Newsroom

Canadian Marketing Association goes retail

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:35:23 GMT

The Canadian Marketing Association launches a series of roundtables this spring addressing the hottest marketing issues facing Canadian retailers today.

The “House of Brands vs. Branded House - Retailers and CPG Manufacturers. Is win-win really possible?” will be debated at the first CMA Retail Faceoff on March 22 in Toronto. Panellists will include:

Peg Hunter, Vice-President, Marketing & Communications, Home Depot of Canada and Vice-Chair of the CMA Board of Directors;
John Torella, Senior Partner, J.C. Williams Group;
Stephen Brown, President, FUSE Marketing Group.

“Through this initiative we hope to inspire Canadian retail marketers to share and grow their expertise, support their career development and help them deliver enhanced value to their companies,” noted CMA President and CEO John Gustavson.

The CMA Retail Faceoff series was created by a CMA retail industry task force chaired by Patrick Rodmell, President and CEO of Watt International. Each roundtable will feature leaders from the retail community who are passionate about marketing and committed to professional development.

the-cma.org gets major facelift

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:57:59 GMT

The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) today launched a completely new and improved website – www.the-cma.org -- that features easier access to content, commentary and news on the key issues facing the marketing community.

Other features of the new-look site include:

an improved members-only section and new search options available to any employee of a CMA Member organization;
better access to CMA articles, papers and research;
incorporation of the CMA Marketing Blog, one of the top marketing blogs in the country;
easier registration for CMA events.

"Our new website supports CMA's brand promise to provide marketers with access to the tools and information they need to be successful in today's marketplace," noted CMA President and CEO John Gustavson. "More features will be added throughout the year as we continue to meet this commitment and provide ongoing value to our members."

The CMA web redesign was led by an in-house CMA team with support from XTM Inc. and Tara O'Doherty, a leader in website usability and design.

Arianna Huffington headlines CMA National Convention

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:55:00 GMT

Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, the author of 13 books and a nationally syndicated columnist headlines the 2011 Canadian Marketing Association National Convention being held on May 26-27 at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto.

This year’s CMA National Convention will feature two days of thought-provoking discussions by leading marketers and media personalities. In addition to Huffington, delegates to the event will hear from:

Erica Ehm, Founder and Publisher, Yummy Mummy on building a brand;
Jeffrey Hayzlett, Author, The Mirror Test on how to breathe new life into your business; and
Spike Jones, Senior Vice-President, Customer Experience - Digital/Word of Mouth, Fleishman-Hillard on the dos and don’ts of real-life word-of-mouth brand ambassador programs.

Several workshops will also be held during the event. Topics will range from the crisis plan and turning shoppers into buyers to the triple bottom line for marketers (results, responsibility and relevance) and the C-suite’s guide to creating value.

Best of the Best: M&M's proves irresistible at 2011 CMA Awards

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:53:57 GMT

Mars Canada’s “Find Red” campaign for M&M candy took home the top honour at the 41st annual Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) Awards Gala on Friday night in Toronto. Recipient of the 2011 CMA Best of the Best Award, the campaign was developed by Proximity Canada.

The campaign kicked off in November 2010 in Ontario with a video announcing “Red’s” disappearance. Consumers were challenged to find three hidden red M&Ms in Toronto using Google Street View with the winner driving away in a red Smart car.

Find Red ran for 30 days using a mix of media that included the Mars website, social media and the company’s four square account. According to results, the Canada-only contest drummed up 8.4 million impressions, over seven million QR poster views and 225,000 Twitter impressions. Plus the average time spent on the Mars website when the campaign was in the field was over 19 minutes; more than four times the industry average, noted the winning submission.

This is the second year in a row Proximity has won the top CMA Award.

The CMA Awards Gala is the largest marketing awards event in Canada. A full list of CMA Award winners can be found on the CMA website.

Research In Motion to chair new Mobile Marketing Council

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:27:43 GMT

Research In Motion’s Senior Director of Integrated Marketing Phil Barrett was today named Chair of the Canadian Marketing Association’s new Mobile Marketing Council.

The announcement was made by CMA President and CEO John Gustavson at the CMA Mobile Marketing Conference in Toronto.

"Mobile marketing has a natural home because it an essential part of the marketing mix," noted Gustavson. "We look forward to the work of this new Council as it supports mobile marketing in Canada and develops best practices and a point of view on how marketers can integrate this important channel into their overall marketing plans."

Also launched at today’s conference was CMA’s Mobile Marketing Scorecard, an online tool that allows marketers to assess if a specific mobile marketing channel makes sense for their product, brand or service and where it fits in the broader marketing plan. This initiative adds to the mobile marketing information already available to CMA members, including an in-depth paper on mobile marketing in Canada and a "quick-start" guide to mobile application marketing which examines the types of applications, steps to take to develop an application and ways to measure an app’s effectiveness.

