Keynote Speakers

Opening Keynote Speaker: Maureen O’Reilly

Did you know that the Toronto Public Library system is the busiest in North America with 19 million visitors and a circulation of 33 million items annually?  Want to hear about the library angle of the Rob Ford soap opera?  Our opening keynote, Maureen O’Reilly, has worked for the Toronto Public Libraries for 26 years.  In 2010, only two months before Rob Ford took office as mayor, she became president of the Toronto Public Library Workers Union (TPLWU) and has lived to tell the tale!  The budget crisis of 2011 became the battleground, and thanks to the efforts of advocates and a savvy social media campaign, Maureen and her team were able to save numerous jobs and libraries. Check out this City News Toronto article with video to get a taste of TPLWU’s successful campaign.

Closing Keynote Speaker: Terry O’Reilly

We have another O’Reilly for our closing keynote, Terry O’Reilly, host of the well-known CBC radio series about advertising: “The Age of Persuasion” and “Under the Influence.”  Terry has created campaigns for many of the top brands in the country, including Labatt, Molson, Bell, Goodyear Tires, Pepsi USA, Tim Hortons, Volkswagen, Nissan and the Hudson’s Bay Company.  He has won a few hundred national and international awards for writing, and has directed such notable actors as Alec Baldwin, Ellen DeGeneres, Kiefer Sutherland, Bob Newhart, Martin Short and Drew Carey.  And as if that wasn’t enough, he has also co-written a best-selling book called “The Age of Persuasion: How Marketing Ate Our Culture”.  In demand as a keynote speaker, Terry talks about key marketing issues to companies and organizations in all sectors.  Listen to a podcast of “Under the Influence” to get a taste of Terry’s excellent speaking style.

Keynote topic: The Power of Branding
One of the most critical aspects of marketing is to differentiate your product – even when the category is filled with smart competitors. This talk helps your audience understand what a brand is, the enormous benefits branding can deliver, and how to carefully create a unique identity. This talk includes powerful examples of smart branding in a media-rich presentation that demonstrates each point with some of the best branding from around the world.