Q & A with 2014 Marketer on the Rise Nominee – Chitra Anand

The 10th annual Marketing Hall of Legends has presented 5 nominees for the coveted Marketer on the Rise award. This award, now in its 3rd year, recognizes a mid-level marketing leader that has demonstrated exceptional career success and bares the traits of future Marketing Legend. The winner will be selected by the broader marketing community thru online voting – which closed on Friday January 16

 The winner will be announced Live at the Marketing Hall of Legends Gala, which closes out FFWD: Advertising Week on January 2015 at The Artifacts Room.  Tickets Available Here

1. Who is Chitra Anand?

I was raised by Immigrant parents who came to Canada from India.  I was born in North York Toronto but spent the majority of my childhood in Oakville Ontario.  I come from humble beginnings and some of my most valuable lessons, attributes and insight are a direct result of how I have been raised. I have been taught from a very young age to work hard, dream big, be kind and compassionate to others.

Chitra Anand, 3 years old in the middle – Big brother and sister beside her.  

2. When and why did you decide to become a marketing professional?

I decided to become a marketing professional because I have always been fascinated by human behaviour and as marketers we need to understand what motivates, inspires and satisfies people.  I love to study trends; cultural, social and political ones and apply this to business.  I refer to myself as an influence and social marketer which captures these elements and how they all come together.

 

3. What are you most passionate about?

a.    In Life – I am most passionate about my family, health and travel.  I have a wonderful husband, 2 beautiful babies and a loving family.  They are my pillars in life and provide unconditional love and support.  I am also a health fanatic.  I do yoga regularly and I am an active amateur athlete when it comes to endurance sports.   One year I decided to conquer my fear of open water so I did a half ironman and taught myself how to swim.  I believe travel is one of the best ways to educate yourself so we do several trips a year – a few small and one major one.

b.    In Work – I am most passionate about transformative change and solving problems.  In business I believe we are all problem solvers regardless of our craft but I truly love going into a situation that needs a turn around and being able to have the creative freedom to achieve what we need to in order to make that happen.    The more complex the better – bring it on!

 

4. What is your proudest accomplishment in your career to date?

My proudest accomplishment to date is with my role at Microsoft.  We were awarded 4 awards for Campaigns that we curated for the Launch of the Surface 2 in Canada and the launch of the Xbox one in Canada –  These marketing and communication awards were a first for Microsoft Canada in its history in Canada for this discipline:

• 2014 Canadian Public Relations Society Awards of Excellence: Surface 2 Launch was awarded a Gold Award and a bronze for the Xbox one launch.  These awards recognize and reward outstanding public relations programs and projects from across the country.
• The 2014 IABC Gold Quill Awards for Microsoft Surface 2 launch & Xbox One launch Canada. The Gold Quill is an global awards program award distributed by the International Association of Business Communications.

 

       5.   The Marketer on the Rise award is the highest award given to a Mid-Level marketer in Canada.  What would this award mean to you?

Being awarded this type of award would definitely be an honour and humbling experience for me. It would be a true testament to the fact that hard work, being passionate about what you do, believing in what you do combined with perseverance… all do payoff.  So for those out there who have dreams and desires…this could be a little inspiration for you.

 

Want to meet a Legend?

You can get up close and personal with the newest inductee’s On January 30, 2015, the Marketing Hall of Legends gala will take place at The Artifacts Room, located at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex in Toronto. The winner of the Marketer on the Rise award will also be announced at the event that is anticipated as one of Toronto’s most noteworthy social gatherings of the year. Previous inductees have included Lise Watier, Aldo Bensadoun, Bonnie Brooks and Frank Buckley. Tickets are available now at http://www.amamarketinghalloflegends.ca/gala/buy-tickets/.

 

About the Marketing Hall of Legends

Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends (MHOL) was established in 2004 to enshrine the people, the brands and the stories behind Canada’s great marketers and marketing successes. The MHOL serves as an inspiration and the gold standard to the thousands of Canadians who dedicate themselves to the marketing profession. Title sponsor LoyaltyOne, category sponsor Scotiabank and after-party sponsor TubeMogul join partners Backbone, Cosmic Design, ICA and FFWD Adweek, Limelight, Mandrake, Marketing Magazine, Phanta Media and V&Co Marketing and Communications. For more information, visit http://www.amamarketinghalloflegends.ca/.