Jan 30, 2026
What could you accomplish if an entire country was cheering for you? Building on Team Canada's 27-medal Paris success, Alison Simpson, President and CEO of the Canadian Marketing Association, speaks with Jacqueline Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer for the Canadian Olympic Committee and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. This episode celebrates Team Canada athletes stories of resilience, perseverance, and excellence on the road to Milano Cortina 2026, and the importance of Marketing Partnership support on that journey.
00:00:01:18 - 00:00:22:20
Presenter
Welcome to CMA Connect, Canada's marketing podcast, where industry
experts discuss how marketers must manage the tectonic shifts that
will change how brands and businesses are built for tomorrow, while
also delivering on today's business needs. With your host, CMA CEO
Alison Simpson.
00:00:22:22 - 00:00:46:16
Alison
Canada is definitely having a sporty moment. From the Blue Jays
extraordinary World Series run and women's rugby reaching the World
Cup, to the Four Nations Cup victory and historic Olympic
performances in Paris, Canadian athletes are capturing hearts and
inspiring national pride like never before. There's truly no better
time for this momentum as we head into the Milano Cortina Winter
Olympics.
00:00:46:18 - 00:01:25:14
Alison
For today's episode, I am thrilled to welcome back Jacquie Ryan,
Chief Brand and Commercial Officer for the Canadian Olympic
Committee and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. Since joining
the COC in 2019, Jacquie has transformed Canada's engagement with
the Olympic Movement, including earning recognition as the Canadian
Marketing Association's Marketer of the year in 2024 for her
exceptional work during the Paris Olympics. Jacquie's leadership
during Paris 2024 set new standards for Olympic marketing success,
with the Brave is Unbeatable campaign significantly increasing
positive feelings towards Team Canada.
00:01:25:14 - 00:01:51:20
Alison
Under her guidance, Canada Olympic House opened to the public for
the first time during a Summer Olympics, attracting 17,000 visitors
in Paris, while Team Canada Fan Fest events back home drew 50,000
visitors across the country. With over 25 years of experience,
including RBC, where Jacquie helped drive marketing strategy for
the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and Scotiabank, where she secured the
800 million naming rights deal for Scotiabank Arena,
00:01:52:01 - 00:02:15:19
Alison
Jacquie brings exceptional expertise in sports marketing. As Canada
approaches the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with such strong
momentum, amazing marketing partners and a nation ready and keen to
rally behind our athletes, there's never been a more exciting time
to be part of Team Canada. Welcome, Jacquie. It is an absolute
pleasure to have you back to CMA Connect leading up to the
Olympics.
00:02:15:21 - 00:02:20:10
Jacquie
Thank you, Alison, and thanks for the opportunity to join you here
today. And really a great pleasure to be back.
00:02:20:16 - 00:02:36:14
Alison
So I'd love to start by looking back at Paris. The 2024 Olympics
really did set new benchmarks across the board, from medal count to
sponsorships and to national engagement. So what were the key
learnings from Paris that have shaped your approach for Milano
Cortina 2026?
00:02:36:20 - 00:03:00:13
Jacquie
Well, thanks for asking, Alison. Paris was, it was incredible. It
was, the first normal games since we returned from Covid, because
we had the two Covid games, Tokyo and Beijing. So a lot of
expectations were high for Paris, for everyone, for fans, families,
athletes, marketing partners or donors. And the games literally
delivered across all expectations in the entire spectrum.
00:03:00:15 - 00:03:25:10
Jacquie
Team Canada won 27 medals in Paris. It's the second best result for
Team Canada ever at a Summer games. Like eight golds, six silver,
11 bronze and three Olympic records. So we're super proud of the
team. They really, really showed up well. And on top of that, over
70% of Canadians tuned in and they engaged with Team Canada,
whether it be through our social channels, through CBC or
Radio-Canada in Quebec.
00:03:25:12 - 00:03:50:03
Jacquie
So the games in Paris, they really raised the bar in many
meaningful ways, and so many lessons that are directly shaping how
we're approaching Milano Cortina now, in 2026. So the first thing
it did really reinforced our belief that nothing really brings
people together quite like sport. Olympics are an incredible,
unifying platform that really allows us all to put our differences
aside.
