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Tactics for video production, shoppable content, influencers and distribution platforms take centre stage

Sean Stanleigh

Apr 29, 2026

You need to make time to learn to be a successful content marketer, especially in an age of generative and agentic AI, when the goalposts move faster than ever.

Globe Content Studio hosted its fourth-annual Tactics & Takeaways event in Toronto on April 20, 2026, curating a half-day of insights for marketers and advertisers to put into action.

This year’s key sessions included the ins and outs of shoppable content campaigns, how to produce great videos, ways to work effectively with influencers, and how to push traffic to brand assets when distribution platforms are designed to keep audiences from leaving.

Want to view the sessions in their entirety? You’ll find them here:

Don’t have a few hours on your hands?

You can also relive this year’s Tactics & Takeaways through these (slightly edited) summaries from attendees who posted to LinkedIn:

DAYO Media & Communications Inc.

This year, there was a common topic amongst speakers: AI.

We are moving past the hype of AI tools. Access to these AI tools is now baseline. What matters is how you choose to use it.

Here are DM&C’s takeaways from the event:

Marketing can be used to build trust

We are seeing a reset where human insight is back at the centre of what audiences want. LinkedIn is now a direct response channel, not passive real estate. Thought leader ads are working because people trust human insights over AI.

As audience needs and behaviours change, so must your content strategy

Strong content is intentional, built with a clear point of view and a defined audience in mind. A mobile-first approach is now baseline, ensuring content is designed for how audiences actually consume information today.

AI should be used strategically

AI should improve speed, not replace thinking. Use AI to address pain points within your operations. AI may improve speed, but the real value is freeing teams to focus on strategy and human-built content.

So, what does this all mean?

If your strategy is built on volume or trend-chasing, it is already underperforming.

The shift is clear:

From output to impact
From brand voice to human voice
From visibility to credibility

At the end of the day, people choose brands they trust.

If your content is not generating results, it is time to rethink the approach.

Victoria Procunier, Group Publisher, Fifth Story, a News Canada Co., Expert in Content Strategy & Earned Media Impact

Here are a few of my takeaways from Tactics & Takeaways 2026:

We’ve entered the “zero #search” era

As Sean Stanleigh, director, Globe Content Studio shared, discovery is shifting. AI is parsing data and surfacing answers directly, meaning content isn’t just competing for clicks but for inclusion.

#Mobile-first is now the baseline

We’ve moved past “mobile-friendly.” Content must be designed for mobile-first.

#Video excellence comes down to story structure, not just production

This really reinforces how we think about content at Fifth Story, where the brand is part of the story, not the story itself.

Insights shared from Della Rollins, freelance photojournalist, photo editor and video producer and Stacie Campbell, creative lead, Globe Content Studio:

The hook (audience first)
Open with the most compelling moment; if you capture attention in the first three seconds, viewers are far more likely to stay.
Build the stakes
Give the audience a reason to keep watching; the middle is where emotional investment happens, and meaning is established.
Brand integration
Position the brand as part of the outcome, not the focus.

Content is becoming directly actionable

From Brandy Barrie, director, social media & influencers, Canadian Tire Corp.

The strongest #content clearly answers the question: what problem does this solve?
AI is reshaping how we create, but not what matters

Some standout ideas from Dev Basu, founder and CEO, Powered by Search:

Optimize for AI visibility (citations vs. clicks)
Think of #AI agents as “digital employees”
Focus on content that only your brand can create
Don’t automate taste and judgment

Roberta Weisbrot, Connecting brands and people to drive social good

Some of my notable takeaways:

We’re in a sea of content … and a lot of it is noise. Human, original work cuts through.
AI is powerful, but not a strategy. The advantage is knowing when to use it and how to get the most value from it.
Digital fatigue is real. Real-world connection is becoming a competitive edge again.
Canadians are paying closer attention to where they spend. Local relevance and authenticity matter more than ever.

