Venture into the vibrant world of Canadian food retail, with our special guest, Sophia Rouleau, Director of Marketing, Banner Planning and Strategic Priorities, Sobeys. In this episode, Sophia pulls back the curtain on how Sobey’s visionary insights have harnessed immense growth opportunities across the country, utilizing multicultural marketing. Sobeys’ FreshCo and Chalo! FreshCo brands are not just selling groceries, they are committed to authentically engaging with Canada's diverse communities, using the universal power of food as a connector.

Uncover the challenges and triumphs of crafting campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences, illustrated by Freshco's insights like “grocery shopping just like home,” and its "valuelicious" campaign, a masterclass in linguistic and cultural adaptation.

Hear Sophia's reflections on the importance of respecting cultural nuances, conducting thorough research, and fostering collaboration across various functions to ensure that marketing initiatives are both meaningful and effective. Drawing upon her 16 years of grocery and food marketing experience, Sophia cites specific examples of brands that have thrived by taking calculated risks, while maintaining consistent brand activity.

This episode is a rich source of inspiration for marketers eager to generate organic, authentic engagement with diverse audiences. You don’ want to miss this!

Biographies

Guest: Sophia Rouleau is a strategic, action-oriented marketer who passionately challenges the status quo, to create meaningful connections between brands and their customers. She is a veteran marketer with 16 years of experience, having worked with brands such as ACE Bakery, Weston Foods and GreenSpace Brands to name a few. Today, Sophia serves as the Director of Marketing, Banner Planning and Strategic Priorities at Sobeys and one of her important responsibilities is leading the charge in multicultural marketing for the FreshCo and Chalo FreshCo brands at Sobeys.

Host: Sharifa Khan is the visionary founder of Canada’s multicultural marketing discipline. She is also the founder and CEO of Balmoral Multicultural Marketing. Her firm, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, continues to innovate at the top of its field. In 2021, Sharifa received the industry’s highest honour, as an inductee in the prestigious Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends.

Subscribe now and never miss an episode, featuring top industry experts and thought leaders on their multicultural marketing journeys (and don’t forget to rate and review this podcast).

Social Media: (Follow: #Balmoral and #MulticulturalMarketingPodcast)

LinkedIn:

Sharifa Khan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharifa-khan/

Balmoral Multicultural Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/balmoral-multicultural-marketing/

IG:

@sharifa7147
@balmoralmulticultural
@kekadasgupta

Resources:
www.balmoralmkt.com | 416.364.0046 | inquiries@balmoralmkt.com


Credits and Acknowledgements:

· Keka DasGupta – executive producer

· Daniel Ho, ReMarketing Company Inc. - video and editing services

· Rima Maamari - podcast advisory services

How can understanding cultural identities help you to intuitively connect more deeply with your audiences? In this episode, special guest Aaron GlenWilliams, Chief of Staff at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), answers this question, sharing insights from his remarkable career to date. This is a masterclass on how to speak to audiences in a more personal, targeted, and authentic way!

Aaron walks us through how understanding the nuances of cultural identities has enabled OLG to produce some wildly successful, award-winning campaigns that have instinctively engaged and built loyalty with Ontario's many multicultural communities.

He also shares how he and his team harness the power of data to mine for cultural insights. Take a tour behind the scenes with Aaron on some of his most memorable projects, from OLG, the Pan-American Games, Pride Toronto, and one initiative he is most proud of - opening the Nia Centre for the Arts (Canada's first arts centre dedicated exclusively to supporting and profiling Black talent).

Through it all, learn how understanding the unique behaviours of certain cultural groups can be key to taking your marketing impact to new heights.

Biographies

Guest: Aaron GlynWilliams helps governments and industries deliver positive outcomes for communities and strengthens public trust, especially through periods of transformation. He has led teams at the Pan-American Games, Pride Toronto, the Toronto Pearson International Airport, and Elections Ontario, to name a few. Aaron currently serves as the Chief of Staff at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). He is also an experienced non-profit Board Director, supporting diverse communities.

Host: Sharifa Khan is the visionary founder of Canada’s multicultural marketing discipline. She is ­­also the founder and CEO of Balmoral Multicultural Marketing. Her firm, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, continues to innovate at the top of its field. In 2021, Sharifa received the industry’s highest honour, as an inductee in the prestigious Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends.

Subscribe now and never miss an episode, featuring top industry experts and thought leaders on their multicultural marketing journeys (and don’t forget to rate and review this podcast).

Social Media: (Follow: #Balmoral and #MulticulturalMarketingPodcast)

LinkedIn:

Sharifa Khan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharifa-khan/

Balmoral Multicultural Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/balmoral-multicultural-marketing/

IG:

@sharifa7147
@balmoralmulticultural
@kekadasgupta

Resources:
www.balmoralmkt.com | 416.364.0046 | inquiries@balmoralmkt.com


Credits and Acknowledgements:

· Keka DasGupta – executive producer

· Daniel Ho, ReMarketing Company Inc. - video and editing services

· Rima Maamari - podcast advisory services

How can understanding cultural nuances impact your international business success? Tune into this episode to find out!

Join Sharifa as she sits down with Alan Middleton, a celebrated Canadian author and marketing veteran, and former President and CEO of J. Walter Thompson in Japan. In this episode, Alan shares his invaluable insights into multicultural marketing, especially from his time in Japan. He emphasizes the significance of listening, and recognizing a collectivist work culture that prioritizes team cohesion over individual acclaim.

Through his personal experiences in international business, Alan highlights how to build rapport at all organizational levels, and why reverse mentoring is a critical tool to foster deeper understanding between generations and among immigrant employees.

Biographies

Guest: Alan C. Middleton, PhD is a renown author, speaker, consultant, and Marketing Hall of Legends inductee. He is the former executive director and distinguished adjunct professor of Marketing at the Schulich Executive Education Centre. He also served as past president and CEO of JWT Japan, and is a former board director of JWT Worldwide.

Host: Sharifa Khan is the visionary founder of Canada’s multicultural marketing discipline. She is ­­the founder and CEO of Balmoral Multicultural Marketing, the country’s largest agency of its kind, whose groundbreaking work continues to shape the marketplace today. Sharifa is also an inductee of the prestigious Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends.

Books by Alan Middleton:
Marketing Matters for Small & Medium Enterprise: Now More Than Ever!
Reputation Matters: Why Branding & PR is Not Enough

Subscribe now and never miss an episode, featuring top industry experts and thought leaders on their multicultural marketing journeys (and don’t forget to rate and review this podcast).

Social Media: (Follow: #Balmoral and #MulticulturalMarketingPodcast)

LinkedIn:

Sharifa Khan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharifa-khan/

Balmoral Multicultural Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/balmoral-multicultural-marketing/

IG:

@sharifa7147
@balmoralmulticultural
@kekadasgupta

Resources:
www.balmoralmkt.com | 416.364.0046 | inquiries@balmoralmkt.com


Credits and Acknowledgements:

· Keka DasGupta – executive producer

· Daniel Ho, ReMarketing Company Inc. - video and editing services

· Rima Maamari - podcast advisory services