The ICA’s Creative Advisory Committee represents Canada’s best agency creative leaders, a community created to debate industry issues and drive Canadian creative excellence.
A recurring issue is how the value of creativity is defined and recognized. This includes the role awards play in identifying and measuring agency and brand excellence, as well as evaluating their business value, cost, and impact. Globally, industry leaders have questioned both the proliferation of awards schemes and the transparency of ranking programs. The Creative Power List is the ICA’s response to these concerns in Canada.
Working in close partnership with leading audit, tax, and consulting firm Doane Grant Thornton LLP, the ICA’s Creative Advisory Committee developed a transparent ranking system for Canadian agencies and brands. The system helps the industry make informed decisions about which awards to invest in, while accurately reflecting true national creative standing.
The Committee also builds and maintains strong relationships with international award shows, supporting judge training and providing deeper insight into how each program operates—strengthening both agency performance and Canada’s global creative success.
In 2021, the Creative Advisory Committee established the framework for the first-ever Creative Power List, determining which national and international awards matter, how they are weighted, and delivering a clear, transparent scoring methodology to the industry. From 2023 onward, the Committee has met annually to review and refine both the methodology and the awards considered, ensuring the Creative Power List remains rigorous, relevant, and fit for purpose.
Each year, the Creative Advisory Committee reviews and updates the methodology that determines which awards define Canada’s creative power. Understanding this framework allows agencies and brands to make informed award decisions that can shape their standing in the 2027 Creative Power List, published in Q1 2027.
The Creative Advisory Committee welcomes feedback on this initiative and its methodology. It is created by the industry for the industry. Please email any feedback to scott@theica.ca.
