EP36 - How the CMA is Futureproofing Marketing with Alan Depencier

Curious how the CMA is advancing and futureproofing the marketing profession? In this episode of CMA Connect, Alison Simpson, CEO of the CMA, welcomes Alan Depencier, Chief Marketing Officer, Personal & Commercial Banking and Insurance at RBC and CMA Board Chair. Alan discusses why he got involved with the CMA, joining the Board, advancing the profession, the accomplishments he's most proud of as CMA Board Chair, the latest membership benefits, and his advice for building a career you can be proud of. Tune in to gain insights from one of Canada's top marketing leaders.

00:00:01:18 - 00:00:23:07
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.

00:00:23:09 - 00:00:45:10
Alison
After a very busy and rewarding January, the macro environment and U.S. tariffs are certainly creating a more challenging business environment. There's no doubt that we have a bit of a rollercoaster ride ahead. The reality we all need to keep in mind is that the U.S. absolutely needs Canada. We are the top export market for 36 U.S. states and 2.5 billion in trade crosses between our countries every single day.

00:00:45:12 - 00:01:02:23
Alison
Canadians need to stand up for ourselves. Every dollar we spend is a vote. It's a vote for the kind of economy we want and the future that we believe in. On a happier note, I'm very pleased to welcome Alan Depencier, the chair of CMA's Board of Directors, to our podcast today. We're going to discuss all that we have planned for the CMA.

00:01:03:01 - 00:01:38:01
Alison
And Alan's also going to share a bit about his journey and why he's taken such an active role volunteering for our association and the marketing profession. Alan was elected to the CMA board in 2019 and has contributed significantly as a member of CMA's Member Engagement and Human Resources committees. He's also chaired the Finance and Audit Committee, and served as the Board Vice Chair before his appointment to Board Chair last May. Alan also played a pivotal role in the creation of the CMA NXT program, which helps university and college students bridge the gap between post-secondary education and starting their professional life in marketing.

00:01:38:03 - 00:01:58:13
Alison
In addition to his outstanding contributions to the CMA, Alan has a very inspiring career in marketing. He's held senior marketing roles at RBC for 20 years, including the past seven serving as Chief Marketing Officer for Personal and Commercial Banking and Insurance. Prior to joining RBC, he managed consumer packaged goods brands and spearheaded the growth of a startup venture.

00:01:58:15 - 00:02:00:10
Alison
Welcome, Alan. It's great to see you.

00:02:00:12 - 00:02:03:05
Alan
Hi Alison, thanks for having me join your podcast today.

00:02:03:07 - 00:02:11:05
Alison
I'd love to kick things off by having you share a bit about what attracted you to get involved with the CMA years ago, and more recently join the CMA Board.

00:02:11:07 - 00:02:33:12
Alan
That's such a great question. Well, years ago I was asked to help organize the first Client Experience Conference for the CMA, and that really was my first real exposure to the CMA. You know, I really enjoyed the opportunity because I had an opportunity to bring together industry leaders to shape conversations around client experience. And it's such an important part of the marketing mix back then, and even so today.

00:02:33:14 - 00:02:52:21
Alan
So over the years, I stayed involved because the CMA plays such a critical role in driving marketing excellence in Canada. More recently, I joined the Board because it felt like the natural next step. It's a chance to give back. It's an opportunity to help shape the future of the industry and support the next generation of marketers. But beyond that, it actually makes me a better marketer in my day job.

00:02:52:23 - 00:03:03:01
Alan
The networking, the insights, the industry conversations helps me continue to grow and try to stay ahead of trends. It's just been such an incredible journey over the last few years as I've got more and more involved.

00:03:03:03 - 00:03:12:22
Alison
Well Alan, I owe a huge thank you to whoever got you involved in the initial events you've given, contributed significantly to the CMA and also our profession, so thank you for that.

00:03:13:00 - 00:03:13:21
Alan
You're welcome.

00:03:13:23 - 00:03:17:07
Alison
I'd love you to share a bit about how the board and CMA staff work together.

00:03:17:09 - 00:03:33:07
Alan
Absolutely. You know, the first thing I'd say is the CMA has a relatively small management team. So as a Board, we kind of get to wear two hats. There's the governance side, which is the traditional role of a Board, which helps guide strategy and oversight. But we also have the opportunity to lean in and support management when they need help.

00:03:33:07 - 00:03:49:00
Alan
And especially as a marketer, we love doing that. And I think sometimes we lean in a little too much. So I think, Alison, you keep us in check on that one. So whether it's sharing a different perspective or brainstorming solutions, I think the Board can really help out management as needed. There's a real sense of collaboration on this Board with management.

00:03:49:05 - 00:04:07:14
Alan
I'm really fortunate to sit on a Board that has such a broad set of expertise and experience, but more importantly, has a passion for the industry and helping to shape its future. One challenge, though, as I mentioned, is that we have a number of marketers on the Board, so we naturally have lots of ideas. But with a lean team, prioritization is key.

