November 2023 President’s Note
Happy November.
Winter is in the air as November kicks off, with our members in at least five provinces having already “enjoyed” their first snowfall. Admittedly, I’m still in denial and wearing shorts with mittens for my morning runs.
Winter in the air also signals that our 2023 CMA Award Gala is fast approaching. I’m excited to celebrate our country’s incredible creativity this Friday. I hope you can join us as we announce our 2023 Marketer of the Year, along with winners of our Lifetime Achievement Award, Best of the Best, and our inaugural AIM Award, which recognizes emerging talent. We’re very close to selling out so get your tickets now!
The Awards Gala holds an extra-special place in my heart since my appointment as President and CEO was announced there in 2022. It's been an amazing year and I want to thank each of you for making it so memorable.
Last week was an important milestone for the CMA and for privacy law reform. The CMA was invited to speak at the parliamentary committee hearings on the government’s proposed privacy law. We were the first (and so far, only) marketing organization invited to participate, which speaks to the important role the CMA has as the voice of marketing in Canada. We have also filed a written submission. Thanks to all our members who worked with staff to develop a strong brief on this pivotal topic.
Many of you joined us for our Building Trust as Technology Transforms event with Canada’s Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne in October. If you missed it, here’s our blog about the event.
It was rewarding to hear Commissioner Dufresne state: “(The CMA is) such an important group. It’s been reinforced and demonstrated so many times that you are champions of privacy and ambassadors of privacy, and really in the front lines... You are in it, and we need you and your colleagues to succeed. In all cases, I find that the exchanges that we have are so helpful and valuable.”
To help spark conversations about creating more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces, we just released our CMA DEI Discussion Guide, which was covered in this article by Strategy. It includes conversation starters to help marketers and agencies create a more inclusive and equitable work environment.
I’d like to end by asking for three minutes of your time. I promise it will be that quick! We’re accomplishing a lot together at the CMA, but there’s always room for improvement. And so, we’re doing a quick check-in survey to gauge our progress. Your voice is very important in ensuring the CMA continues to evolve and meet your needs. Many thanks for participating.
As always, I welcome the opportunity to meet one-to-one, so, don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to chat.
I look forward to seeing you at the Awards Gala on Friday and raising a toast together to our profession!
Warm regards,
Alison Simpson
President & CEO
