Global Voices, Shared Challenges: Marketing and Policy Beyond Borders
Around the world, marketing scholars, policymakers, and societal decision-makers are grappling with complex, interdependent challenges—from climate change and health inequities to data privacy and financial inclusion. These issues cross national, disciplinary, and institutional borders, and addressing them requires a collective, boundary-spanning approach. Recognizing and challenging these boundaries is essential to fostering more inclusive, innovative, and impactful research. By deliberately looking beyond these boundaries—both literal and figurative—we can discover alternative approaches and draw on examples of research, collaborations, and policies that meaningfully improve the well-being of individuals, businesses, societies, and the planet.
The 2026 Marketing & Public Policy Conference convenes in Ottawa, Ontario, marking the first time this conference has been held outside the United States. As the national capital of a country known for its pluralism and progressive social policies, Ottawa offers a compelling context for engaging in global dialogue. Explore research that examines the scope of marketing & public policy scholarship and reflects a diverse range of voices, disciplines, contexts and methodologies to address shared challenges and drive impactful marketing and public policy solutions.
Join us in Ottawa, Ontario, on May 16-18, 2026, to amplify global voices, address shared challenges, and increase the impact of marketing and policy research.
Registration
Why Attend?
Be part of an intimate community focused on advancing marketing’s role in addressing critical policy issues.
Co-create research-driven solutions that promote resilience and social impact through collaboration with academic and industry leaders.
Explore emerging insights at the intersection of marketing, public policy, and innovation.
Build meaningful relationships with experts and peers who share your commitment to impactful, interdisciplinary work.
Request An Invitation
Receive your invitation letter to this year’s conference by generating your certificate quickly and easily using the form below.
Junior Scholars Workshops
Jump-start your conference experience by arriving early to connect with fellow scholars and receive mentorship on your work.
Conference Co-Chairs
Monica LaBarge
Queen’s University
Jacob Brower
Queen’s University
Michael Mulvey
University of Ottawa
AMA Event Policies
The Westin Ottawa
11 Colonel By Drive,
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 9H4
+1 613-560-7000
Room Rate:
We’ve secured an AMA room block at a special rate of $289 CAD per night for single or double occupancy. This rate does not include applicable provincial and local taxes, currently, 13% and 5% Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT). An Additional Fee of $40 CAD per person per night applies for triple and quadruple occupancy. Taxes and fees are subject to change.
Or call the hotel at +1 613-560-7000 and reference the American Marketing Association’s Marketing and Public Policy Conference (MPPC).
Please reserve your overnight accommodations early as there are a limited number of AMA special rates available.
The reservation cut-off date is April 14, 2026.
Cancellations must be made at least 3 business days prior to arrival to avoid a penalty of 1 night’s room and tax.
Please know that any hotel room booked outside the AMA negotiated block may not be eligible for the discounted rate. Those reservations may also have a different cancellation policy and will not be eligible for reimbursement in the case of event cancellation.
Travel
Air Travel:
Ottawa International Airport
1000 Airport Parkway Private
Ottawa, ON K1V 9B4, Canada
8.8 miles (14.2km) from The Westin Ottawa
Via Rail Canada:
https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/ontario/ottawa
O-Train Public Transportation:
https://plan.octranspo.com/plan
Do you need a Visa?
Visit the Government of Canada immigration website to find out. We recommend you complete your Visa prior to purchasing flights.
Area Attractions, Events and Tourism
Visit Ottawa’s Tourism page for local events and attractions.
Dow’s Lake and the Tulip Festival
MPPC (May 8-18, 2026)! This popular annual event features massive tulip displays, family fun and more. Take a run, walk, cycle or shuttle down the path on either side of the historic Rideau Canal (literally across the street from the conference hotel!) to Dow’s Lake and Commissioner’s Park, where 300,000 tulips will be in bloom.
Why a tulip festival? The Royal Family of the Kingdom of the Netherlands took refuge in Ottawa during the Second World War, and Her Royal Highness, Princess Margriet was born here in 1943. Two years later, Canadian troops played a key role in liberating the Netherlands. In gratitude, the Dutch government has sent Canada a gift of tulip bulbs every year since 1945, inspiring what has become the Canadian Tulip Festival.
Canada’s National Museums
Ottawa boasts four major museums, with something for everyone, whether you love culture, history or the natural world.
Closest to the conference hotel are Canada’s National Gallery of Art, featuring a building by the world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie and housing major works of art from Canada and around the world. (Anyone who has been to the waterfront in downtown San Francisco may recognize the giant spider “Maman” by Louise Bourgeois out in front of the museum.)
Monica’s top 5 things to see at the gallery are: “To Prince Edward Island” by Alexander Colville; “North Shore, Lake Superior” by Lawren Harris; anything by Emily Carr (Canada’s Georgia O’Keefe); the Indigenous and Inuit Collections; and do not miss the restored Rideau Chapel on Level 1!
The Canadian Museum of History is a quick trip across the Alexandria Bridge into Quebec. The beautiful building designed by Canadian Indigenous architect Douglas Cardinal hosts grand spaces celebrating Canada’s Indigenous heritage, along with exhibitions that will explain Canada’s history and cultures (including times we could and should have
done better). The museum also has an IMAX theatre and an incredibly fun Children’s Museum. We will be kicking off the conference on Saturday evening at an opening reception in the museum’s Great Hall, which features original totem poles, art and artifacts from Canada’s West Coast Indigenous communities, along with stunning views of the Canadian Parliament buildings and the National Gallery.
Further from the hotel (but not that far!) are the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canadian War Museum. If you have kids along, the Museum of Nature is a good bet and is in a building that looks like a castle!
The Rideau Canal & The Ottawa River Trails
Ottawa boasts more than 800 kilometres (497 miles) of multi-use pathways that will take you to picturesque waterways, parks and attractions, as well as places to eat, drink and relax.
Directly across from the hotel is the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the longest continuously operating canal system in North America. Completed in 1832, the canal runs through 46 lock systems from the Ottawa River all the way to Lake Ontario in Kingston (the home of Queen’s University).
Just to the north of the conference hotel (the Westin), the first sets of those 46 locks takes you down to the Ottawa River, which divides the provinces of Ontario & Quebec. It also boasts a fantastic 31 kilometre (19mile) multi-use pathway leading west, with amazing views in all directions.
Gatineau Park
For rugged terrain and beautiful natural trails, look no further than Gatineau Park. Located in Gatineau, Quebec, just a 10-minute drive from downtown Ottawa, the park covers 361-square kilometres (90,000 acres) of wilderness and offers about 165 kilometres (103 miles) of picturesque hiking trails that vary in distance from one kilometre (0.6 mile) to four and a half kilometres (2.8 miles). Hike along lakes surrounded by dense forest and majestic rock cliffs, or make your way up to lookouts that provide spectacular scenery from 300 metres (984 feet) above the Ottawa Valley. It is also a fantastic spot to cycle (if you bring your climbing legs!). If you want to go for a bike ride while you’re here, email Jake and/or Monica to ask for advice.
ADA
The AMA is committed to providing equal access to our meetings for all attendees. If you are an attendee with a disability and require program accommodations, please contact the AMA Support Center at (800) AMA-1150. A member of our staff will ensure that appropriate access arrangements are made. If you have specific disability-related needs for your hotel sleeping room, please be sure to communicate those directly to the hotel when you make your reservation. In an effort to provide the highest quality of service to all attendees, we require that details of all access requests be communicated to our office at least 14 days in advance of the beginning of the meeting.