00:04:07:15 - 00:04:17:03
Alan
We have to focus on what's going to have the most impact for the industry and its members. It's a dynamic and rewarding experience, I know as I talk to the Board in my own personal experience.

00:04:17:05 - 00:04:44:14
Alison
I can absolutely attest to the incredible passion, the amazing ideas that come from our shared discussion with the Boards. And the good news is, when maybe getting a little too deep, you're absolutely open to that, "Okay guys, let's prioritize and pull back a little bit." So it's a great collaboration and we have really good healthy debate. And I know that everyone around that boardroom table and everyone on my team is fully committed to doing what's in the best interest of future-proofing our profession.

00:04:44:16 - 00:04:48:14
Alan
That's great. Well, you keep us in check as needed and pull us in more if you need more.

00:04:48:16 - 00:04:54:19
Alison
So Alan, from the Board's perspective, how has the CMA helped to advance the marketing profession in 2024?

00:04:54:21 - 00:05:14:09
Alan
You know, the CMA is really the only place where the full marketing ecosystem comes together, and that really leads to healthy, robust debate, and these exciting discussions around important topics and issues facing our profession. One of the great ways that happens is through events. You know, we have lots of events that are really focused on priority topics that our members care about most.

00:05:14:14 - 00:05:31:14
Alan
And those can come to life in virtual events or they come in in-person events. Many of them are free or as part of your corporate membership, so I highly encourage you to take advantage of those. We also launched our inaugural CMA Marketing Week back in 2024. It was a huge success and one that we're going to build upon in 2025.

00:05:31:16 - 00:05:54:01
Alan
And when I say "we", really I'm looking your way, Alison, because it's your team that does all the great work. Another incredible part of that is the CMA community continues to grow. We had over 56 new organizations join us in 2024: from Pizza Pizza; Cineplex Media; General Electric; HubSpot; Special Olympics; Doctor Oetker; and Peloton, just to mention a few of the new members.

00:05:54:03 - 00:06:17:22
Alan
And of course, we ended 2024 with the always amazing CMA Awards Show. We had the highest number of award entries this year, ever, and it was great celebrating the incredible creativity of our profession along over a thousand marketers and agencies at the gala. Another way we're advancing the profession is really how we future-proof the profession through a number of vehicles. In our research,

00:06:18:06 - 00:06:40:03
Alan
we see that members and marketers rated the future of marketing as the thought leadership topic, closely followed by emerging trends and how technology advancements are impacting marketing. The CMA councils and committees are just an incredible source for thought leadership to stay ahead of where the profession is going across a wide range of topics, whether that's client experience, creativity, brand, insights, just to name a few.

00:06:40:05 - 00:07:02:20
Alan
We have over 300 senior members in our councils and committees contributing to important discussions debate across the future profession. What other association could bring together 300 senior marketers and experts on these topics? And one really close to RBC's heart is helping to nurture the next generation of marketing talent with the CMA NXT. It's just another way we're future-proofing the profession.

00:07:02:22 - 00:07:26:12
Alan
This program bridges the gap between post-secondary school and a successful marketing career. As part of CMA NXT, the association hosts virtual career nights and most recently had over 600 students from across Canada on the last virtual event. And of course, this podcast is just another way the CMA is helping to future-proof members and marketers in a new, exciting vehicle like podcasts.

00:07:26:14 - 00:07:48:23
Alan
Another way we're advancing is really around professional development. Gen AI is certainly a hot topic in 2024, and CMA helps members and marketers navigate this important area and just, in a number of ways. First one is we create an on-demand generative AI certificate course to complement our other generative AI training sessions. It's proven very popular. The CMA has an AI committee creating thought leadership and guidance for members.

00:07:49:01 - 00:08:13:17
Alan
Another thing we've been doing is the association's Evolve the Charter Marketer program by making it much more on-demand so marketers can learn on their schedule and at their pace. The CMA introduced new advanced standing pathways for the CM program. One of the pathways provides advanced standings for recognized folks with formal education or substantial marketing experience. The new career experience path is for marketers with eight years of progressive experience and diverse marketing experience.

00:08:13:19 - 00:08:37:10
Alan
And then on the education side, if you're a graduate with a marketing degree or diploma from an accredited Canadian university or college, people who qualify for these new pathways have a streamlined course requirement to obtain their CM designation. And of course, DEI continues to be a top priority for the CMA. We completed our fourth annual study back in 2024, and it showed the marketing profession is making progress, but we still have a long way to go.