00:03:50:05 - 00:04:21:12
Jacquie
Secondly, it just reminded us the power of athlete for
storytelling. So fans engaged most deeply when they could see the
people behind the podiums. They could see their journeys, their
resilience. The community roots through moments of humanity, the
whole experience leading up to and including the games. So we'll
continue to prioritize these athlete narratives, being really,
really authentic in the storytelling from their voice, and keep
Canadians connected with these athletes and learning about Team
Canada athletes well before the opening ceremony.
00:04:21:12 - 00:04:45:14
Jacquie
So when they arrive at the games, Canadians are really well poised
to really understand the journey and know our athletes. And then
our Brave is Unbeatable, our marketing campaign was a big success.
We built a lot of equity in this platform through Paris and so
working with The Hive, we decided to use it again, basically as a
springboard to drive engagement with Canadians heading in now to
the Cortina games.
00:04:45:16 - 00:05:07:10
Jacquie
The platform, as you'll recall, really leans into the idea of
Canadians seeing themselves in the athletes. These athletes are
competing. They're on the global stage representing Canada, but
they're still human. They have our similar struggles, they go
through all sorts of things in their journey, and all of that can
lend itself both as inspiration for all of us, and connection so
that we feel connected to the athletes.
00:05:07:10 - 00:05:41:04
Jacquie
So creatively, we've expanded this iteration of storytelling across
far more athletes, representing the real vast diversity of Team
Canada athletes from across Canada, sharing their stories, of
course, strategically across different placements and channels and
in different ways. So that's definitely something that was a big
success and we're building on. Another is that Paris really
demonstrated that what it looks like when marketing partnerships
are truly integrated. Not just visible. They become part of the fan
experience, part of the Canadian experience with these athletes and
part of the athlete support system.
00:05:41:06 - 00:06:16:10
Jacquie
So for Milano now, we've built collaborative, values-aligned
marketing partnerships that contribute directly to performance,
athlete well-being, fan engagement, rather than simply sponsorship
presence. So, I mean, we've known this for years, but it really
came together well for Paris, and wait until you see the marketing
partner campaigns for Milano Cortina. And then finally, Paris
really showed us that major games like the Olympic Games can be
platforms for purpose, from sustainability to inclusion to national
pride.
00:06:16:12 - 00:06:29:22
Jacquie
That lands really guides how we tell our story, how we support our
athletes, how partners activate, and all of this helps bring
Canadians together, and so we really look forward to all of that
coming together in a few short weeks as we head into Milano
Cortina.
00:06:30:00 - 00:07:06:00
Alison
That's outstanding, Jacquie, thanks so much. I love that you're
prioritizing the athlete content and bringing to life their whole
selves. It's so inspiring to see the exceptional athletic
conditioning and expertise that they bring, but it can sometimes be
hard for us mere mortals to relate to. So understanding some of the
real life challenges that they're facing, and seeing their 360-view
of their lives helps us dream even more about how we can be
inspired by them, both athletically and just from sheer
perseverance and grit and determination.
00:07:06:00 - 00:07:27:22
Alison
So I love that. And the marketing partnerships, I'm looking forward
to drilling into that a little bit more. You've built an impressive
roster of 39 marketing partners for Milano Cortina, so I'd love you
to share how some of your longest standing partners, like RBC, are
activating differently this time, and what new partners are
bringing to the table that hasn't existed before.
00:07:28:00 - 00:07:51:06
Jacquie
Thank you for the question. You could well imagine we're very proud
of the 39 marketing partners who are helping power Team Canada
toward Milano Cortina. What's exciting is both how long-standing
partners and new partners are evolving, what partnership really
means, as I referenced earlier. You know, essentially our marketing
partners will look at their partnership with us as a way to do a
few things.
00:07:51:07 - 00:08:18:09
Jacquie
One, they want to support Team Canada directly. They want to
celebrate the athletes. They want to tell the athletes stories.
They want to engage Canadians. They want engage fans from coast to
coast to coast. And really importantly, just as importantly, they
really want to help leave a legacy, a lasting legacy of inspiration
for the next generation. And I think those four components really
drive a lot of what our marketing partners are up to in their
campaigns leading up to Milano Cortina.
