Marketing News Canada

Recorded live at SocialWest 2026 in Calgary, Jeff Aylen, Vice President of Marketing and Brand for the Vancouver Whitecaps, joins host Lindsay Smith to talk about what it really takes to build a fanbase that sticks around long after the final whistle.

Jeff shares how the Whitecaps went from struggling to fill 12,000 seats in 2021 to selling out 50,000-person stadiums in 2024, and why that turnaround had as much to do with a strategic pivot toward relationship building as it did with what was happening on the pitch.

He breaks down how the team uses data and performance marketing to amplify emotional moments, how they scenario plan for seasons when the results aren't going their way, what FIFA 2026 means for the long-term growth of soccer in Canada, and why building mini-pitches across BC matters more to the Whitecaps than any single World Cup bump.

Because fans aren't acquired. They're built.

Edited and produced by the incredible team at Takt.

What is Marketing News Canada?

Marketing News Canada spotlights the people, ideas, and innovations redefining Canadian marketing. Produced by SocialNext, Canada’s largest independent marketing conference series, we bring you candid conversations with marketers, founders, creators, and industry leaders shaping the future of the industry.

Recorded live at SocialNext events and through in-depth interviews from coast to coast, each episode dives into the ideas, bold campaigns, and community-driven strategies defining the Canadian marketing landscape. If you care about Canadian creativity, innovation, and the people behind the work, you’re in the right place.

Presented by Marketing News Canada www.marketingnewscanada.com