The end of the year is a time for taking stock, and that’s particularly true in the publishing industry—which has never met a year-end review it didn’t like.
That goes for us, too. Last week, we published our fourth annual Mighty List. Assembling the list of our favourite creative ideas has become one of the highlights of the year, offering a welcome chance to stop and look back in an industry that is constantly hurtling forward.
That goes for us, too. Last week, we published our fourth annual Mighty List. Assembling the list of our favourite creative ideas has become one of the highlights of the year, offering a welcome chance to stop and look back in an industry that is constantly hurtling forward.
As always, we were struck by the sheer depth and breadth of ideas we encountered among the approximately 950 pieces we wrote this year—from quirky ad campaigns, to bigger ideas with the potential to bring about broader societal change.
There was also a lot of consternation about what didn’t make the list. While we settled on 10, as we always do, the list could have two or three times that. It was yet another indication of the truly exceptional work being produced by Canadian agencies and marketers.
As my longtime colleague David Brown wrote here just last week, it’s gratifying to be covering an industry with so much creativity at its core.
The Mighty List has typically represented the culmination of our publishing schedule, and that's largely the case this year. While we will continue to publish throughout this week, we are slowly winding down our activities and looking forward to taking some time off to relax with family and friends.
But the end of 2023 also marks the end of an era for The Message, as we prepare to become Campaign Canada early next year. Editorial planning and website development for the new venture is now well underway, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on. With lots of extra work to be done for the relaunch, you may notice a slight drop in output from The Message in January, but we can assure you that's only temporary.
We quietly launched The Message just before the holidays in 2018, with high aspirations but low expectations. To say it’s been an eventful five years would be a huge understatement. Speaking personally, it has been nothing short of a career-defining venture.
This time of year is one for giving thanks, and that’s doubly so in our case. So, a sincere thank you to everyone who’s lifted us up and supported us along the way—from our financial backers, to all the people who purchased a subscription or simply clicked on one of our articles. We hope we’ve justified your faith in us.
We can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next, but we already know it won’t be dull or uninspired. All the best to you and yours this holiday season. See you in 2024.
