AMA Toronto Presents: 2015 Marketing Hall of Legends

Curated By MTI Staff on December 6, 2015

Jeanne Beker, Joe Mimran, Luke Sklar and Marshall McLuhan
Recognized as Canadian Marketing Legends

AMA Toronto Chapter Announces Inductees for 2015 Marketing Hall of Legends
Four of Canada’s best known marketing legends – fashion icon Jeanne Beker, renowned entrepreneur Joe Mimran, research innovator Luke Sklar and the late, famed Canadian communications theorist Marshall McLuhan – are being honoured with a coveted place in Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends.
The newest inductees were announced by the Toronto Chapter of the American Marketing Association today and will be honoured at a gala event at the Liberty Grand in Toronto on January 21, 2016.
About this year’s legends:

The Builder – Jeanne Beker
Famed Canadian fashion expert Jeanne Beker achieved legend status early on in her career as the segment producer and host of FT – Fashion Television. Her fresh take on the fashion world was an enduring success and Fashion Television enjoyed a long run as Citytv’s most widely syndicated TV show. In 1994, Beker helped create @fashion, the web’s first fashion site. Beker went on to author five books and curate her own fashion lines. Today, Beker is the Style Editor at The Shopping Channel and a Globe and Mail columnist. In 2014, Beker was inducted into the Order of Canada for her outstanding support of Canadian fashion and design.

The Visionary – Joe Mimran
Canada’s Joe Mimran is best-know for creating a succession of visionary brands and retail concepts, including Club Monaco, Caban and most recently, Joe Fresh. Club Monaco revolutionized the retail fashion world by introducing a distinctive minimalistic style and monochromatic palette. In 1999, Club Monaco and Caban were purchased by Ralph Lauren, marking Ralph Lauren’s first-ever acquisition. Joe co-founded Pink Tartan with his wife Kimberly Newport-Mimran, the principal designer – and he consulted on the creation of PC Home. In 2006, Joe became Creative Director of a “fast fashion” concept he co-created with Loblaw’s, Joe Fresh. He currently stars on the popular CBC show, Dragons Den, is Chairman of Gibraltar Growth Corp. a subsidiary of Gibraltar & Co Inv. a Toronto based private investment company, and is Chairman of FDCC (Fashion Design Council of Canada).

The Enabler – Luke Sklar
A gifted clarifier, Luke Sklar has built a business rooted in helping others succeed. For nearly 30 years, smart marketers have come to rely on Luke and his team at Sklar Wilton & Associates to clearly define their business challenges. When it comes to addressing those challenges, Luke and his team are the experts at uncovering and applying consumer insights in breakthrough ways. Luke’s “helping others succeed” spirit permeates every aspect of Sklar Wilton & Associates, creating a sought after culture and long-standing partnerships with many of Canada’s most iconic brands including Molson Coors, Canadian Tire, Tim Hortons, and Shoppers Drug Mart.

The Mentor – Marshall McLuhan
Known as the father of modern media studies, the late Marshall McLuhan was a progressive and controversial figure who predicted the creation of the internet 30 years before its existence. McLuhan famously coined the term “global village” in his 1962 best-seller The Gutenberg Galaxy. His groundbreaking 1964 book Understanding Media introduced one of McLuhan’s most paradigm-shifting concepts: The Medium is the Message. In today’s fastpaced,
media and technology-driven world, McLuhan’s work is more relevant than ever before. McLuhan’s son Michael will accept the award on his late father’s behalf.

2015 Inductees – Game Changers
“It’s an honour to welcome Jeanne Beker, Joe Mimran, Luke Sklar and Marshall McLuhan to the Marketing Hall of Legends which pays tribute to Canada’s most groundbreaking marketing influencers,” says Tania Stadnik, Chair of the Marketing Hall of Legends and President-Elect of the AMA Toronto Chapter. “Each one of this year’s inductees are game-changers who have made tremendous and lasting impact on the Canadian and global marketplace. Jeanne, Joe, Luke and Marshall have truly changed the way we imagine brands and communicate with each other,” says Stadnik. “The AMA Toronto Chapter is proud and excited to see Jeanne Beker, Joe Mimran, Luke Sklar and Marshall McLuhan officially claim their place in the Marketing Hall of Legends this January,” she adds.

About the AMA Marketing Hall of Legends
Founded in 2004, The Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends is dedicated to honouring Canadians who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of excellence in the field of marketing. The award was created to spotlight the stories, people and brands behind Canada’s greatest marketing successes and recognizes a body of work and a life time of achievements. The criteria for selection is based on those Canadians whose ideas and contributions to marketing and brand building have made a tremendous impact in the Canadian and/or global marketplace. Inductees are nominated annually each Spring and reviewed by an independent panel of top marketing professionals: http://www.amamarketinghalloflegends.ca/judging-panel/. According to Stadnik, this year, the judges reviewed a deep field of more than 300 nominees.

Debra Quinn, Surf Communications
647.985.7162
deb@surfcomm.com