Digital Day Camp, produced by David U.K. and Rob Beeler, will be a day of sharing ideas to move digital advertising forward in Canada. We will discuss key topics not only at a strategic level but also at a practical level. You will leave the event with ideas on transforming the industry and your company's future.
The agenda is focused on a collaboration between publishers, agencies, brands and ad tech partners to share ideas to move digital advertising forward in Canada and transform the industry and our future.
8:00 - 9:00
28th Floor Cafe & Bar
Registration & Breakfast
Welcome! Start your day with us by joining for registration and a light breakfast. Network, grab a coffee, and get ready for the inspiring day ahead.
9:00 - 9:10
Main Presentation Area
Land Acknowledgement and Opening Remarks
Opening Remarks
9:10 - 9:40
Main Presentation Area
The conversation around retail media has expanded from the science of conversion to the art of connection, transforming the full shopper journey into a dynamic storytelling canvas that builds durable brand equity. Join leaders from Danone and Loblaw Advance™ for a discussion on the strategic partnerships, technology, and measurement frameworks enabling this shift.
Retail Media As The New Brand Canvas
Sponsored by...
Ryan Webber
Vice President Sales & Client Success
Loblaw Advance
Gillian Fitzsimons
Director, Media & Integrated Communications Canada
Danone
9:40 - 10:10
Main Presentation Area
Everyone in programmatic knows better quality inventory exists. The problem: the cost premium still outpaces the trust premium, and the math keeps sending dollars back to the walled gardens. Andrew Butts (Cossette) and Marybeth McGaugh (Index Exchange) get into the real conversation, what agencies need to justify the shift, what sell-side decisioning actually changes about the economics, and what it takes to build a marketplace where quality wins on price, not just principle.
Rewriting the Economics of Quality Media
Sponsored by...
Marybeth McGaugh
Chief Customer Officer
Index Exchange
Andrew Butts
GM
Cossette Media
10:10 - 10:30
Networking & Session Transition
10:30 - 11:15
Main Presentation Area
As self-serve platforms gain traction, Canadian publishers are rethinking how they attract new demand, streamline operations, and compete with global platforms like Meta. Featuring real-world perspectives from Radio-Canada and The Score, this interactive session explores how self-serve is unlocking new advertiser segments, reducing operational friction, and returning more dollars directly to publishers. Expect candid learnings, practical insights, and an open dialogue on what it actually takes to make these platforms work in the Canadian market.
The Buyer You've Never Met: How Canadian Publishers Are Reclaiming Revenue & Control
Sponsored by...
Michael Gelb
Head of Account Management
DanAds
Emilie Gauthier-Messier
Senior Specialist Sales Operations
CBC & Radio-Canada
Alex Campbell
Sr. Director Ad Tech & Programmatic
The Score
10:30 - 11:15
Boardroom
Ctv Has Exploded... Is There More to Come?
CTV is supposed to be the future—more choice, more data, better outcomes. So why are there excess avails on the system? With the combination of digital targeting and big screen ads, why isn't it sold out? Paramount has built a broad streaming ecosystem spanning Paramount+ and Pluto TV, designed to capture both audience attention and advertiser dollars. But it seems everyone has FAST or CTV channels these days; how do you differentiate? This conversation looks at what is actually working across SVOD and FAST, where the model is going, and whether we are reaching new TV audiences or just fragmenting further. It also digs into the role of content, the reality behind ad innovation, and what it actually takes to stand out when everything is available, all the time. No slides. No spin. Just a real conversation.
Deborah Gurofsky
SVP & Managing Director
Media Pulse
Katrina Kowalski
SVP, Content Programming and Acquisitions, Pluto TV International
Paramount
10:30 - 11:15
29th Floor S/W Breakout
We’ve spent years treating trust as something brands build through messaging. But today, trust is shaped long before a message is ever seen. In a fragmented, algorithm-driven ecosystem, media context has become the signal. Where a brand shows up, the environments it funds, and the companies it keeps now define how it’s perceived. From premium Canadian publishers to scaled network inventory, every decision carries meaning — commercially, and increasingly, socially. This agency–publisher conversation unpacks a fundamental shift: trust is no longer just a brand outcome, it’s a media outcome. At a leadership level, we’ll explore what this means for investment strategies, how trust translates into real commercial value, and whether the industry is truly aligning around it.
Trust Isn’t Bought. It’s Inherited.
