On September 5, 2023, media industry veteran Janet Susan Callaghan passed away, leaving a wake of mourners and a legacy they claim will never be forgotten.

Callaghan was deemed a media maven, touching the lives of many who worked alongside her at organizations from J. Walter Thompson to BellGlobeMedia and the CMDC.

At the latter, she “conceived, assembled and produced a series of annual conferences that were prescient in providing platforms for global rising thought leaders, not just in media, but also in architecture, crypto-currency and Artificial Intelligence,” according to her obituary in the Toronto Star.

Many of the characteristics written in her obit shone through and aligned perfectly with the tributes her closest peers shared with Media in Canada below – she was eccentric, intellectual, charming, captivating, fashionable, observant, creative and inspirational.

“Janet was bold,” the obit read. “She loved to talk current events and politics, and was never afraid to speak her mind. She was a keen reader with vocabulary to match, and a gifted public speaker. This devastating combination of smarts and charm meant that she was an immediately captivating presence in any room that she walked into.”

A celebration of life will take place in the Fall. For more information, email janetcallaghan2023@gmail.com. Any stories, memories, pictures or videos are also welcomed by the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Parkinson Canada.

Sunni Boot, former CEO at Zenithoptimedia (retired)

There is no denying all of Janet’s remarkable attributes, which were beautifully captured in her obituary. Upon hearing of her death so many things came to mind that were uniquely Janet. She was a great observer. She called people by their surname, which I initially found annoying and later charming. While there were many unique things about Janet, in thinking of her, I am drawn to two that I admired most.

Her unending curiosity about everything! People who are curious are people who are interesting, and Janet was among the most interesting people I ever met. She read, she pondered, she researched and then articulated and debated her discoveries with those fortunate enough to be in that sphere with her.

She was also the quintessential Pollyanna. Her intelligence allowed her to quickly assess situations and people on both sides of “the coin” and she always chose the one that was most generous and most helpful. There was not a mean bone in Janet, she was one of the most thoughtful people I ever knew. Interesting, thoughtful, and generous describes Janet Callaghan for me. I was privileged to have known and worked with her.

Julie Ford, executive director, DAAC

If you met Janet Callaghan, you were definitely intrigued. She had an air of mystery about her that I can’t quite describe, but it was everything from her posh accent, killer outfits, calm demeanour, whip-smart retorts and more.

Janet’s work with the Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada (DAAC) was integral. She represented the Canadian Media Directors’ Council (CMDC) and was at the table on day one of the DAAC, figuring out ways for all the associations to connect on the issue of online behavioural advertising and how to respond to regulatory expectations. Throughout her years volunteering for the DAAC, she became Treasurer and remained in the role until she left in 2021. During this time, she inadvertently became a mentor of mine, guiding me in my executive role.

With each year she participated in the DAAC, she offered stability and sage advice. She was always ready to provide an opinion but was never overbearing. She was very passionate about the vitality of the advertising industry and was connected to the pulse of the media and advertising business, wanting to see it grow and thrive. (And she had lots of stories, especially of wild media parties in the 80s and 90s!)

Janet was a curator, continuously refining her work with keen attention to detail, as evident in past events she organized. If you have ever been to a Canadian Media Directors’ Council event, they do it up right (kudos to Shannon Lewis, who continues to run amazing events for the CMDC). I remember Janet (on several occasions) telling me that no one will come to a DAAC event unless it’s “exciting.” Well… I don’t think DAAC events ever quite lived up to her level of “exciting,” but I’ll forever have her demands in the back of my mind. And if you ever see the DAAC’s neon AdChoices icon at an event, that’s thanks to Janet, as that was her idea. It’s pretty awesome.

It’s challenging to express how much of an impact Janet had on my career and personal life. But I’ll give you a quick example. Ahead of a DAAC board meeting one day (many years ago), she mentioned how she works with a personal trainer a few times a week. And she looked like she did – she was very glamorous. In my eyes, here was this gorgeously confident, smart, older woman bringing her A-game everywhere she went. That inspired me to aim for bettering my own personal health, a journey I’ll be on for the rest of my life.

It wasn’t until she passed that I realized all the ways she made a difference. Here’s to Janet’s undeniable impact on the advertising and marketing industry. Let us not forget how she connected all of us. Thank you, Janet.

David Cairns, partner, Cairns Oneil

I first got to know Janet when we were partners (along with Marty White and Terry Sherry) at Asylum thinkgroup, a media consultancy I created in 2002.

