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The recent Enterprise Event rallied the Canadian digital advertising community to tackle the industry’s most pressing challenges. Held at Toronto’s iconic The Great Hall, the event fostered collaborative discussion with IAB Canada members as well as panel discussions led by industry leaders. 

The event tackled a wide range of crucial topics – including AI, sustainability, and addressable reach – within the digital advertising landscape. Here are the key insights discussed during the workshop and panel sessions: 

AI Revolutionizes Advertising 

As a community, the Enterprise event encouraged attendees to probe the practical implications of AI in the Digital Advertising Sector. In a panel moderated by Sahil Razdan (Postmedia), the panelists which included Brian Danzis (Seedtag), Matt Rivard (Google Canada), Robin LeGassicke (Cairns Oneil) Terra Richardson (Zefr) explored ways to harness AI’s power ethically and effectively: 

• AI-Driven Efficiency. AI has the potential to streamline workflows across industries, including digital marketing. It offers a particular promise for optimizing media buying and creative assets. 
• Personalized Training. AI can revolutionize training, offering tailored learning experiences to keep employees up-to-date in a rapidly changing technological landscape. 
• Ethical Frameworks are Essential. Proactive development of ethical AI policies is crucial, addressing potential biases and emphasizing transparency. This is especially important as legislation lags technological advancements. 
• Balancing Innovation and Impact. Strategic investments in AI are necessary to balance short-term innovation with long-term impact and ROI. 
• Human-AI Collaboration. AI can augment human work, automating routine tasks and freeing up teams for higher-level strategy. However, concerns about job displacement mean companies should prioritize retraining and tapping into new talent pools. 
• Data as the Foundation. High-quality data is essential for effective AI models. Robust data management and proactive efforts to minimize bias in datasets are necessary for fair and inclusive outcomes. 

Rethinking Sustainability 

We challenge the community to redefine what sustainability means for them and for industry. Fil Lourenco (Dentsu Media) led a panel of leaders which included Gah-Yee Won (Intuit), Julie Kerr (CBC & Radio Canada), Megha Wadhwani (Sharethough) and Danyal Syed Ali (Ikea Canada) in challenging traditional definitions and metrics of Sustainability and explored how to prioritize it alongside business objectives: 

• Canada Needs a Sustainability Focus. The industry needs to invest in Canadian content, support journalism and address the environmental impact of digital advertising. Inspiration might come from Europe’s stricter sustainability regulations. 
• Balancing Profit and Purpose. Marketers face a conflict between clients’ demands for immediate ROI and sustainability goals. Understanding the true environmental impact of digital advertising practices is the first step towards change. 
• AI’s Environmental Cost. While AI offers efficiency, its carbon footprint is growing. The industry must balance AI’s benefits with sustainable development and deployment. 
• Education and Measurement. Understanding the Canadian media industry’s carbon footprint is crucial for informed decision-making. Ongoing education about AI’s environmental impact is necessary. 
• Jobs in Transition. AI will transform jobs. Upskilling, adaptability, and valuing diverse human experiences will be vital for the workforce in this transition. 
• Regulation and Responsibility. Both corporate ethics and governmental regulations are needed to ensure sustainable and responsible AI development and use. 
• Challenging the Status Quo. The industry needs to rethink KPIs, question authenticity in AI-generated content, and prioritize human judgment to navigate these challenges responsibly. 

Engaging Audiences in a Privacy-First World 

This workshop session tackled the challenge of balancing privacy concerns with effective audience outreach. Industry leaders outlined adaptable strategies for targeting and measurement that prioritize both respect for user data and the need to deliver meaningful, engaging ad experiences. 

Here are some insights gleaned from the Workshop and the Panel Discussion moderated by Sean Dixon (Omnicom Media Group), and includes the following Panelists: Brian Batenburg (Globe Media Group), Joyce Lee (Roku), Ryan Fuss (Stingray Advertising) and Scott Mitchell (Vistar Media): 

• AI as an Enhancement. AI is seen as a powerful tool to augment human creativity and decision-making, not as a full replacement. The emphasis is on using AI strategically. 
• Relevance is Paramount. Highly personalized ads, compelling creative, and aligning ads with the right context are essential to resonate with audiences. This includes exploring both traditional formats (like sponsorships) and emerging opportunities like Connected TV (CTV). 
• Data, Privacy, and Ethics. Data-driven marketing remains crucial, but the evolving privacy landscape demands responsible AI use. This means upholding ethical standards, ensuring compliance, and respecting users’ data. 
• Experimentation is Essential. The industry must embrace ongoing experimentation and learning to navigate the changing landscape. Success hinges on testing AI tools and understanding their varying levels of effectiveness. 

Addressable Reach without Compromise 

This workshop session aimed to address the issue of reaching audiences at scale while maintaining signals with our consumers. In a panel led by Sonia Carreno (IAB Canada), the panelists which included Ben Wise (Google Canada), Andrew Krausz (Scotiabank) and Claire Plaxton (Rogers Sports & Media) challenged the notion that privacy and effective targeting are mutually exclusive. Here are the highlights: 

• Navigating Privacy Shifts. The panel emphasized an urgent need for new targeting and measurement models that prioritize privacy concerns. Contextual targeting strategies are key to maintaining effectiveness. 
• Collaboration is Key. Strong partnerships and open communication between agencies, brands, and media vendors are the foundation for innovation and successful campaigns within this evolving landscape. 
• Hybrid Measurement Models. Data-driven analytics remain vital but must be balanced with qualitative insights. The panel explored possibilities like Out-of-Home (OOH), Connected TV (CTV), and customized measurement solutions. 
• Canadian Focus. Canada’s unique market demands localized solutions. Strategies must cater to Canadian needs and regulations to succeed. 

IAB Canada members, stay tuned! A full recap of the Enterprise Event, including additional details and discussions, will be available later.