00:08:18:11 - 00:08:41:15
Jacquie
I think you know this, but I'll just remind you that the Canadian
Olympic Committee is a not for profit organization. And I mention
that because we're almost exclusively privately funded by our
marketing partners. So Team Canada quite literally could not get to
the Games without our marketing partners. They're literally the
engine behind Team Canada. This investment is truly a solid return
on their dollars
00:08:41:15 - 00:09:11:12
Jacquie
right back into the sports system supporting Olympic athletes'
journey. So from its inception, all the way through to the podium.
So lots of things around what they're doing is supporting the
broader sport system, but importantly, they're looking for a return
on their investment. And it's more than marketing. It's about an
investment in the athlete journey. And in addition to that, working
partners by virtue of being with us, they have access to the
largest addressable audience for any sport property in Canada,
where 70% of Canadians are engaging, they're watching or
sharing.
00:09:11:13 - 00:09:35:12
Jacquie
And from a marketing perspective, as you can well agree, that's an
incredibly efficient marketing platform. And so that further
demonstrates the efficiency of their investment. So I think our
commercial momentum over the last few months highlights this, that
over the last little while, we've signed ten new marketing
partners. Like that's in this year. And it's a testament to the
investment and the power of Team Canada as a marketing
platform.
00:09:35:14 - 00:09:59:07
Jacquie
We've never, ever signed so many sponsors, that many marketing
partners in that period of time. And so the ten new ones, you
likely saw we announced Tim Hortons as a new marketing partner.
Really excited about that. We also launched Intact, Homewood
Health, Nulo Pet Food, GoodLife, Maple Leaf Foods, Hillberg & Berk,
The GIST, CALA. And there's one more I can't tell you about
yet.
00:09:59:09 - 00:10:24:00
Jacquie
So we're really, really excited about all of these new marketing
partners joining us and really rallying Canadians behind Team
Canada. And, you know, I continue to think we seriously have the
best marketing jobs in this country at the Canadian Olympic
Committee because we support the strategies and campaigns of 39
brands. Thirty nine top brands. You know, some of our longstanding
partners RBC, Bell, Canadian Tire, Lululemon, Petro Canada, Air
Canada, like the list is long.
00:10:24:00 - 00:10:46:11
Jacquie
So the job truly is quite a privilege. And so this year, we're
seeing most of the majority of the partners all undertaking very
large, fully integrated, marketing campaigns. Many have also
partnered with CBC, which is important because that's the platform
that tells the story through broadcast, and so they're really
leveraging the broadcast to tell their stories.
00:10:46:13 - 00:11:07:05
Jacquie
And, of note, and this is a really important point that the
majority of these partners have signed athlete agreements. So there
are athletes that are supported by virtue of their marketing
campaigns. And that's over 90 individual partnerships with Canadian
Olympians. And that's an incredible number to highlight the stories
that we were talking about earlier in their campaigns.
00:11:07:05 - 00:11:32:16
Jacquie
So excited about all of that. You know, there's lots to talk about
and lots of partners that we could go on about their marketing
campaigns. I can highlight a few. Firstly, I mentioned Lululemon.
Lululemon is the official outfitter of Team Canada. They are also
participating in the CBC broadcast. This is their third Olympic
Games as Team Canada outfitter. Athletes are also a focal point of
their campaign.
00:11:32:18 - 00:12:07:00
Jacquie
They have many athlete partnerships, including Sidney Crosby. And
we revealed the athlete kit that I'm wearing today, on November
18th. And they've had a series of retail drops ever since and
really building momentum toward the opening ceremony, which will be
important. Then, of course, Tim Hortons announced last week, they
are also participating in the CBC broadcast, and they have lots of
athlete partnerships, and also lots of fan engagement ideas,
whether it's collectible Team Canada co-branded cups, there's
trading cards, there's a contest to win a trip to Milano
Cortina.
00:12:07:00 - 00:12:28:10
Jacquie
The list is long. So really excited about partnering with them.
They're going to partner with us at Team Canada Fan Fest. You know,
and another point I would make is that I'm talking a lot about
marketing campaigns here. But in addition to the campaigns, there
are a number of marketing partners who are doing like real
community-based initiatives, driving important positive change in
the sport system.
