OPINION

American ads once gave Canadian brands a free boost. Now they risk giving them a black eye, writes Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree.

How the most visible pop star in the world embraces the tactics of an introvert.

Machines can't make advertising great-people can, Darren Woolley writes.

Safe but forgettable advertising is everywhere; it's up to agencies to deliver work with teeth, writes Paulo Salomão.

Candidness is supposed to be a workplace superpower. Yet somehow, says Publicis's Vini Dalvi, we save our most useful feedback for machines.

In his latest Free to Disagree column, Éric Blais questions whether the PMO had a genuine brand transformation strategy for an unpopular leader.

Pitching can be exhausting, stressful work. It can also be the most rewarding part of your career, says Publicis CMO Jessica Balter

The industry loves to bet on who's down. But no one-WPP, Publicis, or Accenture-has cracked the future yet, argues a former holding-company insider turned consultant.

A transparent approach to hiring can help make lasting effects on closing the gender pay gap.

In a recent column for Campaign, Stephan Argent spelled out how AI will change agencies more than most people realize. In this follow up, he explains how the impact on clients could be just as profound.

Astronomer's Paltrow video is clever, but it's not a masterclass (yet), writes Éric Blais

AI is reshaping brand innovation. If your creative agency isn't in the game with you, you're benching your best shooter.

A call to action for the ad industry to honour honest work versus fabricated fantasies.

Brands should take advantage of the moment to turn the 'buy Canadian' trend into long-term growth and best-in-category standing, says Barry Quinn

Éric Blais explains how car manufacturer JLR appears to be scapegoating its agency in response to a rebrand gone wrong.

Let's remember what was lost when marketing was promoted to the C-suite, says Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column.

Some have suggested Mark Carney could be a little emotional, but Éric Blais says he should stay true to his brand-the steady hand on the wheel that Canadians are looking for right now 

Agency leaders may struggle to keep clients moving forward as the industry enters uncharted waters, with rough seas ahead.

As marketers show a willingness to try out once unimaginable product extensions, Éric Blais cautions against brand dilution.

Too many agencies still treat account management as a support function rather than a leadership role. That's the mistake.

AI will transform agencies from creative generators to cautious overseers. And they'll be paid accordingly (i.e. far less), says Éric Blais in his latest "Free to Disagree" column.

Since we can't sever people (yet), we need to create workplaces and cultures where people actually want to be.

As the debate over harmful online influences resurfaces, the question isn't just how we guide young men, but whether we even understand the language they're speaking.

"Print is being rediscovered as a premium channel… precisely because everyone's eyes are glazed over from too many digital ads," says Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column

The nostalgia and patriotism evoked by the Hudson's Bay Company are potent, but they alone can no longer ensure retail success.

Last week's Power Lists got Éric Blais thinking about those who have stayed in the game even after traditional forms of power have left them.

Purpose-driven companies like Starbucks can't overlook the importance of strong employer branding, says Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column.

Consumers are seeking made-in-Canada products. But U.S. companies flaunting their Canadian credentials will make enforcing those claims a big task, writes ÉRIC BLAIS. 

"Stop grovelling at Zuckerberg's feet and start demanding what is deserved. We are the business model for the internet," writes Gallop in an opinion piece for Campaign Asia-Pacific.

Publicis' Regina Azevedo shares three steps to transform your team from data gophers into proactive partners 

In his latest Free to Disagree column, By Éric Blais wonders how brands will navigate America's economic war on Canada?

The tech company's recent changes could result in a surge in unmoderated and unfortunate content, underscoring the need for advertisers to again be mindful about where they spend their dollars, writes Sarah Thompson. 

For his year-end "Free to Disagree" column, Éric Blais explains why advertising creators need to stay calm about artificial intelligence and step up their game.

Biggest beneficiary might turn out to be not the two companies involved but wider agency sector.

The IPG and Omnicom news got Canadian advertising legend Tony Chapman thinking about the future. Here's what he sees.  

The major overlap between the two groups is in creative, not in media. But Campaign's Investor View columnist says the big question is whether another bidder for IPG could now emerge.

In this first of a two-part column about public attitudes toward the ad industry, Éric Blais says it's understandable people question our honesty and ethics.

In his latest Free to Disagree column, Éric Blais ponders the communications strategies employed by groups on different sides of the U.K.'s landmark assisted dying vote.

U.S. presidential victor showed the importance of brand strength and tying your message to the needs of the audience.

Iain Jacob predicted five years ago that buying tech and data, rather than renting it, would help agency "dinosaurs" modernize. Now, he says, merging media and creative will be a key differentiator in the AI era.

"It's still a human-generated creative idea brought to life using the powerful tech at our disposal," writes Éric Blais in his latest "Free to Disagree" column.

After reading the heartfelt column from a creative who felt defeated by their first year in advertising, DDB Group Hong Kong's Andreas Krasser was inspired to provide some empathetic guidance for how to move forward.

Advertising for online gambling must be approached with the same restraint as other addictive products. That's only fair-and necessary-for our society's well-being, says Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column.

If the experts crunching data to predict elections are getting it wrong, why should we trust the experts crunching data to predict consumer behaviours, asks Éric Blais  

Make no mistake-2024's US election was a calculated exercise in marketing from beginning to end, revealing a striking alignment with the very principles that drive our industry.

A creative, a client and a planner walked into a bar… and then they lost their nerve and forgot that it pays to be funny.