I had worked alongside Janet at the CMDC several years earlier, and benefited from her counsel in planning and organizing the annual conference, which, as those who have done those types of things know, takes a huge amount of time to ideate, orchestrate, schedule and stage. It was my first experience attempting such a thing, and Janet was a great mentor.  Inquisitive and supportive. I never experienced an angry Janet, or a miffed Janet. She always had a smile. A great listener, who encouraged new ideas and then built on them.

It was that experience that made me want to work with her at Asylum thinkgroup. I knew she was really experienced, knew everyone in the industry, wasn’t intimidated by anyone, and was eager to roll up her sleeves.

I particularly remember her slightly raised eyebrows and a questioning British accent saying “Ohhh?” – which had the dual positive delivery of “That’s really interesting” and “Are you quite sure?”. She made me a better thinker. And what could be more valuable in this business?

Grail Noble, founder, CEO, Yellow House

My whole team at Yellow House looked forward to “Janet Wednesdays.” 

For many years, Janet came to our office every Wednesday in the winter months leading up to her big Canadian Media Directors’ Council Conference, which we helped her produce. She would arrive wrapped in something stylish and fashionably unique, with a story, a quip, or an observant comment.

We all knew exactly how she liked her tea. “Just wave a bag over it,” she would say. We would have it ready and everyone would jump up to grab her coat, which she was perfectly happy to hang up herself. She always had a kind word, a funny quip or an observant question. She delivered her droplets of wisdom on a breath of fresh air. 

What made her a media leader to remember? She cared. About people. About her beloved industry. About the world. She cared about politics and technology and art and music. She challenged us to stretch and to integrate all these things into our craft. 

Janet was a family friend first. Then she became a client. Then she evolved into a cherished mentor, close friend, life guide and an equal part advice and comfort giver. She even gave my son, Seton, his first job. She was a beloved fixture in our lives, both personally and professionally. 

There was no one like her, and there never will be. Janet was a unicorn.

Luke Moore, VP, managing director, media, Fuse Create

I had the privilege of working for Janet when she hired me as a media planner/buyer into the Pepsi group at JWT. The agency was a real force in those days, and it seemed that we had either the #1 or #2 brand in every major category. It was Janet who began teaching me the art of strategic media planning and she constantly emphasized the importance of it. She would encourage me to go over to the Pepsi office and bury myself in these huge Nielsen books that looked like encyclopedias, to comb for data and perform analysis. Janet was all about driving the client’s business and delivering on their objectives, and I equate the word “strategy” with Janet when I think of her. This remains a skill that I proudly use and teach today.

Janet also helped me on a personal level over the years. In the Pepsi days, I was young and rather reckless, but also very entrepreneurial. There came a time when this “stuff” was interfering with my corporate job, and we had to part ways. I will never forget the talk Janet and I had as we walked along Bloor from Church St. At that moment, she became much more than my boss – she became my advertising mother figure and, later, a guide and friend. Much of what she said to me came true in the years that followed. She was prescient and sage with her perspective.

From that walk forward, Janet secured a very special place in my heart, but it wasn’t until my return to Toronto that I truly realized it. Over the years I leaned on Janet for business advice, personal guidance, and the occasional coffee. This ebbed and flowed as I worked in various agencies and markets across the country, but she was always a consistent mentor. I loved having a good laugh with her because she knew a side of me that few do. She was really big on family, and she seemed so pleased when I unexpectedly had a child rather late in life. I have stayed agency side my whole career, so our paths would intersect, whether at 10 Bay Street or at a CMDC meeting, over the years. Without exception, it was always wonderful seeing her.

I have so much love and respect for Janet. She was a wonderful human, and she will be missed.

Lesley Parrott, formerly SVP at MacLaren McCann (retired)

Janet and I were colleagues at JWT in the ’70s, and again in the ’80s, when Janet was media director and I was director of broadcast and creative services. The ’80s were what many of us will call the JWT “glory days.”

Janet was a complete dynamo – she injected her media group and the whole agency with a sense of irreverence and fun, but also with the desire to be innovative and to be the very best. She led and mentored a group of media professionals many of whom moved on to leadership roles within our industry.

Her clients loved her no-boundaries approach in finding creative and effective solutions in the media world. Our Pepsi clients, a group of ambitious, demanding and talented people, were particularly enamoured with her as indicated by some of the messages being exchanged since her passing.

She could command a room like no other. She exuded outrageousness along with intelligence, discipline and a pioneering spirit. She had her own unique personal style and we were all drawn to this tall, gorgeous blond woman who knew no bounds.