Jes Biagioni
Senior Vice President of Sales & Strategy
Ideon Media
Beth Thomson
Head of Strategy
Hearts & Science
10:30 - 11:15
30th Floor S/W Waterfront
Agentic capabilities are evolving — but the real opportunity is collaboration. Geneviève Roy (La Presse) and Alexandre Simard (OMC) explore how publishers and agencies can work together to build agentic models that drive better insights, efficiency, and accuracy.
Grounded in work from the Quebec market, this session covers emerging business models, aligning tools, data, and skills, and the impact on workflows. We’ll also touch on risks and what’s next, including synthetic panels, MCP, and AdCP.
An interactive discussion with the room on what scalable collaboration could look like across Canadian media.
Agentic Media: Building Collaboration, Not Control
Geneviève Roy
Managing Director
La Presse
Alexandre Simard
Chief Media Officer
Touché!
11:15 - 11:30
Networking & Session Transition
11:30 - 12:15
Main Presentation Area
From William Lou’s rise as an NBA reporter to The Nation Network’s growth and Better Collective’s global scale, this session explores how creators, networks, and platforms are outpacing legacy media — and what that means for the industry.
Why the Future of Sports Media Isn’t Built by Traditional Media Companies
Sponsored by...
Jay Downton
Co-Founder and CEO
The Nation Network
William Lou
Host, Hello and Welcome
The Nation Network (Better Collective)
Richard Letaw
Senior Sales Director
FatTail
11:30 - 12:15
Boardroom
The Craft & Art of Media Planning
The resurgence of true planning discipline, increased scrutiny on social platforms, client pressure and questions, and the real challenges brands face when attempting to in-house without the proper tools and infrastructure.
11:30 - 12:15
29th Floor S/W Breakout
Caroline Breton
Managing Director
Involved Media
Stef Mallaci
Head of Brand Partnerships
Narcity
Sponsored by...
Retail isn’t just about shelf space anymore—it’s about surfacing intent in real time.
In this session, Walmart Connect and Beiersdorf unpack how discovery is evolving across digital, in-store, onsite, and offsite environments. From full-funnel measurement to AI-driven search and dynamic creative, the conversation will explore what it actually takes to connect content, context, and commerce.
As consumer journeys become less linear and more fluid, how should brands and retailers rethink visibility, relevance, and the role of data in driving real outcomes?
From Endless Aisle to Endless Context: The New Rules of Retail Discovery
Lesley Conway
Head of
Walmart Connect
Walmart Connect
Jay Wright
Global Head of Consulting
ADvendio
Erica Meagher
Erica Meagher, Head of Ecommerce
Beiersdorf
11:30 - 12:15
30th Floor S/W Waterfront
Search isn’t a channel anymore—it’s everywhere. Consumers are having conversations, and AI is deciding what gets seen.
The old paid vs. organic playbook is dead. Winning now means building a single, unified credibility signal across both.
This session unpacks what that looks like in practice—how discovery is shifting to zero-click and AI-mediated environments, why paid and organic must work together, and how to measure success when the click is no longer the signal.
Straightforward, candid, and built for action—expect a clear framework you can take back to your team immediately.
Found or Forgotten: The New Rules of Brand Discovery in an AI-First World
Basil Hatto
SVP Product
NP Digital
Amy Sturino
Head of Search
Omnicom Media Group
12:15 - 12:25
Networking & Session Transition
12:25 - 12:55
Main Presentation Area
The Next Wave of Opportunity: Scaling Programmatic Live CTV
Live events are the next wave of revenue for Connected TV, but they don’t play by the same rules as video on demand. To unlock this growth, broadcasters must bridge the gap between traditional TV reliability and the efficiency of digital automation. Hosted by Google Ad Manager, this conversation with BCG and CBC explores what it will take to move from direct-sold to programmatic in live environments — and how to confidently deliver personalized ads to millions of viewers at scale, without leaving revenue on the table.
Sponsored by...
Julie Spina
Head of Global Publisher Partnerships Canada
Google
Don Massoni
Managing Director and Partner
Boston Consulting Group
Michelle Thibeault
Director of Digital Ad Operations
CBC/Radio-Canada
1:00 - 2:00
28th Floor Cafe & Bar
Lunch
Join us on the 28th floor for a casual meal while connecting with fellow attendees. A perfect time to refuel, recharge, and build valuable connections before the afternoon sessions begin.
2:00 - 2:30
Main Presentation Area
Explore the partnership between WPP Media and Bell Media, highlighting its role in evolving the Canadian media landscape. Discover how WPP Media's investment, targeting 50% spend on Canadian platforms, is coupled with Bell Media's advanced data and ad tech infrastructure to deliver precise audience connections and business outcomes for clients. The session will highlight real-world impact, going beyond traditional metrics to deliver tangible results, foster innovation, and build a dynamic Canadian media ecosystem.
