Tactics and Takeaways for content marketers to apply to campaigns 

Globe Content Studio has worked with hundreds of clients across thousands of campaigns. Over that time, our team has learned a lot about effective content-marketing strategies. As the pace of change continues to accelerate – economically, socially, technologically – no business can afford to fall behind. 

In April, 2023, we launched Tactics & Takeaways, a content-marketing event (live in Toronto, and available virtually) that drew inspiration from the Studio’s campaign experiences. Our goal was to inspire and inform attendees. To make it worth their while to attend. 

In 2024 we built on that initial success with a second event. Which now makes it annual. If you’d like to view the sessions in their entirety, you’ll find them here:

From navigating the changing landscape of ad targeting to balancing data insights with creative flair, attendees explored key trends shaping the industry. With expert insights and engaging discussions, it was a morning packed with valuable takeaways for marketers looking to stay ahead of the curve.

Couldn’t make it to the live event? No worries! Whether you were with us in person or watching from afar, you can relive this year’s Tactics & Takeaways event through our photo gallery and summaries below, slightly edited, from attendees who posted to their social-media accounts.

By Syed Zahidi. Financial services marketing lead for North America, Avanade.
Posted to LinkedIn. 

Rainy mornings and Toronto traffic didn’t dampen the marketing adventures and positive vibes at “Tactics & Takeaways” with Globe Content Studio! 

Necessary reminders, nuggets for reflection, and insights for experimentation from a great speaker lineup across a highly relevant agenda: 

• Great to see Sean Stanleigh again, emphasizing balance and the importance of an always-on “blender” of campaigns at a time when far too many of us feel the pressure and skew too far to the bottom of the funnel… 

• Kirstie Ciccone & Jessica Robinson showcasing the magic of data and creativity coming together for informed design and efficient execution… and the importance of context and actual understanding of methodology & metrics. 

• A look back and a look ahead on Ad-Targeting (and privacy) with Shazia Khan and Kabil Rahaman - highlighting how forward thinkers are past over-reliance on 3P cookies … some really fascinating takeaways from this session! 

• GenAI… of course… no event is complete without it … a panel discussion with Aashish Arora and Brice Chan, moderated by Katherine Scarrow… touching on concerns, predictions, and importantly examples of current use, options, and impact…  

By Joanna Track, founder and chief strategist, Good Eggs & Co. 
Posted to LinkedIn. 

I'm always a big promoter of the concept that "content is king.” At Globe Content Studio's Tactics & Takeaways session I took away much more than that. Here are a few great nuggets: 

• Your marketing mix should be more of a blender than a funnel - with the lines of content channels blurring and audiences fragmenting (and also blurring) you can't simply rely on taking your target on a linear path.

• Whether you go by the thought that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" or "test, learn and optimize" (you should go with both!), good marketing plans come from mixing and matching and trying and learning. 

• You can't do the above without playing the long game.

• There's no magic bullet, relationships don't happen overnight and instant gratification is just like it says ... instant (over after it starts).

• Engagement, conversion and all the other marketing metrics require investment, not just in money but in time and quality of interaction. 

• AI - don't ignore but don't put all your eggs in its basket either. It should simplify your job, not eliminate it.  

• Content IS targeting. By testing formats, channels, creative, etc you are seeing what resonates with the audience you are trying to attract.

• The loss of cookies and other data is not the end of insights. With good content comes great insight. 

 By Daniel Francavilla, Marketing advisor and brand strategist, DanielDoes.co.
Posted to Instagram. 

I really enjoyed attending Tactics & Takeaways last year, so even though I had other conferences on the same day, I squeezed in part of the sold-out event today to hear about the latest and greatest in #ContentMarketing including topics like AI, social impact and generational engagement. 

The @GlobeandMailCentre space is great and so is the @GlobeContentStudio branding, so couldn’t pass up an opportunity to be there or get some new swag. Today’s sessions covered: 

• The one-two punch of data and creativity — the battle between exclusively data-driven decisions or overemphasis on creativity — and on how striking a balance between the two can win. Generative AI as both the greatest disruptor and the greatest helper in the history of content marketing. 

• How marketers can still reach anyone they need to in a “post-targeting” world. 

• Using AI to be more authentic, not less, talking about how we keep it real and maintain trust. 

• Stop the stereotyping to win business across generations (with staff representatives from Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X) — sharing that the secret to truly captivating your audience lies far beyond these oversimplified categories. 

• It wrapped with session of last year’s Young Lions winners who work for @MLSEpr. 

Want to reach out to Globe Content Studio? Email us at GCS@globeandmail.com. To stay up-to-date on our events and other initiatives, visit our website at globecontent.studio to sign up for our newsletter. Or follow us on your favourite channel @globecontent.  

Stay tuned for the full trend report, dropping early May, which provides further insights into the world of marketing and creativity.