Celebrating excellence

Have you ever done the exercise where you have to choose an epitaph for your tombstone? Mine would be “Onwards”. Life is full of surprises, blind alleys, mirages. But your best way forward is, inevitably, to keep moving forward. 

At the CMA, we have adopted this positive approach in these uncertain times. And the results speak for themselves: our councils and committees are running strong, our courses are full, membership is strong and growing, attendance at our events is high, our social media following is growing at an impressive rate, and so on.

That doesn’t mean we are oblivious to what is happening around us. We care deeply and have great concern for all corners of the marketing community in Canada. But the best way forward for the CMA is not to lunge for the quick fix. The best way forward is to be the best that we can be, and to stay true to our mission and values.

And that includes celebrating excellence, even in difficult times. Which is why I am excited to share with you our plans for this year’s CMA Virtual Awards Gala, which takes place one month from today, on Thursday, November 19, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. ET.

This year’s gala, with returning host Rick Campanelli, will be unlike any event you have attended since the pandemic began. You will be able to connect and engage with more than a thousand people from across Canada. You will travel through our immersive venue with acrobats, magicians, viewing parties, entertainment, photo booths, and more.

And of course, you can help celebrate the winners in nine categories and six disciplines, in addition to our five special categories. Scroll down our Gala page to see the shortlist of 2020 finalists.

You and all of your colleagues are invited to attend this unique event, which is free for members, to recognize the best in Canadian marketing. Be on the scene when we announce the Marketer of the Year, Best of the Best, Top Cause and Lifetime Achievement Award. There is no limit on attendance – the more, the merrier. However, each person must register in advance using their company email address to obtain a free ticket and to ensure they can enter the venue seamlessly.

Heartfelt thanks to our sponsors for enabling us to celebrate professional excellence in style, and to our record number of judges.

I’m looking forward to sharing this special event with Canada’s marketing community!

Stay safe,

John Wiltshire
President and CEO