Sessions

Listen to experts who have spent their careers working on the brand side of marketing as they tell us about the ins and outs of working with agencies. They’ll tell us some of their more memorable experiences, what they see a lot of, what they’ve liked and disliked, including the biggest “no-no's" to watch out for and share their predictions for the future.

From one marketer to another – learn how to get through chaotic prompts, the trough of despair and the deeply cursed “LinkedIn bro” advice. Get a practical reality check on how to effectively use AI as a marketer. We'll ditch the hype, dig into the data of how AI is impacting marketers, get curious about how the technology actually works and walk through how to integrate it into your marketing processes without losing your voice or your mind. Complete with additional prompting resources and a vetted AI toolkit from marketers just like you.

Crisis communications are nothing new, but in 2025 they have become a critical part of many brands’ communications plans. Learn from expert Lloyd Rang, President and Narrative Lead of Curious Public, who will use some of the most recent press wins and fails to teach us the best practices of crisis comms.

Sometimes even leaders don’t have every solution. Maggie Bolt from AMA Toronto explains how to lead teams with confidence, even in uncertainty, and why seeking mentorship never truly stops.

Put your marketing knowledge to the test at this pub-style trivia night. Divide into teams to answer general knowledge or multiple choice questions, correctly identify popular logos or tell us who sings that song that mentions certain brand names. There may even be prizes for the winning team!

In an industry steeped in highlight reels and polished narratives, happiness is often portrayed as a product rather than a practice; carefully edited and designed to persuade. But the science of happiness tells a more complex story. Drawing on empirical evidence, Dr. Gillian Mandich examines the gap between curated and lived happiness, offering strategies grounded in science that foster genuine well-being and strengthen creativity, motivation and health in a culture of constant curation marked by stress, complexity and relentless comparison.

Borealis Principal, Mark Hickmott, addresses the big marketing questions: Have we lost the plot? What was the plot to begin with? Do we even need it? There’s something to be said about storytelling. 

There are various aspects of marketing that go into developing a program. No matter your area of expertise, you’ll have the opportunity to flex your creative problem-solving and presentation muscles. Those who express interest in advance will be sent a brief so they can prepare in advance and pitch their ideas to our panel of judges. The winning team will receive a cash prize (and Haventree Bank may even reach out to you when they start shopping for agency partners)!

The best ads are those that evoke emotion. Too often, we get caught up with things that distract us from our feelings. This hands-on workshop encourages you to reconnect with your feelings and explore your own creativity through different joy and happiness prompts. Think of this like creative therapy.

Failure is a part of any success story, but we don't talk about it enough. The popular speaker series and community that shares stories of professional failure joins us at Camp re:Connect for a special bonfire to break down stigmas and amplify the message that failure is healthy and essential to learning and growing.

Technology is advancing at lightning speed. Marketing leaders are always sharing definitive statements on LinkedIn and it feels like not a day goes by where AI isn’t “coming for our jobs”. Big Tech is telling us not to worry about data and that “they’ll give us what (they think) we need”. If you feel the crushing weight of negativity or that we may never see the forest through the trees, you’re not alone! Let’s unpack this and explore how to assess and navigate appropriately - for us and our clients.