00:08:37:12 - 00:09:06:03
Alan
One exciting program within this space is the Digital Marketing Skills Canada program, otherwise known as DMSC. It's a really important new initiative the CMA launched in 2024 that addresses the needs of both diversity and up-skilling the marketing profession. The DMSC program is in partnership with Palette Skills. It is funded by the Government of Canada. The CMA, along with our training partners Growclass and Jelly Academy, have up-skilled over 1200 Canadian marketers and helped the majority secure their next job.

00:09:06:05 - 00:09:25:15
Alan
80% of the graduates are from underrepresented groups. This program has created a very strong talent base of up-skilled marketers, ranging from junior right through to the VP levels. So if you're looking for some talent and have a couple of roles that you want to fill, it's a terrific resource. Employers who hire graduates can also benefit from a $5,000 government grant.

00:09:25:17 - 00:09:42:22
Alan
Just a huge kudos, Alison, because I know you did a lot of work bringing that program to market in partnership with Palette Skills and the government and our other partners. And finally, the Voice in Marketing in Canada is all the advocacy work we do on behalf of he profession. It's such an incredible source of pride. The advocacy efforts cover a broad range of topics.

00:09:43:00 - 00:10:03:08
Alan
In the last few months, the CMA has spoken out against the proposed TikTok ban; how the digital services tax is negatively impacting business; and why marketing should be an eligible field of study for post-graduate work permits. And these are just three recent examples. The CMA has met with all political parties recently. We hosted the Canada's Privacy Commissioner for a fireside chat at our fall event.

00:10:03:09 - 00:10:16:08
Alan
We've written op-eds and have worked closely with other business associations and key leaders on these important topics. So that's just a little bit of how we're advancing the profession, but I'm sure we could talk the entire podcast on all these things, Alison. But I'll cut it short there.

00:10:16:10 - 00:10:34:21
Alison
Well, Alan, I love the fact that you say "we" because you are absolutely a crucial part of this, as are our Board and the amount of volunteers that we have from across our membership that are actively raising their hand and participating, we could not do a fraction of what we accomplished last year or in the coming year without that level of volunteers.

00:10:34:23 - 00:10:38:05
Alison
So it is absolutely "we', and not just the CMA's team.

00:10:38:07 - 00:10:39:18
Alan
Well thank you.

00:10:39:19 - 00:10:47:20
Alison
Now it's a long list, so this next question might be a little tricky to answer. But as Board Chair, what accomplishments of the CMA Board are you most proud of?

00:10:47:22 - 00:11:10:18
Alan
Well, I promise I won't restate everything I just went through, but, it's hard to just pick one thing. But there's a couple that kind of stand out. And like any good marketer, how do you measure success? It's just not a laundry list of activities. So we we have put in some incredible, KPIs that we monitor. And I think the first one is, our Member Net Promoter score

00:11:10:18 - 00:11:33:13
Alan
significantly increased this year, which is telling us we're meeting and even exceeding our member expectations. And I think secondly, we've seen strong growth in new members. Both of these are just an incredibly great sign that CMA's relevance and impact is on the, is heading in the right direction and in a great spot. That being said, both the Leadership and the Board see much more opportunity to build upon this momentum in 2025.

00:11:33:14 - 00:11:42:08
Alan
So just a huge congratulations on it, these incredible achievements. And, it looks like a bright future as we look forward to 2025.

00:11:42:10 - 00:11:58:23
Alison
Well, right back at you on the huge congratulations. So as you called out, we've got great momentum. None of us are going to slow down anytime soon. We really have a lot to do to continue future-proofing the profession and marketers. So what do you see as some of the key focus areas in the year ahead?

00:11:59:01 - 00:12:18:13
Alan
In 2025, our focus is really building upon the momentum, as I mentioned, of these incredible 2024 accomplishments. That being said, we have some terrific new membership benefits that I'd love to just spend a couple of minutes highlighting because you spent so much time trying to bring more value to to all our members. Firstly, we're expanding and introducing new CMA councils in 2025.

00:12:18:13 - 00:12:40:04
Alan
So we're bringing together members to share thought leadership on public relations, product marketing and much more. Secondly, we're expanding our national focus on in-person gatherings, including a roadshow, so our members across Canada can come together in person. I think this is just one thing we've been talking about at the Board for a while, is we'd love to have much more of a national presence with the CMA going forward.

00:12:40:05 - 00:13:03:06
Alan
Thirdly, all CMA members will benefit from free access to 25 CMA events, plus members will receive substantial savings of up to 80% on other events. That includes everything except for the CMA Awards Gala. We're also launching the CMA Mentorship program, which is exclusive to and complementary for all our members. Learning is also key to future-proofing your career and ranks as a top priority for members.

00:13:03:08 - 00:13:28:19
Alan
Yet finding budget for learning can be challenging. So, Alison, you and your team are introducing significant member-only discounts of 50% off our CMA training programs, certificate courses in the Chartered Marketer program. We're also creating the CMA CEO Young Marketers Advisory Board of rising stars from across the marketing ecosystem. This volunteer board will work closely with me and advise the CMA and our profession.