From Attention to Outcomes: WPP Media and Bell Media's Blueprint for a Stronger Canadian Media Market
Urania Agas
Chief Operating Officer
WPP Media
Matt McGowan
SVP Business Solutions
Bell Media
Robert Beeler
Co-Founder
Digital Day Camp
2:30 - 2:50
Networking & Session Transition
2:50 - 3:30
Main Presentation Area
As AI reshapes planning, targeting, and optimization, systemic bias in data is influencing business outcomes in ways most teams don’t see. This conversation brings together leaders from across the ecosystem to unpack how bias impacts performance, where accountability sits, and how to build smarter, more inclusive growth strategies.
Bias in the Machine: Rethinking Data, AI & Performance in Modern Media
Sponsored by...
Nikki Stone
Founder & Business Futures Architect
YQ
Gah-Yee Won
Head of Marketing & Interim Country Lead, Consumer Group Canada
Intuit
Alan Sifuentes
Chief Digital Officer
AdClub and Chameleon
2:50 - 3:30
Boardroom
AI is reshaping how content and media strategy is developed and distributed as well as the monetization models across publishers, agencies, and brands. Kin-Man Lee (SJC) and Robin LeGassicke (Cairns Oneil) will explore how AI is separating ideation from execution, unlocking new efficiencies, and exposing structural challenges across the ecosystem — from workflows to client readiness.
AI, Unbundled: Rewiring Content, Creative, and the Media Value Chain
Kin-Man Lee
President & COO
SJC Communications Group
Robin LeGassicke
Chief Transformation Officer
Cairns Oneil
Robert Beeler
Co-Founder
Digital Day Camp
2:50 - 3:30
29th Floor S/W Breakout
The Future of Traffic: Who Owns Discovery in an AI-First World?
Search is being rewritten in real time. As AI-generated answers begin to replace traditional links, publishers are facing a fundamental shift in how audiences discover content — and how value is attributed. In this session, we explore what happens when traffic declines, attribution disappears, and platforms control both discovery and distribution.
From Google’s evolving role in content summarization and AI training, to the growing importance of direct audience relationships and paid acquisition, this conversation will unpack the new reality publishers, agencies, and brands must navigate. More importantly, we’ll focus on what to do about it — how to rethink acquisition, measurement, and monetization in a world where visibility no longer guarantees value.
Angus Frame
President
Torstar Corp
Dustin Titus
Chief Revenue Officer
Zoomer Media
David U.K.
Co-Founder
Digital Day Camp
2:50 - 3:30
30th Floor S/W Waterfront
The New Arena: Sports Streaming, Fragmentation, and the Fight for the Fan
Sports streaming in Canada is accelerating fast, but it’s getting more complex by the minute. As audiences shift and rights fragment across platforms, broadcasters, streamers, and buyers are all rethinking how live sports are distributed, monetized, and measured.
In this candid conversation, Sportsnet and Kingstar Media break down what’s driving the shift, what’s working today, and where the market is heading next—from fan behavior to ad tech, attribution, and buying in a live environment.
Geoff Crain
VP, Sales & Digital Marketing
Kingstar Media
Ken Davie
Senior Manager, Advanced TV Products
Rogers Sports & Media
3:30 - 3:45
Networking & Session Transition
3:45 - 4:25
Main Presentation Area
Ontario is challenging the perception of government advertising as cautious and rigid. In this session, the Government of Ontario and WPP Media share how one of Canada’s largest advertisers is building a faster, more responsive media model. With a clear commitment to supporting local Ontario and Canadian publishers while delivering performance at scale, this approach is designed for the pace and complexity of today’s media landscape. You will hear how campaigns are executed in step with the news cycle, powered by a deeply integrated partnership between the government’s internal digital team and its media agency.
The result is a model that is more agile, accountable, and aligned than most would expect from the public sector.
Not Your Typical Government Advertiser
Sponsored by...
Jodi Peacock
President
EssenceMediacom
Ryan Ghaeli
Assistant Director - Media Buying, Performance & Optimization
Ontario Government
Jason Stein
Group Vice President
Zeta Global
4:25 - 4:40
Main Presentation Area
Wrap Up
Let's wrap this thing up.
4:40 - 6:10
28th Floor Cafe & Bar
Reception
Join us for the end-of-day reception. Relax, network, and enjoy refreshments as we wrap up a great day of learning and connections.