Hartley Pickens

The NEW NO|BS Report this week focuses on Thunder Bay, Ontario, foodservice and hospitality opportunities, plus a practical look at marketing. We’re rolling out these smaller-city reports in our daily NO|BS Newsletter, covering the other 95% of the industry, real operators in real towns, not only the big six. Ashton Media (Network) A NEW way of building your brand with untraditional media activations. All our reports are on Amazon... Just search NO|BS Reports. Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/gbD4Rcpr Canada's Restaurant Guy Jay "Canada's Restaurant Guy" Ashton 🇨🇦🍁 Domenic Pedulla

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A strong fundraising program doesn’t just focus on driving conversions – it continuously introduces itself to new audiences. 🌱 Sheira A. Mahadeo, VP of Digital Ads, shares why brand awareness and investment in top-funnel lead generation are critical to fueling your donor pipeline for years to come. From CTV to social channels and beyond, smart top-of-funnel acquisition strategies strengthen your entire donor funnel. Explore the full range of insights for driving sustainable growth for your program: https://hubs.ly/Q047MCtS0

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Hughes&Co & Delta4 Digital Inc. merge to form a single, expanded agency under the Delta4 Digital brand, creating one of the largest creative and digital teams in the Niagara region. https://lnkd.in/gK2EbBUh

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Cineplex selling digital media arm for $70M. Cineplex will sell Cineplex Digital Media to U.S.-based Creative Realities Inc. while retaining ad sales rights across Canada. Mario Toneguzzi Cineplex Ellis Jacob #RetailInsider #Business #Cineplex #EllisJacob #MarioToneguzzi #News #retail

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Most brands don’t need a full rebrand. They need clearer messaging. Brandspot can help with that. ✨ #Marketing #MarketingAgency #MarketingTips #OttawaMarketing #OttawaBusiness

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We are thrilled to announce our latest partnership with VENDO Media, a leading Canadian OOH company providing national scale! 🇨🇦 🚀 The partnership delivers access to over 550 digital outdoor billboards across more than 125 Canadian markets, with 33 screens currently enabled for programmatic DOOH. “This partnership with VENDO Media strengthens our North American inventory, connecting media buyers with high-quality screens that reach audiences widely across Canada,” said Gavin Wilson, Global Chief Commercial Officer at VIOOH. “VENDO Media holds exclusive or dominant digital media supply in 75% of its covered markets, creating powerful opportunities for brands to achieve impactful nationwide coverage, while tapping into the real-time flexibility and value delivered by programmatic DOOH advertising.” Read the full announcement ➡️ https://hubs.li/Q04fBqVl0 #VIOOH #VENDOMedia #Canada #DOOH #Programmatic #Adtech #Partnership #PR #NewPartnership

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Inside the Agency | Episode 1: TITAN ONE 🎥 Introducing Inside the Agency — an original series by TRMA that takes you behind the scenes of marketing agencies across Toronto, revealing the questions, the work, and the careers taking shape behind closed doors. Episode 1, featuring Titan One Inc., looks inside an agency that blends strategy, design, and performance-driven marketing to build impactful brands. #TitanOne #InsideTheAgency #TRMA

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Newsprint isn’t facing a short-term “cycle” anymore — it’s becoming a smaller, structural niche. Today on NetNewsLedger, we’re reporting that Thunder Bay Pulp & Paper plans to wind down newsprint production in Q1 2026, while continuing softwood kraft pulp operations and renewable power generation — and keeping the paper machine in a condition that could support a future conversion. What stands out in the broader context: Up to 150 workers are expected to be directly affected, with transition supports being discussed with unions and governments. Over the past decade, North American newsprint demand has steadily contracted as audiences and ad dollars moved to digital. Industry data points to a market increasingly reliant on exports and specialty end-uses rather than daily print newspapers. Across the sector, conversions (to packaging/other grades) have become one of the most common strategies to keep legacy assets viable. For Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario, the key question now is what the next phase looks like: How much regional activity was tied specifically to newsprint — and what can be sustained or grown through kraft pulp, energy, and potential reinvestment? Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gsAgJS7F #ThunderBay #PulpAndPaper #Forestry #NorthwesternOntario #Manufacturing #EconomicDevelopment #LocalNews

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Canadian brands need to be advertising on Canadian podcasts in 2026! More on this in today's edition of the Pod the North newsletter! #canadianbrand #canadianmedia #canadianpodcast #canadiancreator #madeincanada

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Canada Periodical Fund (CPF): Magazine Aid to Publishers. Provides eligible Canadian publishers of print magazines, print community newspapers, and digital periodicals with up to $1.5 M in grant funding. Deadline: Mar. 16, 2026. https://lnkd.in/eRfMuH9V

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What happens when a locker wall becomes an interactive experience powered by magnetic release technology? That’s exactly what we set out to create when we collaborated with one of our partner agencies on an experiential activation for Rogers Communications at Erin Mills Town Centre. Guests scanned a QR code with their phone, played a quick match game directly on their device, and entered their email address to receive a unique access code. That code gave them the chance to unlock one of the lockers powered by our Magnetic Access Release System — a digitally controlled magnetic unlocking technology that releases access once a guest enters a valid code. While the locker wall featured nine lockers, only two were connected to the system. One contained the grand prize and the other held additional rewards, creating a moment of anticipation every time a code was entered. Experiential works best when it creates a moment people remember. Sometimes all it takes is the right technology to unlock it. #ExperientialMarketing #BrandActivations #RetailExperiences #InteractiveMarketing #EventMarketing

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🎙️ January 13 marks Public Radio Broadcasting Day Public radio continues to play a vital role in Canada’s media landscape, built on credibility, depth, and public trust. For PR professionals, engaging with public radio reinforces the importance of accuracy, context, and ethical media relations. The principles that guide public broadcasting are the same ones that strengthen public relations practice in Canada. #PublicRadioBroadcastingDay #CPRSToronto #CanadianPR #MediaRelations #PublicRelations #CommunicationsEthics #GlobalPR

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This week on Brand Matters with Nick Dixon and Jennifer Hsiung and the entire team at CP24 News we unpack three stories. Air Canada flying into the K Economy with an upgraded Signature Class. Eastman Kodak Company expanding their film manufacturing capacities as film joins vinyl albums in things you thought were essentially gone, but have made a comeback. Toronto Tempo and all they are doing to set the tempo in terms of talent, branding and more. A big thanks to Meredith Omstead and Michael Chu for making it all possible.

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Great breakdown of how gamification can actually support the player journey instead of living in a social silo. Smart, practical take.

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