Spotlight

Calgary Marketing Association

Spotlight – the Calgary Marketing Association's podcast – shines a light on the creative pulse of Calgary’s marketing scene. Each episode dives into candid conversations with industry leaders, uncovering the bold ideas, trailblazing campaigns, and insider strategies shaping the future of marketing. From dissecting brilliant case studies to revealing the stories behind the success, Spotlight blends celebration and education, delivering actionable insights and fresh inspiration.

  1. 23 июн.

    Creativity Week Recap

    We just came out of Creativity Week, and we sat in on three different webinars covering AI in branding, B2B marketing psychology, and why most creative briefs are broken. In this episode, Derek and Marc break down the 9 biggest takeaways — 3 from each session — and argue about a few of them along the way.If you're in marketing, brand strategy, or B2B, this one's packed with frameworks and stories you can actually use.WHAT WE COVER:Session 1: Stef Hamerlinck — The Future of Branding is Generative- Why the "sea of sameness" is turning into a "swamp of sameness" as AI floods every channel- The actual definition of AI "slop" (it's not just content you don't like)- Why the AI backlash online is louder than it is representative — and why people often can't tell AI from human-made content anywaySession 2: Why B2B Is Never Just Business- The real reason B2B buyers make "rational" decisions (hint: it's fear, not specs)- Why the feature war is a trap, and what to build instead (the Blackline Safety example is worth the listen alone)- Why playing it safe with creative is actually the riskier moveSession 3: "I'll Know It When I See It"- Why most creative briefs fail before the work even starts- How to replace "I don't like it" feedback with an actual evaluation framework- Why AI is great for getting unstuck but can't generate a genuinely original ideaWhether you were at Creativity Week or missed it entirely, this episode gives you the highlights and the conversation behind them.

    40 мин.
  2. 2 июн.

    How to Sell Creative to Finance Teams with Steph from Daughter

    Finance doesn't speak creative so creatives have to speak finance. In this episode of Spotlight, we sit down with Steph to unpack one of the most frustrating challenges in marketing: getting CFOs and finance teams to actually buy into brand and creative work.Steph shares hard-won lessons from years of navigating complex stakeholder environments — including a memorable board meeting that went sideways fast. We dig into why leading with "I love these colors" is a career-limiting move, and what to say instead.In this episode:- Why creatives need to learn the language of CFOs (enterprise value, margin resiliency, risk mitigation)- How to frame brand as both an investment AND an insurance policy- The difference between subjective preference and strategic rationale — and why one gets you tuned out- When and how to bring your agency into finance conversations without stepping on toes- Why board meetings are performances, not presentations (and what happens when you forget that)- The single most important argument to have ready before pitching a big, ambitious campaign- How brand drives EBITDA multipliers — and why that's easier to move than marginWhether you're a creative director, CMO, or agency partner trying to get bold ideas approved, this conversation will change how you walk into your next finance meeting.Spotlight is a podcast exploring the intersection of creativity, strategy, and business.

    33 мин.
  3. 12 мая

    AI Isn't the Advantage. Better Decisions Are.

    AI Isn't the Advantage. Better Decisions Are. (Recorded live from Platform Calgary) Everyone has AI. So why are some organizations pulling ahead while others are just... busy? In this episode, we sit down with five leaders for a candid panel discussion on what actually separates AI winners from AI adopters. Karl Yeh (Chief AI Officer, 0260.ai), Christa Hill (CEO, Tacit Edge), John Hetherington (Founder & CEO, We Deliver Your Vision), Jim Gunderson (VP Operations, Mint Smartwash), Zoe Smith (Market Researcher, Stone-Olafson) The conversation goes beyond prompts, tools, and productivity hacks. Because here's the uncomfortable truth: most people are using AI to do faster what they were already doing. Writing copy. Summarizing reports. Generating content. Useful? Sure. Transformative? Not even close. The real unlock is judgment — using AI to think better, question assumptions, reduce bias, and make smarter calls. The organizations building that capability right now are the ones that will be impossible to catch later. We explore why AI is rapidly becoming a decision-support system, how leaders are building AI-augmented thinking without creating AI dependency, and where marketers and executives keep getting stuck — and how to break through. If you're feeling pressure to "use AI" but aren't sure how it actually drives better outcomes, this one's for you. What you'll take away:How to reframe AI's role in your organization, how to ask better questions and pressure-test your thinking with AI, and where it creates real strategic advantage — not just speed.

    1 ч. 6 мин.

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Spotlight – the Calgary Marketing Association's podcast – shines a light on the creative pulse of Calgary’s marketing scene. Each episode dives into candid conversations with industry leaders, uncovering the bold ideas, trailblazing campaigns, and insider strategies shaping the future of marketing. From dissecting brilliant case studies to revealing the stories behind the success, Spotlight blends celebration and education, delivering actionable insights and fresh inspiration.