00:12:28:15 - 00:12:57:04
Jacquie
So two notable examples would be, we have a program called Bell
Starting Line. So Bell initiated this. It's a program designed to
get newcomer Canadian youth engaged in sport. So we're out there in
the community really giving newcomers an opportunity where they
didn't have access to sport, all because Bell has started to invest
in this area. Equally, RBC has the RBC Training Ground program. Now
it's in its 10th year, and that's a talent identification program
that really looks for the next Olympian.
00:12:57:04 - 00:13:16:18
Jacquie
And now what they've done is taken their financial resources to
cast a much wider net so that there's more diverse access to the
program, which just creates a better pipeline and supports a better
Team Canada. So really, really proud of all of these programs. I
mean, there's Canadian Tire, again, the list goes on and on,
Sobeys, but we're proud of the partnerships
00:13:16:18 - 00:13:20:06
Jacquie
and we frankly could not do any of this without them.
00:13:20:08 - 00:13:38:08
Alison
Those are such powerful examples, and the reminder that you're not
for profit is a really important one. So when we look at the 39
marketing partners that you have, to your point, Canada wouldn't
have an Olympic team without them. It's great for their brands,
it's great for their business. But it is so important and powerful
for our country and our athletes as well.
00:13:38:08 - 00:13:58:18
Alison
So huge congratulations for landing ten new partners in such a
short period of time as well. It's phenomenal growth. Now, you
mentioned a bit earlier that you've brought back the Brave is
Unbeatable campaign, and I'd love you to share a little bit more
about the success of that, and also what else you're doing to
market the Olympics to Canadians.
00:13:58:19 - 00:14:21:18
Jacquie
Yes. So we're again, we're pleased to bring Brave is
Unbeatable back. We do this in partnership with The Hive and
CBC and Radio-Canada. So with Brave is Unbeatable, we're not just
marketing the games where we see our position is really connecting
Canadians to the overall power of sport. It's about inspiration. So
the campaign really focuses on the idea that bravery isn't just
about standing on the podium, it's about the everyday courage
00:14:21:18 - 00:14:48:17
Jacquie
it takes to train, to persevere, to represent your country and kind
of put everything on the line. So that spirit really resonates
deeply with Canadians, reflects the values that we're proud to
stand behind here at Team Canada. So we really love the Brave is
Unbeatable portrays Canada as this resilient, unflappable nation
and aims to build energy, build excitement as Canadians across the
country really rally together to support Team Canada coming up in
Milano Cortina.
00:14:48:17 - 00:15:10:07
Jacquie
And frankly, what a moment to be doing this. So we're really,
really excited about the whole Canadian pride that's built right
into it. So from a marketing perspective, we're really doing three
things. First, we're telling athlete stories, as I said, in a more
immersive way, more emotional across digital, broadcast, social,
community, so Canadians can see themselves in the journey, not just
the results.
00:15:10:12 - 00:15:36:05
Jacquie
And then second, we're ensuring that Canadians can participate in
the Olympic movement. So whether that be through Team Canada fan
festivals, partner activations, grass root community engagement,
digital experiences, it's all about bringing people closer to the
Team Canada family, and we're creating more touch points for
Canadians to feel part of something national and what we know to be
true, unifying. So, you know, we launched our campaign together
with the CBC last fall.
00:15:36:05 - 00:16:00:23
Jacquie
We launched it at 100 days out from Milan, we need to mark that
point in time. And it's a 360 campaign. It's deliberately timed, it
integrated to create the greatest impact heading into the Games.
Three months before the games is typically when it's a good time to
remind Canadians of the journey of Team Canada, and our goal is to
build national momentum, generate excitement, energy, and
essentially, this is a really important part,
00:16:00:23 - 00:16:22:08
Jacquie
set the stage for then the incredible marketing campaigns that
follow from our 39 marketing partners. So we really feel it's our
job to remind Canadians and raise awareness for the Games are
coming and look out for Team Canada. And then, so we do the the job
of really setting the stage and then our marketing partners layer
in with all the stories that they tell and all of their
campaigns.