As Sean Stanleigh (Globe Content Studio director) put it so well: don’t panic, don’t default to the status quo, and trust your instincts.

And in the end, everything is always better when shared. Grateful to have attended with my colleague and friend Lindsay Kwan, MA — made the day even more insightful (and a lot more fun) because I could share it.

Syed Zahidi, Global Marketing Leader, Field Marketing, Performance Marketing, Industry Marketing, Digital Strategy, Microsoft & IBM Alum

Although I wasn't able to attend the whole event, enjoyed the insights and flow:

A great keynote by Sean Stanleigh, with a focus on our AI adventures.

Two (of many) takeaways: "Don't lose the humanity in the productivity", and that organizations shouldn't lose sight of the power of first party data.

Loved the panel on "The Rise of Commerce in Content" with:

Brandy Barrie, director of social media and influencers, Canadian Tire Corp
Daniel Mekinda, EVP WPP Media Canada
Matt Bolivar, retail vertical lead, Snap Inc.

Two (of many) takeaways: Aim to "be the entertainment experience and not interrupt the entertainment experience," and ways you can orchestrate new experiences on platforms in a "brand-safe" way.

As always, enjoyed networking and making new connections! Great conversation with Trisha Junger and Daniel Krutkiewicz on AI, agencies, KPIs, and more.

Andrea Adam, Strategist, Brand Builder & Storyteller

Always‑on thinking is no longer optional, authenticity over volume always, and the very real need to protect human judgment and taste as AI use accelerates.

Always‑on beats short bursts. In volatile times, marketing is often the first budget to get cut. The counterpoint? Always‑on strategies that build trust, personality and connection over time tend to be more resilient than big, short‑run pushes (that said, there is definitely still value in these as well!).

Aim for a more sustained presence, across formats, channels and moments that actually matter to your audience.

Authenticity isn't optional. Whether it was shoppable live content, creator‑led commerce or creator partnerships, the common denominator was real people, real voices and real utility.

Entertainment over interruption. Solving over selling.

The brands seeing momentum are the ones letting users feel the brand rather than just telling them about it.

The funnel is collapsing (and that’s not a bad thing). Live and social commerce is blurring awareness, consideration and conversion into a single experience. One piece of content can inspire, educate and sell—if it’s designed with a clear objective and audience in mind.

Attribution remains messy, but pulling multiple levers across platforms helps combat fatigue and drive credibility.

AI is powerful, but taste and judgment are still human. The most grounded AI conversations weren’t about tools, but process. Identify outcomes first. Look for friction and inefficiencies end‑to‑end.

Use AI to surface patterns and insights faster, but avoid automating taste, discernment or empathy! And for the love of quality: test, fact‑check and protect the humanity in the work.

None of this is radically new, but the consistency of these messages across events feels important. Today's playbook isn’t about chasing every new format or platform. It’s about clarity of purpose, flexibility in execution and showing up in ways that feel genuinely useful to the people you’re trying to reach.

Daniel Francavilla, Helping leaders make more impact through content that converts, strong storytelling and bold branding. Content & Brand Strategist, Advertising Professor, Speaker

Here are a few things that the full Tactics & Takeaways report dives into:

Marketing is starting to prioritize attention over reach. How can we design thoughtful gamification experiences without being manipulative?
Generative and agentic AI can improve productivity, but there are limits to those technological abilities. What’s the best way to use them in tandem with human creativity?
“Brands shouldn’t advertise next to news” is a myth in marketing circles, but it's not supported by data (and now there’s a study to back it up).
It’s an ideal time for Canadian brands to turn sentiment into market share by telling their home-grown stories and expanding their reach into other markets seeking alternatives to the US.
Experiential branding is mounting a comeback. What does success look like in the real world, and how much work is involved?

Good to hear from leaders at Canadian Tire Corporation, WPP Media, Snap Inc., The Globe and Mail, Tangerine, and Powered by Search along with several influencers.