As part of our “Go Canadians, Go” project, Marketing asked dozens of Canucks working abroad (or those who’ve returned with a few years of international experience) to give us their impressions of the differences between Canada’s industry and others. Does being Canadian give you a leg up?
I was born and raised in the U.K., where I started my career. I then worked across Europe and the United States. In 2012, I crossed the border and moved north.
When I sat down to consider what I’d contribute to this Canada Day article, I wanted, first and foremost, to be honest. While Canadians often seem to be a quiet, unassuming bunch, they are fundamentally honest, good people. As a professional and someone who has uprooted my family to live here, that’s something I appreciate and admire.
My experience working and living in Canada has shown me where Canada sets a great example (work-life balance, for one) and where there is room for improvement (such as transit infrastructure in the Greater Toronto Area). Having lived and worked all over the world, what drew me to Canada was, quite simply, the opportunity to work with a singularly excellent organization, LoyaltyOne, the parent company of the Air Miles Reward Program.
I was not necessarily looking to make a move to Canada, but the opportunity presented itself and once I’d started down that path, I didn’t look back. The beauty of marketing is that the skills transcend borders. Having worked here for a little more than two years, I can say that from a marketing perspective, Canada has the opportunity to lead the pack in terms of social media. We are reportedly one of the most mobile-ready and socially connected countries in the world, but companies need to be better about tapping into the opportunities that presents.
We still see some big multinational brands repurpose their campaigns in Canada from other markets. However, we’re starting to see a shift, putting the creative thinking into the hands of Canadians and embracing Canada’s unique cultural make-up.
Canada’s marketing future is bright and it’s exciting to see that there’s a shift to challenge the tried and true mainstays of traditional thinking. Canada can and should market “in the fast lane.” We’re getting there and I’m happy to be along for the ride.
Andy Wright is president of the Air Miles Reward Program
