Sponsor Talk

As part of our #SponsorshipConnect series, we sat down with Michael Rossi (President, adidas Canada) to discuss philanthropy's role for the company, how adidas is bringing purpose to life during the pandemic and a special announcement around the apparel company's plans to activate around the 40th anniversary of Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope. 

As part of our #SponsorshipConnect event series, our team had a chance to sit down and chat with Zach Leonsis of Monumental Sports & Entertainment to discuss his company's approach to OTT, e-sports and the world of sports gambling. 

As part of our #SponsorshipConnect event series, we sat down with Jacquie Ryan (Chief Brand and Commercial Officer at the Canadian Olympic Committee). 

For those who don't know, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is the largest public film festival in the world. Known universally as the unofficial kickoff to the ‘prestige film season’, TIFF has a rich history of predicting Oscar success and has premiered award winning favorites such as JoJo Rabbit, Parasite and Marriage Story. Time Magazine even called the 11-day event ‘the most influential film festival. Period.” 

Despite the exclusive red carpets and high-profile celebrities, it's really the festival's inclusiveness and focus on diversion that stand out in an era where the industry has grappled with #MeToo and #TimesUp. As the Vice President of Partnerships for TIFF, Jennifer Frees joins us on the podcast to share what's changed in the nine (9) years she's been with the partnerships team and why the team continues to prioritize gender initiatives for females behind-the-camera, in front of the camera and in the organization. 

After negotiating sponsorship deals with the National Basketball Association, Toronto FC and Chicago Blackhawks, Justine shared with us the importance of building "Heart Power" into any sponsorship and social marketing strategy. As the former Head of Social & Sponsorships for BMO North America, Justine's whole world had stopped when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis nearly 20 years ago, just three months after getting married. Showing great resilience, Justine shared how she overcame the diagnosis in 2001 to push her career in the banking industry forward and why she feels its important for others to share their stories when battling challenges within their personal life. 

Spending years in the C-suite leading North American marketing teams, Justine now is the author of the upcoming book "Confessions of A Corporate Hippie" and co-principal, with Star Jones, of Instant Impact Group, an organization focused on helping individuals and companies build their Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) mindset.