Mladen Raickovic

Canada's creator economy is booming, and brands want to take advantage of the trusted audiences they've built. I recently sat down with Canadian YouTube creator Alexandra Gater to discuss the powerful benefits of creator partnerships, and how our new creator partnerships hub empowers brands to easily connect and collaborate. Check out our conversation  📽️

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Amazon Music launches Fan Groups. Fan Groups allow listeners to join communities based around musical interests—sharing songs, chatting, discovering music together—all within the Amazon Music app (on iOS and Android). The feature is being rolled out in beta in Canada first. What Fan Groups enable / how it works: Users can join existing groups or create new ones (including artists creating groups for their fans). Within a group, users can: Chat and discuss music topics. React to posts (emoji reactions, etc.). Share and save music recommendations from other members. Stream recommended songs directly in the app, without leaving the community chat. The groups are public and cover a broad array of musical tastes: indie rock, country, Punjabi music, K-pop, Francophone music, workout playlists, etc. Why it matters / the intent: This move represents Amazon Music’s attempt to make the listening experience more social and communal, rather than purely solo.  By embedding community and discussion features inside the streaming app, Amazon is encouraging music discovery through peer interaction rather than just algorithmic recommendations. This can help niche genres and communities get more visibility, since any fan community can create a group. Where it will go / rollout plans: Currently beta in Canada only. Amazon plans to expand it to the U.S. and other global markets next year. 

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Canada is often celebrated for its creativity, and content creators are leading the way in this vibrant cultural scene. The new YouTube Impact Report, supported by Oxford Economics research, shows the incredible impact creators like Alexandra Gater and Tech by Midas can have by sharing their voices and unique stories on the platform. These aren't just content producers; they’re resilient entrepreneurs, building thriving businesses, diversifying our economy, and creating jobs within their own communities. Some takeaways from this year’s report include: 🇨🇦 YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed over $1.8 billion CAD to Canada’s GDP 🤝 YouTube supported more than 35,000 full-time equivalent jobs in Canada in 2024 📚 94% of Canadians users report using YouTube to gather information and knowledge Check out the full report here and get to know more of the remarkable Canadian creators who help shape our culture : https://lnkd.in/gahGXTjJ

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Political advertisers face unique challenges in reaching persuadable audiences via streaming TV, including rising tech fees and fragmented supply chains. That's why Cross Screen Media tapped Magnite's ClearLine to boost their reach of relevant voters across CTV. Read more here: https://magnite.smh.re/1Xf

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What a Decade of Industry Leadership Taught Me It’s hard to believe it’s been a decade at the helm of IAB Canada—and it’s been anything but ordinary. The role demands grit, diplomacy, and a willingness to pick yourself up daily and keep going. It’s been challenging, humbling, and deeply meaningful. If I’ve learned anything, it’s this: the work only matters if it’s rooted in something bigger. As Einstein said, “Love is the answer.” Some key lessons…. Big moves come at a short-term price. Long-term vision requires short-term sacrifices. If you believe in what you're building, you need to be unflinchingly “plan-broke” to see returns. The best decisions often feel the hardest in the moment. Get to the finish line. Developing products and solutions is tough—if it weren’t, we wouldn’t be so busy building them. Detractors will try to distract, derail, and even sabotage. Keep your head down. Do the work. Finish. If you were wrong, nothing was wasted—you’ve still built something, learned something, and moved forward. There’s no glory in opaqueness. Transparency is everything—in products, services, and leadership. The best business decisions aren’t just about quick wins; they’re about laying solid, transparent foundations that will hold up over time. Stay true to the mandate. It’s easy to get distracted by corporate dopamine—projects that bring social accolades but don’t serve the real goal. The path of least resistance? Doing the work that directly supports your mandate. That’s where real impact happens. Love is the answer. Gossip, cliques, backchannel meddling—workplace toxicity shows up in many forms. Don’t get pulled into it. More importantly, look out for those who might be quietly bearing the brunt of it. A little support goes a long way. We’re all navigating life at our own pace, often with unseen challenges. Over the past ten years, I’ve faced my own. It’s made me deeply aware that showing up with empathy isn’t just kind—it’s necessary. Own your mistakes. Learn. Keep moving. I’ve made plenty (and will make more), but that’s part of growth. The best lessons come from the stumbles. I’m grateful for every colleague who’s been there as I broke things and figured them out, and I’ve been honoured to witness so many peers build their own paths as well. I’ve never held a role more challenging—or more invigorating. It’s an honour to serve an industry I owe so much to, and a privilege to help sustain it for those building their livelihoods in digital media. It hasn’t been without its bumps, but I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. In the meantime, I’ll continue to enjoy building a network of good people doing good things for the industry. To my fellow peers, I see you and quietly toast to the commonalities we share. And to all the great individuals who made and continue to make IAB Canada what it is today, thank you. #Leadership #CareerLessons #WomenInLeadership #Transparency #TenYearsStrong

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Canada’s data landscape isn’t yet primed for AI-driven programmatic advertising, and calling it “intelligent” may be premature. I think AI has a great deal of potential in our industry, but not if we don't solve the data challenges of Canada, which worsen when we don't have local media owners. Here’s why: Incomplete Media Measurement Not all media channels are being measured, through no fault of the industry, especially as margins continue to shrink. However, these blind spots create significant gaps in the data, limiting the effectiveness of AI models that rely on comprehensive inputs. Limits of Personalization Without Personal Data True personalization is complex (if not impossible and not needed) when personal data is off-limits, as it should be. The industry remains fixated on tracking individuals across platforms, hoping it will unlock new opportunities. Yet, a large portion of consumer behaviour still happens offline, beyond the reach of anything on a phone. (93% of purchases still happen in a store). Platform Bias and Over-Reliance There’s a growing dependence on a narrow set of DSPs and data partners, which introduces bias and limits innovation. This over-reliance can skew performance insights and reduce the diversity of data inputs needed for robust AI applications. Like many countries, Canada faces unique data gaps that limit its ability to execute locally what is often possible at a global scale. AI is a model, and you still need the data and good data at that.

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