The Pivot with Ken Evans

As the biggest and busiest library in North America, the Toronto Public Library exemplifies community and connection in ways that few other organizations, brands and institutions do.  And beyond enriched book borrowing, access to physical and digital resources and quiet study spaces, the Toronto Public Library actively partners with local community organizations such as newcomer organizations, sen...

What does it mean to live outside of norms, and break, experiment and play with them? How can we push the limits of what we think we know about the world around us? Behind the power of Buddies' creative programming and yearning in bringing stories to life, it's no surprise that folks from all across Canada are making the time to see their shows and experience the essence of theater. Queering the f...

Mohit Rajhans returns to The Pivot to discuss all parts artificial intelligence. Where we are, what we can expect and how AI adoption and practices have rapidly evolved in the race for efficiency. Mohit breaks down the opportunities from both marketing and technological lenses that teams and organizations would find useful. Also discussed: Automation disruption, co-pilots, and the Gen Alpha effect...

Amid timely Canadian macroeconomic updates, we chat with Patrick Gill of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to explore some of the present shocks and potential challenges Canada faces. From labour disruptions and technological advancement, to much-needed business investment and population changes, this is a taping you'll want to pay close attention to.  As we move in 2025, we expect tension and infl...

In this latest installment of The Pivot, we sit down with Wes Wolch to explore the essence of luxury retail marketing, and the moves Holt Renfrew is making to transform the consumer experience. An expressive dialogue that helps us rethink how we should define and drive marketing of today and tomorrow.  

In this episode of #ThePivot, Ruth and Ken discuss some of the challenges newcomers to Canada face in seeking employment in the media communication sector. Listen to learn more on how to build your professional presence, use the power of storytelling, and relevant strategies on how to navigate the job market of today and tomorrow. Ruth draws on her professional experience as an employment counsell...

For over a decade, Lucas Solowey has built relationships with communities, non-profits, changemakers, entrepreneurs, athletes, celebrities, politicians, authors, and ethical brands. Toronto Humane Society is more than an animal shelter - they are an educational resource and support system, a leading voice in animal welfare and accessible care. The organization is also a centre of excellence, a spa...

If you're seeking clarity on how to creatively shape customer experience design – this is the podcast episode for you. Up next on The Pivot, we chat with Dr. Markus Giesler, renowned consumer researcher and Professor of Marketing at the Schulich School of Business. We explored many themes, from the data experience dialectic and notion of the paradox to bigger-picture questions and the power of soc...

If you're curious about the power of storytelling in sport and the joy it brings – this is the podcast episode for you. Up next on The Pivot, we chat with Jonathan Chang, Head of Sports Marketing at the CBC. We explored a number of relevant topics, such as the evolution of integrated brand campaigns in Canada, a closer look into the mindset of our athletes, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in...

In our Season 8 opener, we welcome legendary Canadian Olympians Diana Matheson of Project 8, and Jayna Hefford of the Professional Women's Hockey League, to chat about the important work they're leading in advancing women's sport. From rapidly rising viewership to fandom participation, broadcast strategy, and strategic sponsorship, the growing market and demand for women's sport has opened a pleth...

...and that's a wrap on Season 7! Our end of week treat features our Greatest Hits throughout this season, where we reflect on a season filled with salient moments, from inclusion in sport and out-of-home advertising to AI disruption and crisis communication. What were some of your favourite moments from the season? Comment below or DM us. Catch us in the new year when we return with season 8!  

About 50% of all ad spend is digital. Of that, only 5-6% is within the Canadian local media market. As we explore why and work to earn the attention of our diverse audiences, it's more important than ever to really consider what kind of world we are creating, and how we are supporting Canadian owned and operated media, especially local news. Learn about how we can meaningfully move the needle on t...

In this timely episode of the Pivot, Ken and Ethan dive into the Bill C-18 (Online News Act)/tech giant conflict and what it means for Canadians and newsrooms. Also offering a closer look and exploration of the media business as a whole, alternative approaches to regulatory sanity, and how we can explore different avenues of news.  

