Why Belief is the New Brand Advantage

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What separates a brand people scroll past from one they stand behind? It’s not awareness, it’s belief.

That’s a question the SocialNext Marketing Alliance has been exploring lately, and the insights have reshaped how marketers think about trust, community, and connection.

Our sessions revealed that rebuilding trust and leading with community aren’t buzzwords, they’re the new brand advantage. Because when connection drives strategy, belief follows.

This week’s we are breaking it down, equipping you with a Mini Brand Playbook for building brands people actually believe in.

Coming Up

• The Mini Brand Playbook: How to Build Brands Peopl …

• Community Spotlight: BCAMA Marketer of the Year Aw …

• SNMA Webinar Calendar

• Canadian Marketing & Business Weekly Brief

• Trends & Insights

• Work That Connects: T1 Is Growing

The Mini Brand Playbook: How to Build Brands People Actually Believe In

Over the past few months, the SocialNext Marketing Alliance (SNMA) has gathered marketers from across Canada to explore what it takes to build a brand that truly earns belief. While SNMA hosts weekly webinars covering everything from AI tools to community strategy, the brand-focused sessions have delivered some of the most powerful insights yet.

Across conversations with Christina Garnett, Kate Brown, Daniel Francavilla, Camille Moore, and Chad Hason, one theme stood out: the future of marketing belongs to brands people trust.

Here’s a glimpse at the SNMA Mini Brand Playbook, defined by leaders shaping modern brand-building in 2025:

• Trust is the new performance metric. “Every touchpoint either compounds trust or drains it,” shared Kate Brown, CMO at Insurely, whose team saw a 425% lift in engagement through radical simplicity.

• Community is the new funnel. Christina Garnett reminded marketers that true loyalty begins with empathy and action, not discounts.

• Brand compounds; campaigns decay. Daniel Francavilla urged marketers to rebalance the mix, because campaigns fade, but brand equity compounds.

• Define your core. Camille Moore’s 4P’s framework keeps brands consistent and clear.

• Brand is a verb. As Chad Hason writes, “How you do one thing with your brand is how you should do everything.”

These aren’t just ideas, they’re proof that clarity beats cleverness, and consistency beats noise.

Read the full article on Marketing News Canada for all ten lessons from SNMA’s top voices and the complete Brand Playbook.

Community Spotlight: BCAMA Marketer of the Year Awards

Our friends at the BCAMA are getting ready to honour some of the brightest minds in marketing at the 2025 Marketer of the Year Awards, happening tomorrow, November 13th, at Vancouver’s Yaletown Roundhouse Community Centre.

This annual celebration spotlights the creativity and collaboration that define our west coast marketing community, and the people shaping its future.

For the first time, the Marketer of the Year winner will be revealed live at the gala. Congratulations to all the 2025 nominees for their bold ideas, meaningful impact, and passion for elevating our industry.

In the Vancouver area? Tickets are still available! Join the celebration and connect with the people powering B.C.’s marketing scene.

SNMA Webinar Calendar

Wednesday, November 12 | 10 AM MST/12 PM EST
Micro-Communities over Mass Reach: The New Era of Social Media Strategy
Viral fades. Community lasts. Natasha Chilcott of Marr Media Group shares how to turn micro-communities into powerful engines for lasting growth.

Wednesday, November 19 | 10 AM MST/12 PM EST
STOP SCROLLING: Turn Viewers into Followers, and Followers into Customers
Great content doesn’t just stop the scroll, it sparks connection. Eva Kirie, award-winning creator and Top Rising TikTok talent, shares how to turn engagement into real results using her “Three E’s” of effortless content creation.

Wednesday, November 26 | 10 AM MST/12 PM EST
Momentum Shift: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Feeling stuck or stalled? In this energizing session, leadership expert Chris Wilson shares how to build lasting momentum through clarity, consistency, and purpose-driven action.

Thursday, November 20 | 10 AM MST/12 PM EST
Accounting Office Hours with Jordan Laker
A casual Q&A for business owners and agency leaders ready to make smarter financial decisions, minus the jargon.

Canadian Marketing & Business Weekly Brief

Amazon Ads Brings AI Video Generator to Canada — Amazon Ads just launched its AI Video Generator in Canada, giving marketers an easy way to turn product images into polished, multi-scene video ads in minutes, no extra cost or studio required.

The Marketing News Canada Podcast is Back — The first batch of Marketing News Canada podcast episodes under SocialNext ownership are now live! Featuring conversations from SocialNext: Toronto (April 2025), these “from the vault” episodes hosted by Maddie Alvarez revisit timeless marketing insights that still ring true today.

Stay tuned for new episodes recorded live at SocialNext’s 2025 events across Canada, coming soon!

PayPal Brings “Buy Now, Pay Later” to Canada — PayPal’s Buy Now, Pay Later has officially landed in Canada, giving shoppers more flexibility and retailers a new way to boost conversions. A big fintech move shaking up checkout experiences just in time for the holidays.

Canadian Chamber Celebrates National Business Leaders — The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is spotlighting leaders driving growth, innovation, and inclusion across the country, a reminder that strong business leadership fuels strong communities.

Trends & Insights

ICA’s “Alchemy of Effectiveness” Report Drops — First teased at SocialNext: Toronto and SocialWest by creator Paul Tedesco, the ICA’s new Alchemy of Effectiveness report breaks down what really drives marketing success: creativity, long-term thinking, and smart investment.

ExploreNB Campaign Wins Big at CMA Awards — Tourism New Brunswick’s “Get a Sense of NB” just won big at the CMA Awards, proving sensory storytelling and authentic regional branding never go out of style.

Holiday Shoppers Seek Deals and Local Pride — Canadian consumers are mixing deep discounts with buy-local pride this holiday season. See how patriotism and price are shaping shopping behaviour in 2025.

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Use code GET5K now

Work That Connects: T1 Is Growing

Looking to join an award-winning sponsorship agency doing work that truly connects?
T1 is hiring across strategy, account, and project management roles in Toronto!

If you care about culture, community, and campaigns that move people, not just impressions, this is your opportunity to be part of something that makes an impact.

Open positions:

• Strategist — Turn curiosity into clarity, using insight, culture, and creativity to shape strategies that move people and make brands matter.

• Account Director — Lead bold partnerships and campaigns that connect, guiding clients, teams, and ideas from strategy to standout execution with purpose, precision, and heart.

• Project Manager, Strategy & Creative — The operational heartbeat of the team, keeping timelines tight, ideas flowing, and every project moving from concept to flawless delivery.

Apply on the SocialNext Job Board.

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.

Marketing News Canada