CMA Council community perspectives

During each Council term, a Thought Leaders Connected session is held for participating Council members. At this session, thought leaders gather for 90 minutes to discuss topics of importance impacting the marketing profession.

At our recent Thought Leaders Connected session, attendees discussed the value of marketing, the evolution of marketing, and the future of the marketing profession. 

Below are some key takeaways:

There’s no business without marketing

Marketing can manufacture revenue. It creates demand and moves businesses forward from a profit perspective.

Companies are trying to get back to profitable growth – the foundation of business strategy.
It’s important for teams to consider how they’re speaking about results and how marketing is performing.

Tip for marketers: speak the language of business to effectively communicate and educate.

There’s a need to analyze and evaluate your marketing mix

To get results, it’s important to implement an integrated marketing mix. Finding unique opportunities to get audience crossover will lead to success.
 
As we continue forward, diversification and making strategic decisions will become even more crucial.

To cut through the noise, organizations should invest more in content development and storytelling, with evolution of brand.

Tip for marketers: give thought to how returning to traditional marketing methods could be valuable. Challenge yourself to find ways to differentiate.

There’s value in carefully examining operations

When it comes to budgeting and decision-making, organizations need to think about how they’re operating. Having a close look and determining how to spend more wisely and use marketing dollars more strategically will lead to better outcomes. 

Tips for marketers: take a step back, thoughtfully look at marketing investments, and see where there’s room to refocus. Make an intentional effort to focus on the parts of the business you want to drive going forward.

There’s an opportunity to reframe risk and be more innovative

Marketers can be more intentional about positioning themselves as risk mitigators, and encouraging more risk-taking in Canada.

Across the industry, there’s ample room for innovation, including with media and communicating with target audiences.

Consumers are cautious of brands that rely on symbolic gestures without meaningful substance behind them. It’s all about connecting with Canadian consumers. It’s important remember that missteps can erode trust.

Economic conditions are expected to shape brand strategies and consumer impact.

The path forward demands balancing global participation with meaningful local presence and consumer relevance.

Tips for marketers: carve out time and set aside resources to test and learn. Consider what your core is as a marketer and a brand. Be authentic. Prioritize true values grounded in real impact. Ask yourself what sentiment fits when putting out communications.

There’s a true benefit to having human influence

Organizations and brands should lean into community for authentic connection.

There’s a real desire for more in-person events to build more meaningful connections, participation and deeper engagement.

Live events are how people are connecting with their consumers.

Tips for marketers: make sure you’re looking at things from a customer lens, and delivering on customer engagement.

Looking forward

Here are some tips and best practices as we look to 2026 and beyond:

• Organizations and teams must think through how to invest resources in order to create more value.
• Focusing on business results and proving business impact is key.
• Look internally to see how to save on costs and make sure you’re operating as efficiently as possible.
• Continue to focus on local significance, economic realities, and customer needs. 
• Embrace innovation amid evolving market conditions. 
• To strengthen Canadian innovation and resilience, implement locally grounded strategies and focus on continuous modernization.