Idea Lab Live
Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto
Top brands and thought leaders unite to ignite ideas and build Brand Love — presented by Staples Promotional Products.
MAR.12.2026
Mar.12.2026
IDEA LAB LIVE 2026
March 12, 2026. 10:30am - 3:00 pm
Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto
Top brands and thought leaders unite to ignite ideas and build Brand Love — presented by Staples Promotional Products.
Mar.12.2026
COME CURIOUS.
LEAVE ENERGIZED.
Idea Lab Live brings together fresh ideas, cultural energy, and merch inspiration for brands ready to move in 2026. Explore what’s shaping the year ahead and leave with ideas you can activate.
See the latest products that will elevate your brand experiences this year.
2025
RECAP
VIDEO
2026 Speaker Sessions
Our 2026 lineup dives into cultural moments, emerging trends, and brand opportunities defining the year ahead.
Turning Moments into Momentum
Why people rally around shared moments and how brands earn their place.
2026 Merch Trends
Colours, materials, and cultural influences shaping the product landscape.
Activating Cultural Energy
How rituals and fandom drive brand strategies.
Full speaker reveal coming soon.
Trusted by top brands for custom merchandise.
Merging branded merch with creativity and strategy
You’ll Learn How To:
Supercharge Your Brand Strategy with impactful merch.
Fuel Engagement & Loyalty through innovative ideas.
Activate Campaigns with Purpose that deliver results.
2026 speakers coming soon.
Get in the game with 2025’s lineup!
The 2025 Experience
Exclusive Merch Showcases: Top trends + actionable insights.
Industry-Leading Speakers: Fresh ideas to fuel your brand love.
Idea Lab Merch Shop: Attendees handpicked their favourites and built custom swag bags on the spot—from a curated selection up to $270.
Watch the experience come to life ⇾
The Create Lab: Personalized drinkware, live! See how attendees turned decals into custom keepsakes.
See creativity in action ⇾
2025 Video Recap
2025 SPEAKERS
Turn “Like” into “Love”
Learn from David Thomson on how building deep connections through branded merch is the spark for Brand Love.
David Thomson - Former Managing Director, NFL
As Managing Director of NFL Canada (2016–2024), David expanded the league’s reach, built meaningful fan connections, and championed initiatives like NFL Flag Football to drive nationwide youth engagement. With over 30 years of expertise in sports and consumer marketing, he knows how to turn audiences into loyal superfans. At Idea Lab Live, David will reveal how branded merchandise can transform casual brand interactions into deep emotional connections. Don’t miss the chance to learn how to turn "like" into lasting brand love.
Promo with Purpose
Discover the power of meaningful, well-crafted merchandise in shaping brand perception, fostering customer and associate loyalty, and driving engagement. Learn from industry experts, see innovative product solutions firsthand, and gain insights into leveraging merch as a strategic tool to amplify your brand’s reach and impact.
Suzanne Simpson – MAS | Director of Strategic Accounts | Gemline
Suzanne Simpson is a seasoned industry leader with 18+ years in promotional products, advertising, and marketing. As Director of Strategic Accounts at Gemline, she drives strategy for top U.S. and Canadian enterprise clients. Passionate about brand affinity and conscious value, she’s actively involved in sustainability initiatives and industry leadership. Recently appointed Workgroup Chair for PPAI’s Women’s Leadership Conference, Suzanne continues to shape the industry while maintaining an 18-year partnership with Staples Canada.
Lisa Howells – Team Lead, Events & Experiences at Cenovus Energy
Lisa Howells has been in the events industry since 2006. She has been a valuable member of the Cenovus team since 2007, bringing her expertise and passion to every project.
The Power of AI in Marketing
Explore how AI is transforming marketing by enhancing customer engagement, personalizing content, and optimizing campaigns like never before. In this panel, we explore real-world applications, cutting-edge tools, and practical strategies to leverage AI for smarter decision-making and better results. Whether you're a marketing professional or business leader, learn how to harness AI's potential to stay ahead in this digital world.
Robin Gainer – Strategic Account Director at Cohere
Robin is a seasoned Strategic Account Director at Cohere, where he leads relationships with some of Canada’s most innovative companies, including RBC, as well as other global Fortune 500 customers. At Cohere, he helps enterprises leverage cutting-edge AI solutions to drive business transformation. His deep understanding of AI applications and their real-world impact makes him a trusted advisor to leaders looking to harness the power of generative AI and large language models. Prior to Cohere, Robin held key roles in the AI and tech ecosystem including Creative Destruction Lab, a renowned startup incubator, and SolidStateAI, a machine learning startup revolutionizing manufacturing intelligence.
Claûde Beaupré – Head of Marketing at Cohere
Claûde Beaupré is a marketing leader with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of innovation and business growth. As a Head of Marketing at Cohere, she has spearheaded Cohere’s go-to-market strategy through product launches and events, and forged marketing partnerships with the likes of Microsoft, AWS and Oracle, helping customers demystify AI and translating complex concepts into actionable insights. Before Cohere, Claûde honed her skills in venture capital, advising startups on scaling and GTM strategies, and at Google, where she focused on leveraging AI to drive business growth. She also launched an early-stage venture at RBC, deepening her understanding of innovation and market dynamics.
Sabaa Quao - President of PlusCo Venture Studio
Sabaa Quao is President of PlusCo Venture Studio, the corporate venture and innovation offshoot of Cossette and Plus Company Canada. Sabaa was previously the Chief Creative and Innovation Officer at Cossette.
Sabaa believes that the "innovation" mandate is as urgent today as it was for agencies and creative professionals who faced the start of the digital era 25 years ago. He has led and worked with marketing and technology teams in over a dozen countries, which has enriched his perspective and approach. Sabaa has been the creative helm of many Canadian and international "firsts" including the inaugural campaign launch of the Toronto Raptors; the brand launch for Japanese retailer Ciaopanic; the launch of Filminute in Bucharest and London; and he led an IP commercialisation team in Oxford and Helsinki that built virtual character software for Electronic Arts.
Sabaa is a frequent keynote speaker and an industry advisor to business and creative schools, specializing in creativity, entrepreneurship, and business model innovation. Sabaa has led, co-chaired, and been a member of over 20 national and international marketing and short film juries. For Canada, Sabaa sits on the Cannes Lions Advisory Board and is the current Digital Young Lions co-chair. Sabaa holds degrees in Marketing, Communication and Design, and an MBA from UofT's Rotman School of Management.
Customer Love Notes
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Thanks for having me at the fantastic event! I would absolutely go again if you are planning to have more! 
Sabina Jeon, Intact -
Very well organized event. The new screens for merchandise bags were a great feature to customize and build your own swag bag. Selection of varied vendors with different niches with a lot of variety were appreciated. Food trucks were a nice touch too. Good speaker panels that were very informative, good format for openly asking questions. Overall, incredible event & looking forward to next year with refreshed ideas and speakers.
Sana Nawab, BUNGE CANADA -
Loved the event. Loved the venue and the experience. Looking forward to next year.
Evan Babins, Scotibank -
Previous slide Next slideThis was a great and valuable event, thank-you for providing us with the opportunity to attend.
Liam Maddock, RBC
About Staples Promo
Merchandise experiences are an essential tool in any brand’s journey toward progress, and we make it seamless and intuitive to connect those experiences directly to tangible business results.
