Recorded live at SocialEast 2025 at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel, this episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast features guest host Odum Idika, Host of Unconventional Mindset and Founder of Piixel Studio, in conversation with Corey Evans, Director of Brand and Advertising at ATCO and former marketing leader at WestJet.

Corey shares a behind-the-scenes look at one of Canada’s most iconic marketing moments, the WestJet Christmas Miracle, and what it took to execute a high-risk experiential campaign that generated over 35 million organic views. From stepping in as Santa to navigating real-time uncertainty during a live activation, he explains why putting the audience experience first, and the brand second, was key to its success.

The conversation explores what experiential marketing really means today, why authentic human moments outperform polished ads, and how marketers of any size can create meaningful connections by deeply understanding their audience. Corey also reflects on the rise of creator-led marketing, real-time brand participation, and the importance of adaptability in an increasingly noisy content landscape.

This episode was recorded live on-site at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel during SocialEast 2025, part of the SocialNext conference series, Canada’s leading platform for marketing conferences, media, and community.

Recorded live at Calgary's SocialWest 2025, this episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast features guest host Laila Hobbs, Co-Founder of Social Launch Labs, in conversation with Hiba Amin, Co-Founder of Creative Little Planet.

Hiba shares a candid look at navigating imposter syndrome throughout her marketing career, from being the sole marketer during a startup downturn to finding confidence through community, conversation, and lived experience. She also discusses the evolution of content creation, why authenticity resonates more than polished perfection, and how marketers can build meaningful connections with their audiences.

The conversation dives into the responsible use of AI in content marketing, including where it can support creative work, where it falls short, and why strong foundational ideas must come before scale. Packed with thoughtful insights and real-world perspective, this episode is a must-listen for marketers navigating growth, creativity, and confidence in a rapidly changing industry.

Recorded live at SocialWest 2025 in Calgary, this episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast features guest host Laila Hobbs in conversation with Julie Ogilvie, Executive Director of the Kentville Business Community and Founder of Julie Ogilvie Consulting.

Julie shares how small businesses and solo founders can build customer journeys that convert, without burning out or spending all their time on marketing. The conversation breaks down what a customer journey really is, why it extends far beyond the point of purchase, and how brands can turn customers into long-term advocates through thoughtful post-purchase experiences.

From balancing passion with profitability to focusing on the most overlooked stages of the customer journey, this episode offers practical, grounded advice for marketers, founders, and business owners looking to build sustainable growth.

Recorded live at the 2025 SocialWest Conference in Calgary, guest host Meredith McKeough sits down with Josephine Mary David, Communications and Partnerships Lead at Pedesting, for this episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast.

Josephine shares how inclusive marketing helps brands move from being ignored to truly embraced by their audiences. Drawing from her background in business, social development, and accessibility-focused technology, she breaks down practical ways brands can make their marketing more accessible, culturally sensitive, and community-driven.

The conversation covers purposeful messaging, accessible content design, amplified representation, resonant storytelling, and how small, thoughtful changes can help more people feel seen, included, and connected to your brand.

Recorded live at Caglary's SocialWest in June of 2025, this episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast features a conversation with Dave Thomas, Director of Strategy at Everbrave, hosted by Laila Hobbs, Co-Founder of Social Launch Labs.

Dave breaks down his Strategy of Everything framework, a practical approach to improving strategic thinking for marketers, founders, and business leaders. The conversation explores how to set clear goals, align day-to-day work to long-term outcomes, understand constraints, assess risks and opportunities, and identify unfair advantages that drive better decisions.

From navigating complexity and avoiding distraction to building common language across teams, this episode offers a grounded, actionable way to think more clearly, communicate better, and execute strategy with confidence.

Recorded live in Calgary for SocialWest 2025, this episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast features guest host Meredith McKeough in conversation with Lisa Genovese, President of BottomLine, a marketing agency known for research-backed strategy and results. 

Lisa breaks down why so many brands skip the fundamentals and how that leads to shaky strategy, wasted spend, and misaligned messaging. The conversation explores how to use customer insight, competitive research, and data the right way, before jumping into tactics or creative, and why going back to basics often delivers the biggest impact. 

From practical ways to gather meaningful customer insight to common mistakes brands make across the buyer journey, this episode is packed with grounded advice for marketers, leaders, and teams looking to make smarter, more confident decisions. 

Recorded live at SocialWest 2025, this episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast, hosted by special guest host Laila Hobbs, Co-Founder of Social Launch Labs, features a conversation with Umair Tazeem, Founder of Embold, a Canadian-based influencer marketing platform. 

Umair shares what it really takes to run influencer marketing that performs, from building an in-house strategy and choosing quality creators to setting KPIs you can actually measure. He also breaks down the shift beyond one-off posts into a smarter mix of UGC, ambassador programs, and amplification that supports your promo calendar year-round.

Plus, hear Umair’s take on how AI is changing the game, what it can automate today, where humans still need to stay in the loop, and what to make of AI influencers. If you want influencer marketing that feels authentic and drives real results, this one’s for you.

Recorded live at SocialWest 2025 in Calgary, this special episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast features a conversation with Joshua Counsil, Co-Founder of Good Robot Brewing and guest host Meredith McKeough.

Joshua shares candid lessons from building a multi-dimensional hospitality and beverage business spanning beer, non-alcoholic drinks, events, and co-packing for major retailers like Costco. The conversation explores why guest experience is one of the most powerful marketing tools available, how storytelling influences customers, employees, and even lenders, and why scrappy, generous marketing often outperforms big-budget campaigns.

From navigating PR crises to designing small moments that create outsized word-of-mouth, this episode is packed with practical insights for marketers, founders, and brand leaders looking to build trust, loyalty, and long-term growth.

Recorded live at SocialWest 2025 at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, this episode features a conversation with Neil Patel, New York Times bestselling author and co-founder of NP Digital, hosted by Meredith McKeough. 

Neil unpacks how search has shifted in 2025 from traditional Google-first SEO to what he calls “search everywhere optimization,” where brands need to show up across platforms and AI tools alike. He shares practical advice on staying visible today, why content needs to be more conversational, and what marketers should prioritize as the landscape keeps changing. 

They also touch on how NP Digital expanded by listening closely to customer needs, what Neil is betting on next in an AI-first world, and wrap with a quick set of rapid-fire questions, including his favourite thing about Canada and what’s still on his travel bucket list. 

Recorded live at SocialWest 2025, this episode features Andrew Turnbull, Managing Director of UX and Product at Evans Hunt, in conversation with guest host Meredith McKeough. Together, they explore the growing problem of “hostile user design” and how large platforms are enshittification experiences in the name of growth.

Andrew shares insights from over 15 years in UX, using the Sonos redesign as a cautionary tale of business decisions eroding user trust. The conversation moves from platform-level design trends to what smaller businesses can learn, and avoid. They dig into the systems thinking required to scale responsibly, how to balance growth with respect for your users, and why customer feedback is still your most powerful strategic asset.

This episode captures the mood shift in 2025 toward more ethical, user-first digital strategies, and how marketers and designers alike can push back on enshittification by prioritizing clarity, consent, and long-term value.