Lululemon’s Christine Day Canada’s Marketer of the Year

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:25:58 GMT

The driving force behind one of Canada’s most recognizable brands and its growth on the global stage – lululemon athletica Chief Executive Officer Christine Day -- has been named Canada’s Marketer of the Year by the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA). The award was presented at the CMA Awards Gala on Friday night in Toronto.

“Christine Day has transformed the Vancouver-based outfitter into one of the most sought after, respected and recognized Canadian brands that now frame the entrances to stores around the world,” said CMA President and Chief Executive Officer John Gustavson. “We are honoured to recognize these achievements and Christine’s track record in building an iconic Canadian brand in international markets.”

Since assuming the role as lululemon athletica's Chief Executive Officer in June 2008, Day has been the driving force behind the company's successful expansion outside Canada. lululemon has more than 165 stores throughout Canada, the United States and Australia and four showrooms in Hong Kong and New Zealand; with plans to hit approximately 300 retail outlets in the U.S. over the coming years.

In 2010, lululemon revenues increased 57 per cent to $711.7 million from $452.9 million in 2009. Gross profit was also up 77 per cent in 2010 from the year previous.

The CMA Awards Gala is the largest marketing awards event in Canada. A full list of CMA Award winners can be found on the CMA website.

CMA spells out new requirements for behavioural advertising

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:24:19 GMT

The Canadian Marketing Association has updated its Code of Ethics with new provisions that apply to behavioural advertising (also known as online interest-based advertising). The new requirements stem from discussions within the CMA Ethics and Privacy Committee and with other Canadian associations. CMA Members must comply as a condition of membership in the Association.

“Consumers are receptive to advertising that is tailored to their interests and needs,” noted Wally Hill, Vice-President of Public Affairs and Communications at CMA. “Provided consumers are able to make an informed choice, marketers can responsibly use this technique to follow an individual’s online activity and deliver marketing offers relevant to their interests.”

Highlights of the new requirements include:

Transparency: Marketers using online interest-based advertising should ensure that they, and the ad networks and website publishers used to display interest-based ads on their behalf, provide clear explanatory information about how browsing information is collected, what the information is used for and provide an easy means to draw consumers’ attention to that information.
Consumer Choice: Marketers must take appropriate steps to ensure that the ad networks and website publishers used to display interest-based ads on their behalf offer consumers a clear and easy-to-see, easy-to-understand and easy-to-execute means to opt-out from having their online activities tracked over time to support the delivery of tailored marketing offers.
Marketing to Children: Marketers should not engage in online interest-based advertising directed at children under age 13, except where express opt-in consent has been obtained separately from parents or guardians.

The CMA Code of Ethics is reviewed and updated on a regular basis and it has evolved over the years to become the best practices document for Canada’s marketing community. The Code is often referred to by governments and regulatory bodies when considering legislation and regulations.

Marketing community calls on government to end postal disruption

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:55:45 GMT

Canada’s marketing community is calling on the Federal Government to quickly end the country’s postal service interruption through legislation and arbitration of outstanding issues.

“Businesses that use the mail stream to issue invoices, receive payments and deliver marketing communications and charities that solicit and receive donations through the mail are being seriously impacted by the disruption in service and are being forced to lay off workers because of lost business,” said John Gustavson, President and CEO of the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA).

While not taking any position on the issues concerning the parties, CMA expects Canada Post to provide an efficient national service at a reasonable cost.

Canada Post still relevant: marketing community calls for quick end to rotating strikes

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:55:24 GMT

Canada’s marketing community is calling for a quick end to CUPW’s rotating postal strikes and the postal service reductions announced by Canada Post.

“While Canada Post’s volumes are dropping, the postal service still delivers 11 billion pieces of mail each year and remains relevant to the Canadian economy. Businesses that use the mail stream to deliver marketing communications, issue bills and receive payments as well as charities that use the mail to solicit and receive donations are being seriously impacted by the disruption in service, and they will be forced to lay off workers if the strike persists,” noted John Gustavson, President and CEO of the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA).

“Both Canada Post and the Union stand to lose as business will find other ways to communicate using a growing range of alternatives. The parties need to focus on the bargaining table and solve this thing quickly,” added Gustavson.

Latest figures* from CMA show that the direct mail industry generates nearly $26 billion in annual sales, which in turn drives employment for 170,000 Canadians.

* Source: Canadian Marketing Association -- Marketing’s Contribution to the Canadian Economy

Business students head out for real-life marketing experience

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:55:03 GMT

The Canadian Marketing Association’s 2011 marketing mentorship program kicks into full gear next week with business students heading out to experience "a day in the life of a marketer".

