Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends names 2025 award winners

February 25, 2025

Share this post :

Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends names 2025 award winners

Five Canadian marketers recognized for life-time achievements

TORONTO, February 26, 2025 — Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends, one of Canada’s most respected and renowned industry awards, is proud to announce this year’s inductees.

Canada’s newest Marketing Legends are:

Michael Adams, co-founder and president, Environics Research Group (Enabler)
Joanna Griffiths, founder and president, Knix (Visionary)
Mark Harrison, founder, MH3 Collective (Mentor)
Serge Rancourt, co-founder, The Grid (Enabler)
Ted (Theo) Rosnick, former creative director, Vapor Music (Enabler)

“These exceptional Canadians are Marketing Legends — they’ve influenced and elevated our industry at home and abroad,” says Olga Pigeon, president of AMA Toronto, the association that runs the awards program. “Through Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends, their career stories are celebrated to inspire us, share wisdom, and ultimately help empower new leadership and business growth throughout our community.”

Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends honours the industry’s most inspiring visionaries, enablers, builders and mentors who’ve had tremendous impact on the field of marketing throughout their careers.

The award winners will be honoured and formally inducted by AMA Toronto on May 9th at an exclusive gala event at Arcadian Court in downtown Toronto.

The inductees were carefully chosen from this year’s nominations by a 15-person selection committee made up of a distinguished and diverse group of marketing experts, including past inductees, brand and agency leaders. The selection committee was chaired by David Pullara, a marketing consultant and long-time member of AMA Toronto’s Advisory Council.

“Our 2025 Marketing Legends are all trailblazers, they’re creators, innovators, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and thought leaders” says Pullara. “Representing agencies, brands and different marketing disciplines, each of these marketers has made significant and positive contributions to our industry.”

After 21 years and over 100 inductees, Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends has evolved into a unique and distinguished year-long program involving the award recipients, one that’s focused on mentorship, knowledge-sharing and inclusion. In addition to their induction into Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends, award winners participate in programming that runs throughout the year, including the popular Legendary Leadership Series of events, blogs, as well as the video podcast series “Legends Journey: Lessons in Leadership.”

“Supporting this valuable awards program allows us to proudly help our community honour its Marketing Legends,” says 2021 inductee and 2025 jury member Sharifa Khan, CEO and founder of Balmoral Multicultural Marketing. “To inspire and develop the next generation of leaders in our industry, the stories and experiences of our most accomplished marketers need to be shared.”

Balmoral Multicultural Marketing, Canada’s most established, authentic, and awarded multicultural marketing agency, is the 2024 Presenting Sponsor of Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends. AMA Toronto partners that also support Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends include Stonehenge Digital Studios, the Globe Media Group and Score Promotions.

About the 2025 award recipients

Michael Adams, co-founder and president of Environics Research Group, is a prominent international thought leader in research and communications and an Order of Canada recipient. His award-winning book “Fire and Ice: The United States, Canada and the Myth of Converging Values” changed the way marketers looked at societal trends and helped Canadians understand who they are as a country and a people.

Joanna Griffiths is founder and president of Knix, one of the fastest growing intimate apparel and activewear brands globally. An award-winning entrepreneur, accomplished philanthropist and storyteller, she was recently named an AdWeek Women Trailblazer in recognition of her bold vision and category-defining advertising for women.

Mark Harrison, founder of the MH3 Collective, is a marketing visionary, entrepreneur and enabler. Known for developing game-changing marketing and sponsorship strategies and experiences for major international brands, sports properties and causes, he has created agencies such as T1 and SponsorshipX, as well as the Black Talent Initiative and Park Street Education, a charity to support underserved youth.

Serge Rancourt is a visionary leader, entrepreneurial force, and industry trailblazer. From leading Canadian and German operations at Y&R to transforming Publicis Canada into a 400-person powerhouse, to co-founding The Grid — a first-of-its-kind collective of independent agencies including No Fixed Address, Courage, Mischief, and NFA Health — he has redefined how agencies operate and thrive.

Ted (Theo) Rosnick, the founder of multiple ventures, including RMW Music, is a creator, innovator and mentor who has pushed the boundaries of audio production in Canadian advertising for over 50 years. His leadership and creativity in music and sound design have defined the sonic identity of countless Canadian brands and iconic campaigns, establishing emotional connections with consumers that grow loyalty and recognition.

About Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends

Founded in 2004, Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends honours inspiring Canadian leaders who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of excellence in the field of marketing. The award, created to spotlight the stories, people and brands behind Canada’s greatest marketing successes, recognizes a noteworthy body of work and a life-time of achievements and leadership, including contributions that have made our community a better place. Nominations for induction are held annually.

About AMA Toronto

AMA Toronto is a community of volunteer marketers who have been empowering leadership and business growth for more than 70 years in Canada. The AMA, with more than 30,000 members and 70 chapters across North America, is the largest not-for-profit marketing association in the world serving organizations and individuals who practice, teach and study marketing.

Legendary Quotes

“I am hoping my induction in Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends inspires young and aspiring market researchers to explore this country’s unique historical, demographic and socio-cultural context.”

– Michael Adams, co-founder and president, Environics Research Group

“Throughout my time building Knix I was often told that my idea was too niche. Becoming a Legend validates that you can make a difference by tackling taboos, building community and taking the path less traveled. It signals to others who have received similar feedback, to keep going, and serves as a reminder that change can be sparked from the most unlikely of people and in the categories that you least expect.”

– Joanna Griffiths, founder and president, Knix

“Becoming a Legend means that sponsorship marketers are respected on the same level as brand owners and advertising Legends.”

– Mark Harrison, founder, MH3 Collective

“Being inducted into Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends is not just a personal honour — it’s a celebration of the incredible people who have trusted me to build something different. It’s proof that success doesn’t come from following the status quo, but from taking bold risks, championing fearless ideas, and creating opportunities for others to thrive. If this recognition inspires even one person to bet on themselves, challenge the norm, and push for better, then that’s the real win.”

– Serge Rancourt, co-founder, The Grid

“Being inducted into the Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends is such a huge honour for me. I didn’t go into this business ever thinking I would receive such an honour. I didn’t even know it existed. I just wanted to do great work. But now that I’m being inducted, it feels good…really good!! Thanks to all that put my name forward.”

– Ted (Theo) Rosnick, former creative director, Vapor Music

Quick Facts

Since 2004, Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends has inducted 116 Canadian luminaries.
Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends is now a unique year-long program involving award recipients — making it the only one of its kind in the industry. The award program includes the Legendary Leadership Series of events, blogs, and the video podcast series “Legends Journey: Lessons in Leadership.”
Progressive changes in 2021 transformed Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends to better serve and reflect the diverse character of the marketing community. The selection committee and the nomination and selection processes were revamped, and a more inclusive focus on all sectors of the industry was initiated.
2024 inductees included Malcolm Gladwell, co-founder, Pushkin Industries; journalist; author; public speaker; and podcaster; Judy Lewis and Deborah Weinstein, co-founders and partners, Strategic Objectives; Ronnen Harary, Anton Rabie, and Ben Varadi, co-founders, Spin Master; and Ron Woodall, former EVP, creative director, Palmer Jarvis / DDB Canada. View all inductees.