Browse All Strategic Priorities
Canada is an ethnically diverse country with a melting-pot of cultures from all over the world; it is reported that 22% of Canadians are visible minority (>50% in Toronto and Vancouver), 6% reported Indigenous ancestry, 4% identify as LGBTQ2+, and 22% has a disability.
Recognizing that Canada’s marketing and advertising industry doesn’t always mirror our diversity, and that we are uniquely placed to support, if not lead societal justice efforts through our work, the ACA formed a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) committee.
The committee’s mandate is simple: support, educate, and empower member companies – and the industry at large – by delivering diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, to affect lasting impact and measurable, positive change.
Importantly, the outcomes of these efforts will lead to an advertising industry that accurately portrays and represents our diverse populations, not only with the faces in front of the camera, but also with the multitude of people behind the scenes who contribute to the creative output.
That’s why, in the summer of 2020, the ACA revised its mission statement to reflect the importance of DEI initiatives and other social causes.
ACA Mission: As marketers’ only independent voice, we fight for members’ interests and positive social change to maximize ROI.
In addition, the ACA also formed a DEI Committee, made up of senior leaders from both member and non-member companies. The inaugural committee was chaired by Esther Benzie, Vice President, CIBC, and included nine additional members from the following national advertisers:
- Jamieson Laboratories Ltd.
- L’Oréal
- Loblaw Companies Ltd.
- Metrolinx
- Molson Coors Canada
- P&G
- TD Bank Group
- Toyota Canada
- Unilever
We have now moved from an active committee to maintaining DEI as a priority by integrating it into tangible tools and resources that support and empower members to advance DEI within their organizations and the industry at large.
In the summer of 2021 the ACA also spearheaded a national survey, as part of the first-ever global survey on DEI in the marketing industry.
The results of The DEI Census: Canada Report are now available and will help guide initiatives of the ACA’s DEI Committee. The report’s wide release to the Canadian marketing community is also intended to support similar initiatives at other associations and organizations.
Partnering with us on this initiative are the Association of Creative Communications Agencies (A2C), Advertising Standards Canada (ASC), the Canadian Media Directors Council (CMDC), Grenier aux nouvelles, the Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA), the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada (IAB Canada), Pride Advertising & Marketing (Pride AM), the Multicultural Marketing Alliance of Canada (MMAC), strategy, and thinktv.
The global lead on the survey, the World Federation of Advertisers, intends to run it again in Q1 of 2023, in order to measure progress.
Blogs
- L’Oréal: A Beauty Brand With A Purpose (March 2023)
- Mark Harrison’s ‘Aboveground Railroad’ Approach to Advancing DEI (February 2023)
- P&G’s 7 Habits to Drive Multicultural Market Growth (January 2023)
Resources
- Rules and Guidelines for creating Accessible Graphics – AMI (2024)
- The 2024 Global Advertising Accessibility Index & Trends Report (2024)
- The DEI Global Census: Canada Market Report (2023)
- Diversity & Representation: Guide to potential areas for bias in the creative process (2021)
- The DEI Global Census: Canada Market Report (2021)
- Marketing to the LGBTQ+ Community – Webinar (2021)
Media Releases
- (June 15, 2023) Wave II of Global DEI Census shows high recognition of industry efforts but no improvement on inclusion
- (March 15, 2023) ACA Leads Second Global Industry DEI Census in Canada
- (November 29, 2021) New Tool to Ensure Diversity and Representation at Every Step of the Creative Process
- (October 25, 2021) First-ever global DEI Census reveals major challenges around family status, age, gender, ethnicity and disability in Canada
- (June 14, 2021) Canada to participate in global industry survey on diversity, equity and inclusion launching June 21
Webinars
- (May 1, 2024) Multicultural Influencers: Why You Should Diversify Your Roster
- (March 19, 2024) The Rising Tide of Cricket: Unveiling New Branding Horizons
- (November 2, 2022) The Diverse Habits and Opinions of Multicultural Consumers
- (October 5, 2022) Dear Everybody, Let’s Include Disability in the Picture!
- (January 14, 2022) Toward Diversity & Representation at Every Stage of the Creative Process