Direct Marketing Magazine

TORONTO, ON–IDC Canada has named ENVISION, the flagship analytics platform from Environics Analytics (EA), as an IDC CIO Awards Canada 2026 Winner. The IDC CIO Awards celebrate Canadian organizations that use technology in innovative ways to create business value, improve operations and drive meaningful outcomes. Following a highly competitive nomination process, Environics Analytics’ new platform, ENVISION, was selected by an independent panel of judges.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA–MoEngage, the agentic customer engagement platform trusted by over 1,350 consumer brands and which operates in Canada from its Toronto office, has acquired San Francisco-headquartered Aampe, an agentic AI infrastructure company that provisions a dedicated, autonomous AI agent for every individual customer of a brand.

Jim Sterne is a true pioneer in data-driven marketing, a prolific author and popular speaker, and the co-author of “The New Science of Customer Relationships”. By Stephen Shaw From this year onward, AI gets real for marketers everywhere. When it was first released in late 2022, OpenAI’s AI tool was a novelty – a plaything even – almost magical. People were captivated. It’s value as a utility was immediately apparent. But so was the concern for it becoming a Pandora’s Box.

OTTAWA, ON–This summer, the Canada Science and Technology Museum presents Sacred Journey, an immersive, Indigenous-led exhibition developed by the Heiltsuk Nation. Running through January 2027, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the cultural, technological, and environmental significance of ocean-going canoe traditions among Indigenous coastal communities.

BOSTON, MA–Repsly, Inc., a leader in retail execution software for the consumer goods (CG) industry which has a wide range of customers in Canada, announced the launch of Territory Advisor, a new artificial intelligence feature that helps Consumer Packaged Goods brands (CPGs) and Retail Service Organizations optimize field team performance through intelligent planning. “Territory Advisor acts like a personal planning strategist,” said Matthew Brogie, CEO of Repsly.

PLEASANTON, CA–Blackhawk Network (BHN), a global leader in branded payments, released its ninth annual Best Direct Digital Gift Cards Benchmark Report, developed in collaboration with NAPCO Research. The report assesses brands’ direct digital gift card programs, which offer gift cards directly through their own websites or apps and are often referred to as first-party or owned gift cards.

PLEASANTON, CA–Blackhawk Network (BHN), a leading global provider of branded payment solutions, launched Game On Ontario, marking the Canadian debut of its popular Game On multi-brand gift card and setting the stage for future expansion in the region. The innovative betting gift cards are now available in Ontario, offering players a secure, convenient and compliant way to fund both online sportsbook and casino accounts with the participating operators.

MONTREAL, QC–TC Transcontinental has expanded raddar, the Canadian‑owned cost‑effective mass‑media platform with national scale and local precision. The rollout across all Canadian provinces is scheduled for the week of June 15. This expansion will add around 6.8 million households to the approximately 4.8 million copies already distributed weekly in Québec and British Columbia, bringing total weekly distribution to about 11.6 million copies.

TORONTO, ON–As affordability remains the defining concern for Canadians, new research from Retail Council of Canada (RCC) reveals how consumers are using both digital and physical tools throughout their shopping journey to find the best deal and stretch their dollars.

New capabilities across retail and hospitality help high-volume businesses simplify operations, move faster and deliver more seamless customer experiences MONTREAL, QC–Lightspeed Commerce Inc.