00:16:22:10 - 00:16:51:06
Jacquie
So that's essentially what we're doing. I did actually want to also
point out that we have overall brand marketing initiatives with the
Canadian Olympic Committee. We're also undertaking really important
efforts to raise awareness for our foundation. That's the Canadian
Olympic Foundation, and we're encouraging Canadians to join us and
support these incredible athletes through these campaigns. And so
what we're essentially doing is we run the Brave is Unbeatable
campaign, which as it gets closer to the Games, we'll add
00:16:51:06 - 00:17:15:16
Jacquie
Donate Now to join Team Canada message. And then also Maple Leaf
Foods will be doing a campaign with us. It's called Double Your
Impact and it's all about they're doing a matching donation
campaign to encourage Canadians to make a donation to the Canadian
Olympic Foundation, and they will match as well. So really excited
about those two opportunities to continue to raise awareness for
the foundation, and really encourage Canadians to come along with
us.
00:17:15:20 - 00:17:40:22
Jacquie
So I think that's essentially what we're doing. And then, you know,
as I mentioned, we're working closely with our 39 marketing
partners because they extend the campaign's reach and meaning. So
ultimately, our campaign is about inspiring the country,
strengthening Canadians and their connection with Team Canada and
building excitement and pride as we head into Milano Cortina. So
with that, I would just say be sure to follow us on all of our
socials.
00:17:40:22 - 00:17:55:01
Jacquie
Download the Team Canada app, check out the athletes' stories on
our website, listen and follow our podcast. And really do your best
to engage with Team Canada. Get to know them before the games and
then jump in and be all in during the games.
00:17:55:03 - 00:18:15:12
Alison
Thank thanks so much, Jacquie. It's great to see that all of the
Canadians like me, who won't have the opportunity to experience the
Olympics in person, will have so many great experiences through
your organization, but also through your all your partner
organizations to engage and really come together as a country in
celebration of our athletes. So, excited to hear how we can do
that.
00:18:15:14 - 00:18:27:03
Alison
So you also mentioned that Canada is at the intersection of passion
and purpose with a truly impressive percentage of Canadians that
are really engaging in the Olympic movement. So what do you think
has led to the strong movement?
00:18:27:05 - 00:18:48:15
Jacquie
Canada is absolutely having a moment. Canadian pride is at an
all-time high, there's no question. And in the face of crisis,
Canadians have really rallied, particularly in and through sport.
So a new national pride is emerging. Canadians care very deeply
about sport. It's not just for the medals but for what it
represents. It represents resilience and excellence and
community,
00:18:48:19 - 00:19:13:22
Jacquie
and many of the things I've spoken about already. And the belief
that when our athletes excel, the country rises with them. So over
the past several years, we've also experienced incredible moments
across multiple sports and generations of athletes. And those wins,
they reminded Canadians what it feels like to rally together, sheer
national pride, and see ourselves reflected on the world stage in a
really positive and unifying way.
00:19:14:00 - 00:19:34:23
Jacquie
And we've been, as I've mentioned, very, very intentional about
telling those stories, focusing on the athlete journey to values,
authenticity, not just the results. And this is building a deeper
connection. So Canadians don't just watch Team Canada, they feel
invested in it. So in terms of directly answering your question,
how we're capitalizing, we're really doing that in three ways.
00:19:35:01 - 00:19:57:11
Jacquie
Absolutely, firstly, making sure that we do our very best to make
the Olympic experience more accessible, whether that's through
digital storytelling, community outreach, and content that brings
Canadians closer to the athletes. Secondly, we're partnering with
organizations across Canada to extend that pride into meaningful
engagement, wellness, youth development, national celebrations,
anything that unites people from coast to coast to coast.
00:19:57:15 - 00:20:29:19
Jacquie
And third, we've always been a purpose-led organization. That's
absolutely our DNA. So we're ensuring that all of our activities
bring this to life. Aligning the Olympic movement with purpose. So
Canadians respond strongly when they see sport driving positive
impact, inclusion and inspiration, which comes from watching Team
Canada excel on the world stage. So I think this combination of,
momentum, very positive momentum, meaningful storytelling, very
purposeful engagement is fuelling such strong national
connection.
00:20:29:21 - 00:20:34:12
Jacquie
And it's what absolutely will help carry that energy proudly into
Milano Cortina.
00:20:34:14 - 00:20:43:12
Alison
So the Winter Olympics have always held special significance for
Canadians. So with days to go before Milano Cortina begins, who are
the Canadian athletes to watch?
