NEWESTABLISHMENT MEDIA• BRAND •AGENC Y 2

For Sydney Kirkland, the recipe for effecting change can be found where marketing meets purpose. Initially drawn to the creative industry based on her knack for storytelling that had a direct conversion to meaningful change, Kirkland entered media as a way to make an impact. “The magic is in the connection points between the audience and the story – whether through social channels, activation, a movie, or even a 1:1 conversation – influence happens because how we delivered the information resonated with people,” she says.

After she joined Havas Media, Kirkland realized the doubleedged sword that is taking on new business – at once, new business drives creativity, camaraderie and growth, but it can also take a toll on burnout levels and team morale. “I had one goal taking on this role at Havas Media: to make new business fun,” says Kirkland. “While goals are good for setting direction, systems are best for making progress.”

So she set out to create those systems. From pipeline management to productizing Havas Media’s offerings, she crafted a framework from where the team could begin, such as collaboration with operations and strategy departments, creating product decks that highlight core offerings and innovations, and harnessing a strong voice and presence in the market. “This way, we can immediately start doing the fun part: digging into the client and their business problem, then understanding how Havas Media can unlock media as a direct driver of business growth,” she says. “Because this framework is in place, it encourages our team to think creatively and start collaborating outside their discipline.”

And the results have been encouraging. Havas Media was invited to 40% of the top pitches in H1, up from 12% at the same time last year, with wins such as Red Bull, AstraZeneca and Wolverine. Even more encouraging, more people are raising their hands to get involved with the initiative.

For Kirkland, sustainability is a core value. She defines it as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” This mission statement drives purpose for her both personally and professionally.

She’s identified two ways that the industry can be a contributor to climate change: through greenwashing and spreading dis or misinformation, and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions through online and offline campaigns. Kirkland believes that, with the right steps, the industry can be a powerhouse for change.

To take those steps, last year, Kirkland focused on advocating for change. She was appointed Havas Media’s Canada Media Directors Council Youth Ambassador, a program that was designed to inspire the next generation to advance its thinking, where she and Shannon Lewis, CMDC president, created the Sustainability Champion of the Year Award. It recognizes individuals who positively impact social and environmental factors through their media practice. Additionally, Havas Media launched a Social Impact Marketplace that enables clients to invest in ethical and responsible advertising to reach audiences that are interested in improving their carbon footprints. “This past year, we established a baseline carbon footprint for a client in the CPG category by analyzing their historical campaign activity through our carbon measurement partner. We were able to reduce CO2 emissions by 36% per impression, leveraging our bespoke marketplace of publishers and vendors that align to our sustainability criteria,” she says.

Kirkland’s sustainability goals drive her plans this year as she forges on, championing change within Havas Media and its clients through the CMDC YA program. “Our industry is poised for change – clients, employees and communities are demanding change, and we can be the ones to lead it. The potential impact our industry can have energizes me.”

When Emma Ruthnum found herself on the set of a television commercial shortly after graduating from her journalism program, she knew she was destined for a different path. “The energy and creativity were what I had been seeking,” she says of the world of production. Armed with determination, soon she was working on big-budget campaigns with world-class agency teams and directors.

In 2021, she accepted an agency position and learned the ropes as an agency producer under the talents of a strong head of production. A year later, she joined Rethink, struck by its team of supportive leaders.

“I’m proud of the high-stakes projects I’ve navigated,” she says of her work last year, noting a particularly challenging long cross-Canada shoot that hurtled endless obstacles her way. But through collaboration, the team pulled it off.

“Like any producer, I thrive on challenge,” says Ruthnum. Those challenges aren’t limited to set time, and Ruthnum faces them head-on. When she started at Rethink, she saw the opportunity for the direct impact an agency can have on the production industry – and how that affects IBPOC individuals.

“Some of the initiatives out there put extra pressure on our already stretched vendors to find and hire IBPOC individuals,” she says. “While this should be top of mind for us all, we wanted to hold ourselves accountable for this hiring by starting a program where we could leverage our large North American network to both call for submissions, and place interested candidates in a variety of roles.”

To drive change, along with the DE&I committee, Ruthnum created the IBPOC internship, an initiative that includes ongoing calls for IBPOC applicants, helping to place candidates in short-term placements and longer, more traditional internships with Rethink’s post and editorial teams.

