On July 1st, 2014, the Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL) will be coming into effect. The new regulations, which will be the toughest in the world, prevent the sending of unsolicited commercial electronic messages (CEMs) and the unauthorized installation of computer software on an individual’s computer. This means that businesses will need to adapt their communications strategy to ensure that they are CASL compliant. Here’s a basic overview of the law, as it pertains to CEMS, to help you get started:

LAT's Marketing Team hosted our first Multicultural Marketing Breakfast Seminar in Vancouver on May 20th, 2014. Our speakers talked about the importance of adapting your company's marketing message to the diverse communities in your local markets.

So you're ready to expand into new markets? Have you maximized growth opportunities here in North America?

In communities like Brampton and Markham in Greater Toronto, or Richmond and Surrey in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland, there are enough customers and employers who speak specific non-official languages to allow immigrants to earn a living in their native language. In today’s highly competitive marketplace, if you’re a B2B company, it makes sense to engage with these businesses in their own language - that's multicultural marketing.

Canadian cities are increasingly diverse. By 2031, 78% of Toronto's population will be either foreign-born or born in Canada from immigrant parents. In Vancouver, over 70%. Diversity in the workplace has been a popular theme for many years, but the next step for companies to differentiate themselves will be to connect with our cities’ growing Chinese, Indian, Filipino and Hispanic populations. LAT President Lise Alain reflects on the need for cultural diversity in marketing.