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.
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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
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.
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
More sessions are coming daily. What’s live now is just the first release
— the full agenda will more than double as we roll out additional sessions across both days.
Is the push to buy Canadian media a moral obligation to protect the Canadian advertising ecosystem
or is there a strategic advantage to building brands with Canadian tech, deterministic audiences,
and Canadian media?
From Patriotism to Pragmatism: Why the Future of Canadian Advertising is Canadian
Proposed Keynote
Featuring Alan Cross (The Ongoing History of New Music) and Kristi Lee (Canadian True Crime), alongside leaders from Acast and CBS, this session explores how audio has evolved from broadcast to on-demand—and what that means for audiences and advertisers.
From loyal, global podcast communities to shifting listening habits and monetization opportunities, the conversation will unpack why talent-led storytelling is driving the next wave of growth in streaming and programmatic audio.
Sound That Travels: Talent, Podcasts & the New Audio Economy
Heather Gordon
Managing Director, Canada
Acast
Alan Cross
Broadcaster
& Music Geek
A Journal
of Musical Things
Kristi Lee
Creator and Narrator
Canadian True Crime
Adam Ritchie
VP Product & Innovation, Canadian Broadcast Sales
AudioVelocity
Bill C-18 was meant to rebalance the relationship between platforms and publishers. But what has actually changed? This conversation looks at the real impact on Canadian media companies, the evolving role of platforms, and how publishers can rebuild stronger, more sustainable revenue models in a rapidly shifting ecosystem.
Bill C-18 and the Fight for Canadian Media
Proposed Session
As retail media and loyalty ecosystems evolve, Canadian marketers are sitting on some of the richest data available—but still face real challenges in activation, measurement, and scale. This session explores how loyalty-driven insights (from basket-level data to coalition models) can unlock more effective targeting and performance, while addressing the fragmentation and operational friction that often hold Canadian media back. A practical, in-the-weeds discussion on how brands, agencies, and media owners can better compete with global platforms by simplifying execution and delivering real outcomes.
From Loyalty to Outcomes: Making Canadian Media Work Harder
Ryan Jordan
VP, Retail Media Sales - North America
Publicis Groupe
Modestos Gikizas
Interim Head Marketing
AIR MILES
Reward Program
Too many brands and agencies still treat Quebec as “too hard,” “too different,” or simply an afterthought. The result? You’re missing one of the most engaged, high-impact audiences in the country. This breakout cuts through the excuses. Two leaders from Quebec’s media landscape break down what’s actually happening on the ground—why localization isn’t just translation, why content and context matter more here than anywhere else, and how Quebec can act as a powerful testing ground for smarter, more effective campaigns across Canada. We’ll tackle the real barriers—language, culture, production, perception—and show how they’re not blockers, but opportunities. Because the brands that get Quebec right don’t just unlock one market… they build strategies that work everywhere.
Stop Ignoring 20% of Canada: Why Quebec Is Your Biggest Miss
Sam Bevacqua
General Manager
La Presse
Jérôme Leys
General Manager
Quebecor Media
Measurement is one of the most talked-about—and least understood—areas in digital media. In this candid conversation, Peter Venus and Kabil Rahaman explore how organizations can move beyond surface metrics to build measurement frameworks that actually connect to business outcomes. The discussion will focus on the role of people, process, and discipline in making measurement meaningful in the Canadian market.
Beyond the Dashboard: What Measurement Actually Means
Kabil Rahaman
Head of
Commercial Data
Globe&Mail
Peter Venus
Head of Media Effectiveness
dentsu
​Jason Stein
Group Vice President
Zeta Global
Retail media is evolving quickly — but where and when does it truly drive impact? In this interactive, fireside-style discussion, Kristine Sherliker (Wavemaker, WPP) and Daniel Pacitto (Church & Dwight) bring together agency and brand perspectives on how retail media, omnichannel strategy, and AI-driven discoverability are converging.
Retail Media, AI & the Fight for Relevance
Daniel Pacitto
Digital Marketing & eCommerce Lead
Church & Dwight
Kristine Sherliker
Vice President - Client Leadership
Wavemaker
Burnout has quietly become one of the biggest shared states in media companies, with a 2024 study stating 70% of media and advertising professionals report the syndrome. This interactive session explores how leaders can manage stress to more sustainably reach long-term performance goals. Brian Coones and Dr. Stephanie Gutnik will introduce practical tools - including simple breathwork and mindset techniques - designed for real life in fast-moving teams.
Performance Without Burnout
Dr. Stephanie Gutnik
President
Tuxedo Concepts
Brian Coones
CEO and Founder
REWIRE
Is the push to buy Canadian media a moral obligation to protect the Canadian advertising ecosystem or is there a strategic advantage to building brands with Canadian tech, deterministic audiences, and Canadian media?
Patriotism to Performance: Building Brands & Investing in Canada
Kimberley O'Keefe
Director
(Head of Agency)
Loblaw Advance
Shannon Lewis
President
CMDC
AI is transforming media at unprecedented speed. Bidding, targeting, content creation and creative optimization are now table stakes—accessible to everyone, everywhere. This creates a new problem: when everyone is optimized, no one stands out.
In this candid fireside chat, Rob Beeler and Louise Clements unpack a critical shift happening across the industry: performance is being commoditized—and brand is becoming the only true competitive advantage.
Together, they’ll explore why the next wave of growth won’t come from better optimization, but from more distinctive, memorable, and creatively powerful brands.
Creativity as the Engine of AI-Powered Growth
Louise Clements
President and CEO
The Hive, Swarm-ai
Robert Beeler
Founder & CEO
Beeler.Tech
How are publishers actually packaging value today — and why are advertisers still leaning in? Pet Valu and SJC explore how modern bundling goes far beyond inventory, connecting editorial, creative, media, and commerce into programs that work across channels. At the same time, expectations have shifted. Brands aren’t just buying reach — they’re looking for ideas that resonate and deliver real outcomes. This session unpacks how to move from simply buying impressions to building meaningful ones, where media and creative come together to drive deeper connection and measurable impact.
The Art of the Bundle: From Impressions to Impact
Cameron Williamson
Vice President Client Solutions
SJC Media
Retail media continues to surge, but from the buyer’s perspective, the story isn’t one-sided. In this debate-style session, two agency leaders take opposing views on whether retail media is delivering its promise—or facing growing pains around measurement, standardization, and performance. As AI begins to reshape commerce, planning, and optimization, the conversation shifts from “why invest” to what retail media needs to become next. Expect a candid, no-spin discussion on what’s working, what’s not, and what buyers will demand moving forward.
Retail Media: Bull or Bear Market? A Buyer’s Perspective
Proposed Session
Local media no longer owns distribution or audience attention the way it once did. At the same time, the creator economy has reshaped how trust and influence work at the local level.
In this conversation, Narcity’s Chuck Lapointe and creator Lisa Horbunova explore how publishers and creators can work together to deliver stronger outcomes for advertisers, audiences, and the Canadian media ecosystem.
How Publishers and Creators Can Build More Valuable Local Advertising Together
Lisa Horbunova
Content Creator & Marketing Specialist
Independent
Chuck Lapointe
Co-Founder & CEO
Narcity Media Group
28th floor Cafe & Bar
4:30 - 6:10
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.