“The commercial production industry is very small and extremely fast paced. It’s comfortable to hire who you know again and again,” she says. “If we can open a door for underrepresented folks, we can provide networking opportunities through paid internships. The hope is for people to be hired again, and that we’re eventually all going to be working in (and benefiting from) a more diverse and inclusive film and advertising industry.”

While still in its infancy, the IBPOC internship has been receiving support from clients and networks across Canada. “We hope to continue to connect with organizations across North America to see how we can combine our efforts to hire as many underrepresented people as possible,” says Ruthnum.

Ruthnum is also working on a director bid initiative to drive change when it comes to hiring top tier IBPOC and underrepresented directors – of which the industry is plentiful, she says. “As producers, we can make a point to put as many reels in front of our creative teams as possible and we can also push our vendors to submit directors from underrepresented groups,” she says.

Ruthnum wants to continue activating change the best way she knows how – through connection, support and creativity. “I want to do everything I can to create meaningful experiences for people,” she says. “And being at an independent agency, we have the power to create change quickly.”

Fatma Othman brings something she knows well to McDonald’s social media accounts: herself. “We’re unserious, silly and willing to make a spelling error because that’s just how I personally type, too,” she says, noting that Canadians know they can visit the brand’s page for a laugh. “There’s a trend on social over the last few years to humanize corporate accounts and show up on the platform as a user instead of a brand. It’s made a job in social much more fun and challenging to figure out the right balance.”

But Othman makes the balance look effortless, and it’s not just consumers who are taking notice (although, the community commented “best social media manager ever” on a recent post, and Othman won’t pretend she doesn’t appreciate the compliment). In 2022, McDonald’s was recognized in Mintel’s “Marketing to Gen Z in Canada” report on the relatability of its brand voice on social media – Othman credits a collaborative effort in cultivating that relationship with its audience.

“There is a culture of trust at McDonald’s and with my social team at Cossette. How we talk to our community and show up for them, to me, is the crux of what makes our social strategy great,” she says.

For Othman, the aspects of a career in communications came naturally. “I’ve always had an affinity for all things culture, entertainment, storytelling and community –and trying the newest in the internet,” she says. After an internship led her to Weber Shandwick in 2016, she became immersed in the integrated media team and worked across many different projects, flexing her skills in media relations strategies, crisis and influencing.

McDonald’s was a consistent client for her during that time, and in 2020, she joined the brand permanently. Recently, she moved into the Brand portfolio and works across 360-degree campaigns and initiatives in the food and brand category, as well as overall impact work.

But the impact Othman has had on the brand reaches far beyond its bottom line. “I joined McDonald’s at a time where brands and employers were being called upon to be more intentional and assertive with what they stand for,” she says. In response, Othman became the communications co-lead for the BIPOC Employee Business Network. “As a person of many identities – Muslim, immigrant and Arab woman, there’s so much of my experience and where I am in my career that empowers me to keep pushing for change,” she says.

From hosting information sessions to co-leading book club talks, Othman creates spaces that may feel initially uncomfortable, but inspire examination that can impact attendees’ lives. “The community that the BIPOC Network has built has allowed for staff who identify as BIPOC or as an ally to have a safe space to talk, ask questions and be present for one another,” she says.

For her work, Othman was recognized with the Shining Light award for inclusion – a global accolade awarded to 250 people across McDonald’s – as well as its Leadership award, a title given to 25 Canadian staff each year. She knows the power her day-to-day choices can have on the industry too. “When we cast talent or decide what content creator to work with, ensuring adequate representation from across communities is important to me.”

Othman’s captivation with challenges keeps her striving for more, whether that’s building consistent TikTok engagement or campaign strategies. But passing this knowledge onto incoming talent is the real driving force behind her plans. “I’m planning to be more active in the mentoring space so I can be present for those in the industry who are just starting up,” she says.

The content and media landscapes have never been more complex. It’s an idea that was true last year, became true-er in 2023, and will take on new layers of truth before the year is out. How can marketers keep up? In The New Collaborators, we look at the shops, content studios and tech partners that are helping clients win the content game today.