00:20:43:14 - 00:21:13:01
Jacquie
That's a tough question. They're all great! These Games are going
to be incredible. So there's a lot of pre-work that's underway. And
a reminder for everybody the dates. So the Games themselves are
February 6th to the 22nd. There'll be 116 medal events across 16
sport disciplines, and 93 countries are participating. The events
are spread across four different zones, from the city to the
mountains, all with the goal of sustainability and not erecting
brand new facilities that don't have a future purpose.
00:21:13:01 - 00:21:32:21
Jacquie
For Team Canada, we're going to have 206 or 207 athletes also,
still TBD as athletes continue to qualify their spots actually, but
in and around that number. And then a ton of support staff and
Mission Team we call them, that's like myself, the staff that goes
over to support. And also these will be the most gender-balanced
edition in history of the Olympic Winter games.
00:21:32:23 - 00:21:49:09
Jacquie
So really excited to see the progress there. And I think I
mentioned this before, but this is a return to open games, as we
call them, that there are no Covid restrictions. So this is really
important since on the winter side, so of course Paris was the
first on the summer side, but this is the first on the winter
side.
00:21:49:09 - 00:22:14:22
Jacquie
So we're imagining packed venues, the roar of the crowd, family and
friends will finally be on hand to support after missing out on
Beijing. You know, to help drive the excitement, NHLers are coming
for the first time since Sochi in 2014. PWHLers are coming for the
first time. Currently, snow and ice sports across the gamut are
doing really, really well on the World Cup circuit, which tends to
be the qualifications on the way to the Games.
00:22:15:00 - 00:22:40:07
Jacquie
Truly, they're poised to do their very best. We're excelling in so
many sports right now, whether it be Mikael Kingsbury, a freestyle
skier, just won his 100th World Cup, hundredth, 100th gold medal
and a World Cup. So we're really excited about people like Mik
Kingsbury. Again, like the PWHL women, we've got a number of short
track and long track speed skaters, William Dandjinou out of Quebec
is really poised to do very well on short track.
00:22:40:09 - 00:23:04:19
Jacquie
But Marion Thenault, also a freestyle skier who does aerials, also
poised to do well. The list is long and really exciting to talk
about them. Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, they are ice dance
champions. Cynthia Appiah, a bobsleigh powerhouse and, Reece
Howden, who's a ski cross athlete. So we're going to really see
some strengths across all of these sports.
00:23:04:19 - 00:23:24:12
Jacquie
So on the ice, on the snow, really look out for what I hope is a
wonderful performance. So I do highly suggest you follow them on
socials, certainly engage with them on our channels and hear all
about their journeys. We keep saying it, and it becomes more true
every day. The Olympic Games really do bring people together like
nothing else can. And we think the world needs these Games.
00:23:24:18 - 00:23:42:13
Jacquie
Canada needs them. Our country once again is going to come together
and support the Olympic movement and really be inspired by the
power of sport and inspire the next generation. So really, the
power of these Games is really immeasurable. And, I'm really,
really excited that the athletes now have their time to shine.
00:23:42:15 - 00:24:04:04
Alison
So I couldn't agree more. The time is right for Canada and the
world to come together. So the timing for the Olympics as a great
unifier is wonderful to say the least. Now I want to go a little
bit deeper on all of the ways that Canadians across the country can
engage with the Olympics, cheer on all the super-talented athletes
that we are sending to the Games.
00:24:04:04 - 00:24:10:23
Alison
So we talked about Fan Fest, I'd love to hear a little bit more
about that for our listeners and also some of the other
activations, other plans.
00:24:11:01 - 00:24:26:13
Jacquie
Yeah, for sure. I'd love to talk about, I mean, the reality is that
most Canadians won't be in Italy. I do have that good fortune, but
most won't be. But there are loads of opportunities to engage with
the Olympic Movement and Milano Cortina, because our goal is to
make sure that Canadians feel connected to the Olympic
experience.
