Canadian Marketing Blog

New Fundamentals of Marketing: Queens Conference

QMAC - The Queen’s Marketing Association Conference, is happening now: Jan. 14 - 17 (at Queens in Kingston, ON). This is year 25 of the Conference. This year's theme is especially relevant: The New Fundamentals of Marketing.

As we emerge from one of the most significant and wide-spread recessions of our time, the dust is beginning to settle to reveal an entirely new business environment. This includes the formation of a brand-new consumer, a new competitive landscape and a new way of conducting business. An entirely new marketing model is being formed and the marketing process is being redefined. Virtually every aspect of of marketing will be affected and it is our job to remain alert, ahead of the curve, and anticipate consumer trends.

Based on this wisdom, how do marketers continue to gain foresight while leveraging a rejuvenated consumer confidence?

Check-out the full program - and come on out if you can. We'll be reporting back by providing updates over the next several days - as comments to this post.

What caught my eye right off the bat was QMAC’s line-up of four keynote addresses, which I consider the meat of any conference. The first of these began shortly after the dinner and was a co-keynote address delivered by Craig Hutchison (SVP of Marketing, Loblaw Companies Ltd) and Jack Bensimon (President, Bensimon and Byrne). Not unlike a David Copperfield show the two remained engaging and passionate throughout their presentation. They discussed the refocusing of the Loblaws brand that began after its mid-decade slump back in the 2005. By going back to the basics and focusing on their core competencies, Loblaws was able to revive their brand and return to top of mind with their consumers.
Familiar TV spots of Galen Weston, coupled with energetic ads for their Joe Fresh line, were presented with perspective from both the agency and client sides, providing a comprehensive look at how great creative is developed from the ground up.

If the keynote addresses are the meat of a conference, then the night socials are the sauce. Last night the Colgate-Palmolive sponsored “Fuel Your Fire” kicked off the weekend on a lively note. Attendees clad in red and orange partied the night away with themed cocktails, all too eager to stop by the photo booth to show off their Colgate smile! I know I did.

QMAC has thus far proven to be as great a conference as I could have imagined. I’d be willing to bet that the rest of the weekend will continue to deliver.