Janet was also a totally devoted mother and was a passionate hockey mum. Frankly, she had it all! She will be sorely missed by her many colleagues, friends and family.

Cathy Collier, CEO, OMD

For many years, I admired Janet from a distance. She was this glamourous presence that could not be missed. Her passion, clear stances on marketing topics or otherwise were always sharp, thought out, and delivered in a way that simply could not be missed.

I had the good fortune to get to know Janet when I joined the CMDC Board – where she was the Executive Director. She was everything I had imagined and more. Yes, she was hyper-intelligent. Yes, she had a bold vision and a drive to be reckoned with. She was also hilarious, light on her feet, and kind. But not too kind. She had a reservoir of the best gossip I have been around in this industry.  

In 2012, I had a front row seat and was able to be her co-pilot on a move to transform the annual CMDC Conference. After 30+ years, she re-imagined what the event could be from a scale, scope, and curriculum standpoint. I was chair of the conference during those transformative years. Janet, as always, was the spark, the engine, and heart of the enterprise. Janet thoughtfully selected and then made every aspect happen, from the international speakers (think Sal Khan of the Khan Academy), the new TIFF Lightbox venue, new sponsorships, down to the table seating plan (which she occasionally entrusted to me). 

It was an event the industry was proud to call its own. Janet’s fingerprints were everywhere. Even generously scripting many presenters including me with words that I would spend days looking up and then rehearsing how to say. Janet always showed impeccably – in presence, quality of work, and style. However, one of her greatest strengths was making everybody look good.

Anne Myers, formerly CCO at Starcom/currently part-time professor at Centennnial College

While I knew Janet by reputation from industry events and committees, I started working more closely with her when she took on the role of executive director at the CMDC in 2008.

Managing a council of media agency leaders, all A type personalities with strong opinions (many also industry icons in their own right), was no mean small feat, but Janet did it with zeal, a keen interest and vision for the evolution of the media business, a collaborative style and her trademark smarts and aplomb. She had the respect of every part of the industry.

A common theme amongst many this week has been how Janet served as a mentor to so many of us no matter which sector of the industry you worked in… there was something we could always learn from her, and she was generous with her time, advice and encouragement. She was accomplished and knowledgeable, with a big personality, but not ego driven, rather she was supportive and motivated to make sure everyone she worked with shone and rose to their best selves. She built a wide circle of friendship from this approach, much beyond professional connections.

Her family said that everyone would have their own unique and indelible descriptions of Janet beyond theirs. Mine would be: boundless enthusiasm for work and family, razor sharp wit, insatiable curiosity, generosity of spirit and indomitable.

Rest peacefully, Janet. Your influence and impact on all those you touched will live on.

Judy Davey, VP, media policy, marketing capabilities and Ron Lund, president, CEO at ACA

We don’t recall when we first met Janet, but we do remember her presence at many industry events, usually with one of her handsome sons on her arm as her “plus one.”

We had the pleasure of working with Janet over the years principally with regards to CRTC matters, appearing in Ottawa, or issuing submissions on various broadcast matters. She was exceptionally talented, her extensive expertise, impressive vocabulary coupled with her charm and strong perspective truly elevated our submissions. We valued our collaborations and are eternally grateful for the knowledge and wisdom she imparted.

Janet became a friend and over the years we bonded over food, sharing many fantastic colourful dinners with the Fab Five. We frequently shared recipes, cooking tips and talked about the best places to shop.

We will treasure our memories and truly miss our dear friend Janet.

Hugh Dow, president, M2 Universal

Janet Callaghan was one of those rare individuals that leave a indelible impression on you. Her unwavering passion for the media business, her no-nonsense approach to getting things done, combined with her tireless energy made her a true media leader.

Even though nearly ten years has passed since I last talked to Janet I can still hear her unique laugh, I can still visualize her very individual dress sense. These were all part of a person that made a true difference to so many of us in the media business.

Janet and I bonded perhaps because of our English backgrounds, perhaps because we both loved what we did.
She was absolutely indispensable during my terms as president of the CMDC. She kept things moving and above all she masterminded the Annual CMDC conference. At its peak this conference attracted nearly 700 delegates. Janet did virtually everything from ticket sales, the agenda, contacting speakers, even preparing presenter scripts. She was unflappable in this role, handling crisis with ease. And there were many of these.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to work with Janet and to experience her passion for life, her work, and her family. She made a difference – a big one. One that we can all be grateful for in paying tribute to a remarkable individual that was a true champion of the Canadian media business.