00:24:26:13 - 00:24:47:11
Jacquie
So one of our core priorities for Milano Cortina is ensuring that
Canadians feel a part of Team Canada wherever they are in the
country. So firstly, we're bringing the Games to communities across
Canada through our Team Canada Fan Fest, which I'll tell you about
a little bit more in a minute, and fan engagement experiences. Team
Canada Fan Fest is a free family festival,
00:24:47:15 - 00:25:12:19
Jacquie
it's a fantastic opportunity for Canadians to come together in the
community, cheer together, celebrate what I'm sure will be iconic
moments as we will be running the broadcast live at these events.
Try their hand at a few winter sports, including skating, and feel
that sense of national unity right there, real time. So it's really
where the country will come together to experience the games back
here in Canada as one team.
00:25:12:21 - 00:25:36:18
Jacquie
So we'll be in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal all in
February and really excited to, you know, have this opportunity to
bring the community together, kid-friendly activities, hands-on
experience, Olympic athletes and it really will be a wonderful,
wonderful opportunity in these communities. And then with that, our
marketing partners are coming along with us.
00:25:36:18 - 00:26:20:00
Jacquie
So at Team Canada Fan Fest, you'll see, all sorts of activations
from Bell Canada, Canadian Tire, Petro Canada, Tim Hortons,
GoodLife, Nulo, Maple Leaf Foods, Hillberg & Berk, Pilliterri
Estate Wines, Access Storage and Labatt. They'll all be present
there. So really helping bring these activations to life. And then
I would say further, as I mentioned before, our marketing partners
across the country, they're helping extend that excitement to
everyday life through their community activations, all sorts of
retail, in-store, in-restaurant celebrations, programming for young
people and kids, fan contests, win a trip to the Games, all sorts
of engagements on social and digital, and loads of opportunity for
Canadians to share in the pride
00:26:20:00 - 00:26:39:15
Jacquie
and joy of cheering for Team Canada. And then, of course, a big
call out to our really important partners on CBC. So, best place to
watch the Games is on CBC or Radio-Canada. And then follow along
with some of our other marketing partners, which includes The Globe
and Mail and The GIST. So there are there will be many
opportunities.
00:26:39:15 - 00:26:57:16
Jacquie
I think if you're following us on social, that's where you can find
out more about this. So even if Canadians aren't in Italy, they'll
still be deeply part of Milano Cortina and Team Canada, that
we connect emotionally, digitally in their communities through Team
Canada FanFest, ideally united in support of, our team to cheer
them on.
00:26:57:18 - 00:27:20:13
Alison
And we have a lot to cheer and look forward to with Milano Cortina.
And when we look beyond the Olympics, it's a big, big year and big
time for sport in Canada. We've got FIFA coming to Canada this
year, we've got the LA Olympics coming in 2028. So how are all of
these significant sporting events helping build towards something
bigger for Canadian sport and national engagement?
00:27:20:15 - 00:27:41:20
Jacquie
Well, that's a great question, and I think we're going to see this
Canadian pride continue to grow and build. 2026 is poised really to
be a landmark year, I think, for Canadian sport. It sort of, is so
integral to who we are as Canadians and unites us more than ever in
the face of unprecedented challenges. I mean, we were all
captivated by the Blue Jays' thrilling World Series run.
00:27:41:20 - 00:28:08:19
Jacquie
And soon we'll be glued to our TVs or mobile devices for Milano
Cortina, and then shortly following after that we'll be excited
about FIFA World Cup coming to Canada. So really an incredible
year, and it will be a great opportunity to see that the Canadian
athletes are actually defying all odds. They're shining on the
world stage, despite a sports system that actually is struggling
financially, as much as again, the Canadian Olympic Committee I
mentioned is a privately-funded organization.
00:28:08:21 - 00:28:33:07
Jacquie
So with a national sport organization, so an example of a national
sport organization would be anything from Freestyle Skiing to
Alpine Skiing to Hockey Canada. The list is long. Summer would be,
you know, Tennis Canada as an example. So all of the individual
national sport organizations, they're facing a dramatic funding
cut, and they're not being supported in a way that they had
historically been supported from the Federal Government.
00:28:33:07 - 00:28:51:10
Jacquie
So it's the challenge of that is it's making sport less accessible
for many young athletes, from grassroots all the way to high
performance. And and when you see these incredible events and these
athletes perform on the world stage, it absolutely inspires that
next generation. And we just really we need to make sure that we
have access for the next generation,
00:28:51:10 - 00:29:13:21
Jacquie
so they can they can really, take that inspiration and turn that
into an ability to to experience all those positive experiences
that you and I have had in sport, and make it accessible. It's a
big year. It'll be a big year for, for sport in Canada. And
hopefully there's a way to parlay that into partnering with the
federal government to really modernize Canada's sport system.
