July 2024 President's Note

Happy July,

I hope your summer is off to a terrific start!  In honour of the season, I’d love to raise a toast with you at our CMA Summer Social on July 17. It’s a terrific way to reconnect with friends, meet new peers and celebrate our profession in person.  

We have lots to celebrate, with Canada’s record-setting performance in Cannes. It was inspiring to see our country recognized through a grand total of 66 Lions, including two Grand Prix winners. Congratulations to our many members who brought home Lions and made us all proud!

Recognizing that Canadian creative and strategic talent is among the most sought after in the world, we are proud to launch the CMA Global Creative Award as part of our 2024 CMA Awards. This new award celebrates the best campaigns from around the world that were built right here in Canada, and the brilliant trailblazing minds behind them. It’s free for members to submit entries for the CMA Global Creative Award.

CMA Awards entries are arriving every day. Keep in mind that there are only a few weeks left to submit. The final deadline for your creative submissions is July 19. Members also benefit from lower entry fees.

As the pre-eminent marketing association in Canada, the CMA brings together voices from across the broad marketing ecosystem to discuss important trends and topics. It’s an amazing community and inspiring way to futureproof our profession.

We’re now recruiting for CMA Council members for the new term, which starts in September. Our Councils are one of the terrific ways the CMA enables you to benefit from our thriving and inclusive community, and to share thought leadership. We’re committed to having a Council community that’s as diverse and engaging as the profession we represent and I encourage you to apply.

We announced our 2024-25 Co-Chairs at our CMA Council celebration in June, and they have big plans for the term ahead.

Continuing to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive marketing profession continues to be a top priority for the CMA. To that end, I have two great updates to share with you:

1. The CMA released our fourth annual DEI Survey to strong media support. DEI in the Canadian Marketing Sector: Polarization, Ageism and Mounting Frustration revealed that polarization significantly impacts marketers' work experiences, leading to reduced socializing and increased anxiety about interactions, especially among women and in workplaces lacking diversified senior leadership. It also found that ageism continues to significantly impact the marketing profession.
   
   All marketers see the benefit of working with people from a different country/culture, yet 62% of people who came to Canada within the past 10 years believe employers prefer Canadian experience and education.
   
   The CMA, and our DEI Committee, are committed to continuing our efforts to address these challenges.
   
2. I’m proud to say that 81% of the learners in our Digital Marketing Skills Canada program (DMSC) identify as BIPOC or women, and we’ve already placed more than 50% of our graduates in jobs.
   The DMSC program is enabling marketers in transition and those from underrepresented groups to gain the skills they need to excel in today’s highly competitive environment. Demand for the program is high: We’re currently 70% above target! 
   It’s also creating an outstanding and highly diverse talent pipeline for employers.
   If you – or someone you know – would benefit from a full scholarship to the DMSC program (through federal government funding), please apply. I also encourage anyone looking for top talent to make use of our searchable talent database that covers a broad range of marketing levels and experience. Employers can also benefit from a grant when they hire a DMSC graduate.

Advocating on behalf of the marketing profession is a top priority for the CMA.  We are continuing our strategic approach toward privacy, competition and consumer protection frameworks that enable organizations to innovate while protecting consumers. Our latest submission is to the Competition Bureau on the impact of AI on competition policy.

Check out our recent update on Canada’s privacy law reform. This month we are releasing three Member-only guides on the application of Quebec Law 25 to marketing activities, a new Contest Guide and CASL Checklists.

As busy as we all are, making time to disconnect from work and reconnect with friends, family and ourselves is key to our personal and professional success. Vacations increase our productivity and creativity and lower stress.

In keeping with that theme, I’ll be cheering on our Canadian Olympians from a cottage in Quebec at the end of this month. It’s going to be a big year for Team Canada. You can learn more by tuning into our next CMA Connect podcast with Jacquie Ryan, CEO, Canadian Olympic Foundation and Chief Brand & Commercial Officer, Canadian Olympic Committee. The podcast will be released on July 23.

Connecting with our members and community is my favourite part of leading the CMA. So, don’t hesitate to reach out any time you would like to chat. 

Warm regards,  
Alison Simpson 
President & CEO