The shift from a "craft" approach to a "factory" approach in political advertising is now complete, with ad-makers throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks, says Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column

Purpose-led work has proliferated over the past two decades, but Angus Tucker wonders whether marketers have discovered something even more exciting to talk about: the product.

The "creative guru" approach might lead to initial success for an agency, but it can be tough to sustain as others vie for the spotlight, says Eric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column.

Brett Marchand will be interim group chief executive.

Pitching for new business can be crushing, says Angus Tucker. "But if you want to feel something deep and lasting for a place and its people, there ain't nothing like a pitch."

Coca-Cola and Sonos both showed how things can go wrong for big brands when they want to act like startups, says Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column.

Canadian media industry veteran Sarah Thompson spoke with Arielle Garcia from Check My Ads about where the industry should go from here.

To mark World News Day, CMDC president Shannon Lewis reaffirms the promises of the Canadian Media Manifesto and calls for others to take action soon

There's real value in knowing why a campaign that generated excitement, awards, and glowing trade articles, didn't meet business objectives," says Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column.

MAGA man Robby Starbuck's campaign against DEI can easily cross borders, says Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column.

"We shouldn't be so quick to dismiss AI tools as a gateway to creativity and self-expression," says Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column.

Brands that consistently latch on to the ever-redundant churn of marketing trends appear inconsistent to consumers, Compass' Danielle Paz argues.

As dozens of new retailers with first-party data offer new advertising options, measurement will make or break effectiveness of media spend.

By literally breaking with Olympics orthodoxy, the Australian stood out in a sea of sameness, says Angus Tucker

The government has appropriately recognized that Canadian advertisers have a stake in the strength of Canadian media and a responsibility, shared with all Canadians, to help ensure a strong and healthy Canadian media ecosystem for years to come.

Hannah Kimuyu is managing director for Brave Bison in London has some suggestions for how to fix a flawed process.

In light of Google's recent cookies announcement, Check My Ads' Arielle Garcia warns that the tech giant's latest privacy decision threatens the advertising ecosystem, urging marketers and publishers to reclaim their power.

Stephen Brown can't help but wonder why, on the eve of the Olympics, the razor brand is running a Canadian commercial featuring a U.S. swimmer.

With local TV increasingly in the crosshairs, its owners need to embrace evolution, innovation, collaboration, and ideation to survive and thrive.

Ahead of Cannes Lions, Campaign asked the CEOs of the big six agency groups how they make the business case for investing in creativity in the age of AI. Omnicom's John Wren continues the series.

Fear of cancellation: Its impact on passionate expression across politics and brands.

Adam Patel, head of account management at Adam & Eve/DDB, on how to drive change in agencies and why queer-focused work should not be confined to June.

Expecting different leadership styles from men and women limits leaders across the board.

Heineken wants you to turn off your phone but needs you to keep watching, says Éric Blais in his latest Free to Disagree column.

Parenting Gen Zers has given me a deeper understanding of how to reach diverse audiences.

Starbucks built a powerhouse as the third place. It needs to return to it, says Éric Blais

New Canadians enhance creativity by bringing a fresh perspective and a willingness to question how we solve client challenges, says Rami Dudin

If an idea needs a case study, press release or Linkedin post to explain it, maybe it shouldn't be winning awards, Angus Tucker writes.

MediaMonk's Michael Dobell says marketers could learn a thing or two from Swifties' understanding of the machinations of the internet.

Marketers are looking to expand their mandates, but in his latest Free to Disagree column, Éric Blais says they can't forget job one: building differentiated brands and crafting resonant marketing.

The best reason to work in advertising should be that it's fun, says Angus Tucker. Without it, advertising is just telemarketing.

Advertising has always been a safe space for misfits, but BHLA's Shannon McCarroll wonders if she'll become too much of a misfit

A well-crafted slogan can become a long-lasting part of a company's identity. But in politics, slogans have often been dismissed as lacking staying power. Éric Blais suspects that might be changing.

Design thinkers tend to use the same customer journey maps, look at the same consumer needs and come up with the same solutions that ignore distinctive brand attributes.

Creatives have applauded a recent buzzy ad depicting Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo being subjected to the whims of meddling clients, but the truth is far more nuanced, says Eric Blais.

Ian Whittaker provides an analysis of the bipartisan politics behind the TikTok ban before the presidential election and the potential impact on its competitors and relevant stakeholders.

In his latest Free to Disagree column, Éric Blais explains why Campaign's "Made in Canada" playbook should include lessons from Québec.

With the Taxi brand is being retired in Toronto (though it lives on in Montreal and New York), Angus Tucker shares his thoughts on an agency that was both an inspiration and competitor for more than a quarter of a century.

The most inclusive Olympics ever will immerse itself in luxury, which seems fitting.

New privacy regulations are changing digital advertising game forever-Google shares three ways brands can play, and win, under the new rules.

By resorting to the fabrication of events, advertisers contribute to a wider societal issue, fuelling the fires of cynicism and skepticism, says Éric Blais.

Tyler Turnbull, CEO of FCB Global, says the Canadian ad industry should look to the question: are we making populist work that is envied by other markets and other marketers around the world?

Our creative industry is the Serengeti lion to the global fat cats, so it's time to lose the inherent humility and celebrate being leaner, nimbler, smarter and more resourceful.

Keep the world-beating creativity, but lose the modesty - StrawberryFrog founder and CEO Scott Goodson advises fellow Canadians on how a dose of "swagger" can help crack the global advertising market.

Canada-born creative hotshot David Kolbusz doesn't hold back on the state of Canadian advertising