00:29:13:21 - 00:29:34:02
Jacquie
So there's a there's an opportunity here. And as the COC, we're
going to continue to play a leadership role in advocating for this,
advocating for safe and inclusive sport for all Canadians. And we
will continue to be a strong business as I've talked about
throughout this podcast. But the broader sport system is where we
need some help.
00:29:34:04 - 00:29:57:12
Jacquie
And then lastly, I have to point out, I know if you asked me about
2026, but I'm going to talk about 2028 and that's the LA Olympic
Games. So Los Angeles will be hosting the Olympic Summer games in
2028. And believe it or not, I have ten files on my desk where
we're already working on that, so it will be such an exciting
Summer Games, in essence, kind of like a North American Games.
00:29:57:12 - 00:30:18:15
Jacquie
It's not quite like they're here in Canada, but they're just down
south. And we've already been there a few times to start the
planning. And I can tell you LA is really excited to welcome us
with open arms and bring in that competitive spirit with Team
Canada. So look out for some very cool stuff on the journey to LA
2028.
00:30:18:17 - 00:30:43:23
Alison
Thanks, Jacquie. I hadn't appreciated how a lot of the sporting
associations are struggling with financing, and it makes two
programs we talked about earlier with RBC and Bell, where they're
really ensuring that Canadian emerging athletes across the country,
despite their financial means, have a chance to get the sporting
opportunities and to get the nurturing and coaching they need to
help represent Canada on the world stage.
00:30:44:00 - 00:31:05:16
Alison
And even if they don't get that far, as you said, sport has played
such a pivotal role in my life, in your life and the professional
benefits you get from it, the personal benefits, the skills it
teaches you is so important for every Canadian at every age,
especially the next generation. So thank you to your partners and
thank you to the COC for really helping enable that.
00:31:05:18 - 00:31:19:15
Alison
As you know, I end each episode by asking my guests to share a
piece of career advice that you would offer to listeners who aspire
to follow in your footsteps and ultimately get into those CMO and
senior leadership roles. So I would love to hear your parting
advice.
00:31:19:17 - 00:31:44:07
Jacquie
You know, I struggle with this question because I actually think
the answer is kind of simple. It really is be kind, be curious and
show up and work hard. I really believe that if you can find a way
to do that, being kind obviously is important. Just in day to day
from a relationship-building perspective. Makes people want to work
with you. Curiosity is so important
00:31:44:07 - 00:32:05:17
Jacquie
to learn. We need to be relentless learners. Your learning journey
is long. Your career is long. It's a long road, so be curious and
learn and work hard because that will differentiate you. And I
think whether it's being kind, being curious and working hard,
don't worry, the right people are always watching, so you don't
have to be in a rush.
00:32:05:20 - 00:32:29:22
Jacquie
You don't have to worry about what your business card says. Just
make sure that you enjoy what you're doing. Follow that mantra and
the right people will see you, they'll find you, they'll mentor
you, they'll promote you, they'll engage you, and they'll bring you
in. And the opportunities will come, I promise. So I really think
it's that simple. And, if you stick to that, I think the future is
very bright, particularly for marketing.
00:32:30:00 - 00:32:48:12
Alison
I think that is exceptional advice. And sometimes, often the
simplest advice is the most powerful. It can also be tough to
follow. So I absolutely echo your advice and encourage everyone
listening to take that away and action it. And you're absolutely
right. The right people will notice you. Opportunities will open up
for sure. So Jacquie, thanks for a great conversation.
00:32:48:12 - 00:32:55:23
Alison
Absolutely looking forward to cheering on Team Canada in the coming
weeks. And I hope you have a wonderful time being on site.
00:32:56:00 - 00:33:05:21
Jacquie
Thank you, Alison, and thank you for inviting me on. Thank you for
your leadership in marketing and we're really looking forward to
cheering on Team Canada.
00:33:05:23 - 00:33:18:13
Presenter
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