Thirty-three CMA Members companies, 71 students and eight business schools are participating in this year’s program. Schools include Queen’s University, the University of Toronto (Rotman), Dalhousie, the University of Ottawa, York (Schulich), McMaster (DeGroote), Centennial College and George Brown. Participating CMA Member companies include the LCBO, Fairmont Hotels, Kraft, Manulife, BMO, Post Foods, Rogers, Carlson Marketing and BBDO.

The CMA marketing mentorship program was launched in 2009 to address industry concerns that the talent pool for new hires was drying up and to promote marketing as the preferred choice for business students. It also provides students with an inside look at what a "day in the life" of a marketer is like in real-time and why they should consider a career in marketing. Twenty-five students from Rotman and nine CMA Member companies participated in the initial program.

"CMA Member hosts tell us that the mentorship day is big on value: professional development for their own staff, access to potential hires, two-way learning, internal branding -- and the giving back is a real feel good experience," noted CMA President and CEO John Gustavson.

Noted Nancy Cardinal, Vice-President of Marketing and Consumer Insights at the LCBO: "The calibre of MBAs we’ve hosted over the last two years was exceptional and their enthusiasm contagious. I can honestly say that the students interaction with the entire marketing and customer insights team was rejuvenating."

Carlson Marketing was also pleased to host two business students as part of the 2010 mentoring program. "We were thoroughly impressed by the students, from their astute preparation for the day to their keen interest in learning more about the industry and Carlson Marketing’s service offerings," noted company Vice-President and Group Account Director, Gordon Ross. "Subsequent to mentoring day, we hired one of the students and she has been a valued addition to our client strategies and insight team."

CMA warns of consequences of postal strike

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:53:28 GMT

The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) today issued the following statement in response to contract negotiations under way between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the threat of strike action by CUPW.

The announcement was made by CMA President and CEO John Gustavson at the CMA Mobile Marketing Conference in Toronto.

"Canada Post remains an important media for marketing communications and the employment and taxes the marketing community generates, however, increasingly there are alternatives to Canada Post," cautioned CMA President and CEO John Gustavson. "While a service disruption would be costly to both the marketing industry and the economy as a whole, it would be devastating to Canada Post and its employees."

"Whenever there is a strike at Canada Post, the corporation loses business, including parcel delivery, invoicing and bill payments, that does not return. This will only exacerbate the already significant loss of mail volumes to other media," noted Gustavson. The head of CMA went on to say that if Canada Post becomes economically unviable, the Federal Government will have to introduce significant subsidies to maintain postal service across the country. Given the current deficit position of the Government, this is not an attractive option.

The Association calls on both parties to reach a settlement at the bargaining table and to provide an economically efficient and reliable postal service to all Canadians.

The Association has communicated its views to Canada Post, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Government of Canada.

CMA honours Rob Shields and John Torella as Life Members

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:29:22 GMT

The Canadian Marketing Association today recognized Rob Shields and John Torella for their significant contributions to the marketing community in Canada and their efforts in furthering the CMA Vision and Mission.

Honorary Life Memberships were presented to both individuals at the CMA National Convention in Toronto.

Rob Shields, Senior Vice-President of Marketing and Customer at Canadian Tire has been an active member of the CMA Board of Directors since 2002 and served as CMA Board Chair in 2008/2009. During his term as Board Chair, the Association expanded its Professional Marketing Certificates program and was actively involved on several key public policy files affecting marketing. Shields also led the initial review of the CMA Vision and Mission.
John Torella, Senior Partner and Senior Consultant at the J.C. Williams Group served on the CMA Board of Directors for six years as Chair of the Association’s Branding and Strategic Planning. He also guided work of the CMA Branding Task Force over the past 18 months which culminated in a new Vision and Mission for the Association.

Canadian Marketing Association elects new Board of Directors

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:28:27 GMT

The Canadian Marketing Association is pleased to announce the election of Mitch Joel, President of Montreal-based Twist Image as Chair of the CMA Board of Directors for the 2011/2012 year.

At its Annual Meeting on May 25, 2011 in Toronto, the Association also elected Peg Hunter, Vice-President, Marketing and Communications, The Home Depot of Canada Inc. as Vice-Chair of the CMA Board.

Elected as new members of the CMA Board of Directors were:

Robin Heisey, Chief Creative Officer, Draftfcb;
Jeff Lowe, Vice-President, Marketing & Communications, TELUS;
Chris O'Neill, Managing Director, Google Canada;
Sean Taggart, Vice-President, Marketing, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International Inc.;
Vince Timpano, President and CEO, Groupe Aeroplan Canada; and
Graeme Whickman, Vice-President, Marketing at the Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd.