
Lead tracking that makes sense — Easily manage marketing-qualified leads and pass them to sales with complete context and visibility.
Copper is especially valuable for marketers who want to stay focused on strategy and storytelling—not spreadsheets and CRM busywork.
Explore Copper and make your work life easier!
Find Your Next Career Move
Looking for top marketing talent? Upload your open roles to the SocialNext Job Board and get them in front of the right candidates! And if you’re in the market for a new role, explore all openings on our job board.
Disclaimer: not all jobs shared in the Marketing News Canada Newsletter are features from the SocialNext job board. To best promote cross-country openings, we may have pulled from other sources.
Market Specialist - NEST New York - (Montreal, Quebec)
This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about the fragrance world, excels individually and in a team setting, is extremely detail-oriented and organized, and has a history of exceeding sales goals. 2+ years of sales experience in retail is a must.
Marketing Campaign Manager - Webware ai (Toronto - Remote/Hybrid)
This role is for a high-performance marketing campaign manager to take charge of lead generation, social media, content creation, branding, and website growth. The ideal candidate should have 5+ years of experience in digital marketing, demand gen, or growth roles.
Marketing/Proposal Specialist - Stantec (Winnipeg, MB)
Do you love to strategize? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment, and on managing multiple initiatives at once? Stantec is looking for a detail-oriented individual, with a background in marketing and/or communications.
Senior Programmatic Account Executive - Media Staffing Inc. (Remote)
This boutique recruitment firm specializing in Canadian media and marketing talent is seeking a remote Senior Sales Executive with 5+ years of experience and a strong contact list to join their team.
Catch you at one of our upcoming events!
Until next week,
Mike Morrison and the SocialNext Team
Reply