00:13:28:21 - 00:13:50:10
Alan
And finally, we're introducing regular CMA socials for marketers in the first phases of their career to connect, have fun, and grow their networks. Which I'm super excited and I hope you'll invite us old people as well, Alison, to these fun events. And finally, knowing that the economy is still a challenge for many organizations, and to your point, the recent news on tariffs, you'll be happy to hear the CMA has been holding firm on membership rates this year

00:13:50:10 - 00:14:18:13
Alan
in 2025 to help ease the pain a little bit. A number of our colleagues in the marketing profession are currently in transition and need our support. So we've also introduced a one-year individual affiliate program that gives marketers in transition access to select individual CMA benefits at a manageable cost. And in May, we're building upon the strong success of last year's inaugural CMA Marketing Week with an expanded offering and new ways for our community to come together during the 2025 CMA Marketing Week.

00:14:18:15 - 00:14:38:12
Alan
The CMA is starting 2025 also in a brand new home, which we think is going to be an incredible new home for all our members to come visit us. And in case you're interested, we're at 145 Wellington Street West in Toronto. Anyways, it's going to be a super exciting year ahead and can't wait to see the progress throughout the year, Alison.

00:14:38:14 - 00:14:46:09
Alison
Thanks, Alan. So another tough question. If you could only pick one or two things, what do you most looking forward to in 2025?

00:14:46:11 - 00:15:06:23
Alan
Oh boy. There's so much to be excited about in 2025. I guess I'm really looking forward to building upon the foundation you and your Leadership team have created. And I think what's most exciting is the agility that the CMA has kind of established over the last year in terms of really evolving and responding to the, the rapidly changing dynamics in the marketing industry.

00:15:08:03 - 00:15:25:08
Alan
So I think that's the piece I most look forward to as who knows what 2025 is gonna look like. You start with the best plan, but things pop up. Last year was like the TikTok ban or you know, we've got tariffs coming out now. I just think it's super exciting to see our the organization really respond to this

00:15:25:08 - 00:15:34:07
Alan
on the advocacy side, as well as bringing out new tools and resources to help our members deal with, you know, the dynamic world of marketing and the world we live in today.

00:15:34:09 - 00:15:47:13
Alison
Now, when you have an absolutely enviable career, and I know our listeners would love to learn from your wealth of experience. So before I let you go, I'd love to hear one piece of advice that's been key to your career success that you'd like to share.

00:15:47:14 - 00:16:03:16
Alan
It's always a great question. I guess if I had to bring it down to just a couple of simple things... start with your passion points and your core skills. If you know what they are, and you really lean into them, I think the most successful careers are really built upon the intersection of what you're great at and what excites you.

00:16:03:18 - 00:16:30:11
Alan
And when you focus on your strengths and you really apply them in the areas that energize you, opportunities naturally happen over time. At the same time, you really want to stay curious and always be willing to learn. What I've seen is the best careers of all because people embrace change. You kind of explore new ideas. You take some smart risks, and by stepping outside of your comfort zone, whether it's a new role, an industry or a new challenge can really lead to incredible growth.

00:16:30:12 - 00:16:49:23
Alan
And it's about building a career that's both fulfilling and future-proof. And finally, most importantly, be your authentic self. Success isn't just about skills. It's about bringing your unique perspective and values to everything you do. When you stay true to yourself, the right opportunities always follow, and you'll be super happy in your career.

00:16:50:01 - 00:17:10:22
Alison
That that is such great advice. Thank you. And I also want to say a huge thank you to you. You've got such a busy day job, yet you have carved out a significant amount of time for many years to be actively volunteering and supporting the CMA in the marketing profession, and now stepping into the chair role. It really is like having a second job.

00:17:10:22 - 00:17:29:16
Alison
And you have been such an incredible partner to me and to the CMA staff. And I also want to extend that thank you to our full Board. We are so fortunate to have an incredibly talented and diverse Board, that really become core partners to everything that we achieve. And it is very much, we're achieving this success together.

00:17:29:16 - 00:17:33:04
Alison
And we couldn't do it without you. So huge thank you!

00:17:33:15 - 00:17:49:21
Alan
Thank you so much. You know, as I said earlier, you know, it's probably the one Board that I've sat on and probably sit on where I actually get more out of it for my day job. So I think when you do that, you know, it's a win-win. And I look forward to the, to the next year ahead.

00:17:50:01 - 00:17:54:06
Alan
And thank you to you and your team for everything you've done over the last year. And look forward to an exciting 2025.

00:17:54:12 - 00:17:56:12
Alison
Absolutely. Thanks Alan!

00:17:56:14 - 00:17:58:21
Alan
Thank you.

00:17:58:23 - 00:18:11:13
Presenter
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