The World Future Awards board continues to bring together leading experts in innovation and the technology industry. And today, it is our great pleasure to introduce a new WFA board member, Daniel C. Aitken, a seasoned marketing leader who currently serves as Vice-President of Global Marketing, Communications, and Investor Relations at LeddarTech, which was ranked in the WFA Top 100 Next-Generation Companies 2023.
We are thrilled to have the privilege of speaking with Daniel, a luminary in the world of marketing whose career has been marked by innovation, creativity, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
World Future Awards: Can you provide a brief overview of your career journey and what appealed to you about the marketing field?
Daniel Aitken: I have worked in marketing and communications for almost 30 years. In 1994, I was employed in an entirely different field when I started a small marketing company with a friend, and the journey began. A couple of years later, I moved across Canada and began my career in the tech industry, which I have continued to work in for over 25 years, which has also enabled me to live and work throughout the world.
In addition to holding various senior marketing positions, I simultaneously co-owned another company for 14 years that focused on supporting small and large businesses with marketing and business development consulting. I have always loved finding new and exciting ways to support companies by developing strategies and tactics that articulate their specific value proposition by communicating them directly to their customer base.
I have always believed that marketing and communication efforts must speak to the customer at an emotional level as well as a logical one. I don’t adhere to the typical definition of B2B or B2C marketing because a corporation in and of itself does not buy anything; individual people make buying decisions, and as marketers, we must always respect the individual and speak directly to their pain points with factual and meaningful content that enables them to shine.
WFA: Throughout your career, what are some key milestones or accomplishments that you are particularly proud of?
DA: I am certainly proud of witnessing the growth in companies where my marketing strategies and the work of my teams have had a crucial impact, including the contributions I have made to support various companies that have either been acquired or become publicly listed.
I am also proud of the various awards my teams and I have won. However, I am most proud of witnessing the growth of members of my teams in various companies as they develop new skills, gain success, and remain in the industry as passionate and professional marketers.
WFA: What are the most significant changes or advancements you’ve witnessed in the marketing industry over the years?
DA: The marketing industry has seen several significant changes and advancements over the years, driven largely by technological innovations and shifts in consumer behavior. One of the most notable changes is the digital transformation – it is not that long ago that marketers were tied to limited channels to reach customers, such as print media, and those channels were not nearly as targeted as they are today.
Marketers today have access to a plethora of avenues to reach customers, the most obvious being social media. A consumer base that is inundated with messaging is significantly more selective and less trusting of the content while also being much more limited in their attention span. This major transformation brings a much higher demand for content marketing that must educate and engage the consumer, which takes multiple forms aside from the typical written article; clear, concise, and compelling information on websites, videos, and social posts is paramount in reaching the customer.
We must also be much more in tune with the customer experience. Digital marketing has enabled us to track a customer’s journey and their habits, so the analytical aspects of the job now take a major place within marketing teams. We can measure our successes, identify shortcomings, and adjust our messaging quickly.
The most recent developments include automation and generative AI. Automation tools and AI technologies are streamlining marketing processes and enhancing efficiency. Marketers are leveraging AI for tasks such as predictive analytics, chatbots, customer segmentation, and content optimization, allowing them to deliver more targeted and personalized campaigns at scale. However, it is not a replacement for marketers. AI is another tool that requires thoughtfulness and the expertise of an educated marketer to be used effectively. Marketers have always had to be aware of their responsibilities to be truthful and ethical in their behavior and actions, which has become even more vital. With growing concerns about data privacy and security, marketers face stricter regulations and heightened consumer expectations regarding collecting and using personal data. Compliance with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA and transparent communication about data practices is essential to maintaining trust and credibility with consumers.
WFA: How do you stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in marketing, and how do you incorporate them into your work?
DA: It is a challenge weeding through the massive amount of data shared in the industry to determine what trends will be short-lived and which ones will become the norm. I am a big fan of podcasts and webinars from established organizations. I also make a point of following industry leaders and professional groups on LinkedIn to stay current on the industry. It is also important to learn from the past, so I am an avid reader of books and publications to remain grounded in the foundations of marketing that do not change regardless of trends or technological advances.
WFA: What are the most important factors for successful marketing and communication strategies in today’s rapidly changing digital landscape?
DA: It is important to remain faithful to your ethics and principles. A major asset of any marketer is their integrity and professionalism. I believe all strategies must be built on a foundation of fact, clarity, and respect for the audience. In addition, I firmly believe that most buying decisions occur when the customer is confident in the organization and trusts that they will deliver what they promise. Once a customer believes in the company, they will consider buying their product. In many cases, I have seen marketing campaigns that focus solely on the products at the expense of telling the company’s story, which I believe is a mistake.
WFA: LeddarTech operates in a highly competitive industry. How do you differentiate your company and effectively communicate its value proposition to investors and stakeholders?
DA: We must appeal to the intellect of our customers. Automotive software for ADAS and AD is very complicated and sophisticated; when a customer wants to engage, they must have immense confidence in our ability to understand the market and deliver on the technology.
We differentiate by developing campaigns and content that speaks to the customer by developing in-depth buyer persona profiles so that we can gain a superior understanding of their pain points and develop content that truthfully addresses each of them on a consistent basis. This is also true for potential investors. I believe that providing content through various channels sharing how LeddarTech understands their needs and can support them specifically builds a basis of trust, which invites them to explore our solutions with confidence.
WFA: Can you share any memorable marketing or communication campaigns that have successfully resonated with your target audience and investors?
DA: I have several over the years that stand out for me, but certainly, the one that is most recent and memorable was our campaign leading up to becoming a public company. While the communications and marketing we did prior were successful, I am especially proud of the work we started 18 months prior, which was to prepare our Marketing department and support the rest of the company to become a public company. The excitement, passion, and teamwork were inspiring and very fulfilling. It is always an amazing experience to be part of an organization where everyone is headed in the same direction and successfully arrives, as we did when we went public in late December 2023.
WFA: What do you envision as the future of marketing, and how do you plan to adapt and innovate in this ever-evolving landscape?
DA: Consumers will always seek out truth in marketing. The pendulum will always be moving, but the desire for meaningful content and honesty in marketing will always remain the same. The channels will continue to grow, but I believe people will find a middle ground where they will desire more information instead of less.
I adapt to new technologies and will continue using the most effective methods to reach our audience. I believe that the marketers who will triumph in the future will be the ones who maintain their ethics and take their responsibilities as communicators with a platform seriously.
WFA: LeddarTech has been listed in the World Future Awards’ Top 100 Next Generation Companies 2023 for its innovation. Can you share some key strategies that contributed to this achievement?
DA: It was not so much a strategy as it is a guiding principle present in our team’s day-to-day efforts and our adherence to always striving for excellence. We fulfill our roles to serve the company by developing and executing projects that support our corporate objectives because we believe in what we represent.
WFA: As a new member of the World Future Awards board of directors, what do you see as your goals and aspirations for the organization, and how do you plan to contribute to its mission to recognize future leaders and innovators?
DA: My goal is to support the mandate of the WFA by providing my support in any way possible to recognize the innovation of companies and entrepreneurs in all regions and business types. It takes very special people to have a dream and a passion to fulfill those dreams by investing themselves and their resources into a company. I look forward to being a board member and recognizing those individuals and companies who stand out in their respective industries.
To learn more about Daniel, visit his LinkedIn profile.