Dean is a seasoned communications specialist with a decade's experience across radio, television production, print and digital news, strategic communications, and media studies facilitation.  During his journalism years, Dean reported extensively about issues impacting LGBTQ+ communities, bringing that same passion for community to his communications role now at The 519 - Canada's most prominent 2...

Jill Burgin and Aisha Mayne of AFC Toronto City and Project 8 join The Pivot to dive into women's sport and soccer - walking us through their progress, projects, goal attainment and much more. Leaning into their dedication to community and brand humanisation, we cover moving parts around role modelling, talent, team-building, two-way conversations, community, grassroots support and much more. Trul...

As the trusted spokesperson and industry leader you want during the good times and the really, really bad times, Anne Marie Aikins (she/her) joins The Pivot on this week's episode. Leaning into her dedication for public service, we dive into her community engagement experiences and how to proactively foster thought-provoking goodwill, and partnership. We also weave through the do's and don'ts of s...

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be at the epicentre of many conversations. We see it changing how people work, create and explore, but it comes with many questions. For instance - what could be the unintended consequences of AI? How can we effectively coalesce and harness real knowledge in our teams and organisations while leveraging intelligent evolving tools? What about untapped inform...

Media consumption and evolution are more relevant than ever as the landscape continues to evolve. But why? What does being informed truly mean in 2023 and beyond? What makes one type of media appear more relevant than another? How can paid social be leveraged when building an online community? And where does legacy media fit in this space? This week, we are joined by Co-Founder of The Peak and Hos...

The Pivot Greatest Hits: As we launch into 2023, we bring to you a past Season 4 conversation with Sabaa Quao , Chief Creative Officer at Cossette and Co-Founder at Wealthie Works Daily. Tune in for relevant insights on the shifting consumer mindset, how the digitization of money presents risks to younger generations, and the need for persistent and consistent financial literacy. If we look to gen...

Inclusive cultures are evolving and more and more organisations are taking note. But, what does it really mean to foster equal and equitable opportunity? Why are listening, soul-searching and actionable leadership so important in marketing and messaging?  This week, we are joined by key leaders from the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, Dr. Sofia B. Pertuz and Therese O'Higgins to dive into...

The ad-spend pie is evolving and digital is now capturing a large portion of marketing dollars. This week we're joined by industry leaders, Scott Mitchell and Debbie Benadiba, to talk about how they are moving the needle with digital out-of-home, one of the oldest and newest forms of advertising. From data to measurement to automation, we take a closer look at the evolution of these key pillars in...

With Canadian sport continuing to be at the forefront of many recent headlines, some key questions are arising. From raising the standard in sports development to ensure we have the right balance between fun and competitiveness to integrating EDI forward practices and modernizing governance. And what does it — really — mean to foster community? How do we create greater accountability to ensure the...

  #ThePivot with Ken Evans IS BACK and better than ever! Tune in now for a tip-top teaser of what you can expect in our seventh season, including a sneak peek at Episode 1: True Sports Development, with Matt Young, Partner, FSQ Sport, and Paul Beirne, Managing Director, Pacific Football Club. In the coming months, expect salient content and industry insight from key senior marketing experts around...

And it's a wrap! What started in 2018 as a bit of an experiment is now in its 6th season. In this series of episodes, The Pivot engaged in conversations with a variety of compelling guests who truly embodied the meaning of Pivot ─ from municipal politicians to mental health scholars. Season 6 has been about showcasing not only the work and creativity of marketers but the parts of everyday life tha...

The importance and practice of marketing has evolved in profound ways over the past couple of years, making the CMO an ever more important role in organizations. Having a big brand purpose and driving all your content towards it is the key for both B2C and B2B marketers. In this episode of the Pivot, we are joined by Drew Neisser, CEO and Founder of Renegade, a B2B marketing agency, and CMO Huddle...