I believe creativity is your most powerful advantage in a world of numbing sameness. I know this from 30+ years of delivering powerful outcomes for tier one brands – as well as from judging Cannes Lions and every major international award show.
Now I speak to audiences across the globe about the power of creativity. I decode the most brilliant ideas from around the world for business leaders seeking an edge. I show how relevance and emotion shape culture, change minds and build business.
If you’re looking for inspiration and actionable intel to help take your team, brand, or organization to the next level, let’s talk.
Visit my new website: karenhowe.ca
WHAT THE COLD MADE IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE
The first sharp snowfall in November was a clear signal that one night outside is hard and a season outside is unthinkable. Yet thousands of young people in our city face exactly that, night after night. On November 20th, I joined Covenant House Toronto’s Sleep Out to support youth experiencing homelessness and trafficking. One cold, restless night for me. Far too many for them.
The sidewalk strips everything back. Cardboard offers very little protection from the cold and the city noise never stops long enough to let you sleep. Lying there, you understand something deeper. The youth who endure this are not just fighting the weather. They are fighting to stay seen, safe and hopeful at an age when their lives should be expanding, not narrowing. This is the moment of truth Covenant House steps into every day, offering safety, stability and the chance to begin again.
I originally aimed to raise $10,000, then $13,000. You all helped me bring that total over $16,000. The 66 participants of the executive sleep out collectively reached over $1.2 million in donations and helped Covenant House exceed its overall target. That is what creative bravery looks like in real life. Empathy turned into action.
I want to thank every supporter by name. You stood with youth who need it most:
Jennifer Fraser, Domenic Gesualdi, Valerie Leach, Thomas Sharp, Proof Strategies, Barbara Howe, Mary Maddever, Nancy Lamanna, Neil Ewen, Shannon Lewis, Carol Lynde, James McIlroy, Sonia Carreno, Eloise Giancola, Ralph Grunier, Robert Jenkyn, Annette O'Gorman, Denise Howe, Janice Leach-Lynch, Matt Olinski, Richard Fofana, Stephen Brown, Kevin MacDonnell, Krystle Mullin, Kurt Rosentreter, Laurissa Stebeleski, Lawrie Graham Davis, Mark Weisbarth, Michael King, Nathaniel Greene, Walter Markham, Bianca Freedman, Carrie Lawson, Cristina Markham, Daniel O'Brien, Janet Patterson, Adrian Kirby, Allanah Howe, Anastasia Tubanos, Andrea Hunt, Anita Gravelle, Anita Kania, Brittany Burek, Cameron Howe, Christina Quelch, Christine Barclay, Connor Leach, Creative Niche, DAC, David Friedman, Diane Cote, Ernest Cappellacci, Gina DaRoza, Helene Bertucci, iFrate, Ingrid Hart, Janice Lawson, Jennifer Bermingham, Jody Hewgill & Balvis Rubess, John Pace, Laura Tucker, Lisa Faktor, Lydia Salvi, Michael Grimes, Norman Odell, Paul Denhartog, Randy Leach, Sabaa Quao, Susan & Gordon Stoneman, Tara Laidley, Tatjana Lalkovic, Tom Eymundson
Anonymous donors: thank you for your quiet courage and generosity.
Impact is not complicated. It is human. It happens when we choose to show up. For one cold night, we did exactly that. Let’s keep choosing it.
Thursday Nov 20th is coming fast!
Time is running out. On the night of November 20, I’ll be sleeping on the sidewalk with nothing more than a sleeping bag. It’s one night for me but for too many young people in our city, it’s every night.
Covenant House steps in when youth have nowhere else to turn. Their team provides safety, shelter, medical care and a path forward for kids facing homelessness and trafficking.
They rely on private donors for most of its annual budget, so every gift truly matters. Your support helps a young person find warmth, safety and the confidence to rebuild their life.
If you can give, please do. Even a small contribution helps push us closer to our goal and makes a meaningful difference for youth who need it most.
You're invited: Après Cannes 2025
Every year, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity brings together the world’s best ideas, the kind that make you laugh, cry or question everything you thought you knew about creativity. And every year, I return with a notebook full of insights and a heart full of inspiration, ready to share what it all means for us here in Canada.
This year’s festival made one thing crystal clear: the future of creativity isn’t cautious — it’s courageous. From AI’s wild west to the rise of ROE (Return on Emotion), Cannes Lions 2025 reminded us that imagination still leads the way.
That’s why I’m thrilled to invite you to Après Cannes 2025, hosted by The Globe and Mail, the official Canadian Representative for the Cannes Lions Festival. It’s an evening dedicated to decoding the ideas, trends, and provocations shaping our industry — and to raising a glass to Canadian creativity.
I’ll be leading a 45-minute session, Decoding Cannes, where I’ll break down the standout campaigns and creative themes that defined this year’s festival. You’ll hear about the work that moved the jury rooms, challenged convention, and set new creative standards for the year ahead.
We’ll also be joined by Canadian jurors and Young Lions competitors who will share their own behind-the-scenes perspectives and festival highlights.
So, if you’re an agency leader, marketer, or creative soul looking for a spark of inspiration, join us for an evening of ideas, insights, and a little rosé.
Event Details:
Monday, December 8, 2025 | 5:00–8:00 PM
The Globe and Mail Centre, 351 King Street East, 17th Floor, Toronto
Let’s come together to celebrate creativity, courage, and the stories that move us.
Support My Sleep Out!
Armed with a sleeping bag, on the night of November 20th, I will be doing for one night what far too many kids have to do every night: sleep on the sidewalk.
Kids in our city are experiencing homelessness and trafficking and they need our support – now more than ever. That is where Covenant House steps and extends a life line.
With your help, I can reach my fundraising goal of $13,000 and ensure the Covenant House Toronto team can continue their life-saving work to provide essential services to youth everyday. Please donate what you can, and know that it all makes a big difference, 75% of Covenant House's annual budget comes from private donors.
You can help.
Your gift will help provide food, shelter and medical care to some of our city’s most vulnerable and will help these young people on their journey to independence.