Frictionless Growth Marketing

In year one, Crayola launched a global initiative expecting to engage about 500,000 kids. Instead, more than 2 million participated. Five years later, that same initiative now engages over 17 million kids across more than 120 countries. In this episode, Sonia Thompson breaks down the brand strategy and customer acquisition approach behind that scale with Crayola’s Chief Marketing Officer. Together...

Marketing is shifting — and many brands feel it, even if they can’t yet name it. In this episode, Sonia Thompson speaks with Bennie F. Johnson, CEO of the American Marketing Association, about the AMA 2026 Marketing Trends shaping the future of modern marketing and growth marketing. They unpack how trust in marketing, AI in marketing, and audience fragmentation are rewriting the rules of growth —...

Brand growth today depends on evolving your brand strategy and improving the customer journey to meet changing consumer expectations. In this episode of Frictionless Growth Marketing, Sonia Thompson explores why traditional growth playbooks are breaking down — and what this moment is asking of marketers and business leaders instead. Drawing on real-world brand examples and cultural shifts, Sonia b...

Brand growth today depends on avoiding the marketing mistakes that quietly erode trust, relevance, and customer loyalty. In this episode of Frictionless Growth Marketing, Sonia Thompson breaks down the biggest marketing mishaps of 2025 and the critical lessons they reveal about brand growth, customer expectations, and modern marketing strategy. Drawing from real-world brand backlash and high-profi...

Most brands think their messaging is clear. Their customers often disagree. In this episode of Frictionless Growth Marketing, Sonia Thompson sits down with Dr. J.J. Peterson — marketing and communication expert, former Head of StoryBrand, and former co-host of the globally top-ranked Marketing Made Simple podcast, and current host of the podcast Badass Softie — to unpack how messaging can either r...

The Super Bowl, the Olympics, and the FIFA World Cup are all happening in 2026 — and they’re not just sporting events. They’re cultural events powered by identity, influence, community, and the underrepresented audiences shaping modern fandom. The brands that win next year won’t be the ones with the biggest budgets — they’ll be the ones with the deepest cultural understanding and the strongest con...

Consumers today aren’t just buying products — they’re buying alignment, transparency, cultural fluency, and trust. And trust has officially become one of the most powerful growth marketing levers a brand can pull. In this episode, Sonia Thompson — inclusive growth and customer experience strategist — breaks down what three real-world stories from LinkedIn, Disney, and Ralph Lauren reveal about the...

In this short reflection episode, Sonia Thompson — inclusive growth and customer experience strategist — shares the 2025 marketing shifts she’s most grateful for… and what they signal for brands heading into 2026. This year, marketers saw consumers use their voices and their wallets more boldly than ever, brands standing firmer in their values, and more companies finally recognizing the power of g...

Hidden friction on your website may be quietly costing your brand customers — even if your intentions are good, your messaging is strong, and traffic is coming in. After reviewing 50 brand websites across industries, markets, and company sizes, clear friction patterns emerged that consistently limit growth, reduce conversions, and weaken customer trust. In this episode, Sonia Thompson breaks down...

Hidden friction can exist anywhere in your customer journey — even when your brand has good intentions, strong values, and a solid product. These small, often invisible moments quietly frustrate customers, slow conversions, and limit brand growth long before teams realize there’s a problem. In this episode, Sonia Thompson introduces her Friction Finder Growth Audit framework, a practical approach...

Many brands want to grow — but too many are still using outdated growth marketing strategies that fail to connect with today’s most influential and high-growth communities. As consumer expectations shift, brands that rely on surface-level tactics and copy-and-paste campaigns are quietly losing trust, loyalty, and long-term ROI. In this episode, Sonia Thompson breaks down four common growth marketi...

If your ads, campaigns, or funnels aren’t delivering the results they used to, it’s not just the algorithm — and it’s not just you. Growth marketing has changed because consumers have changed. When strategies fall out of sync with how people make decisions today, performance starts to stall. In this episode, Sonia Thompson breaks down why traditional growth marketing strategies are losing effectiv...

Most growth marketing strategies start with what to do — launch a new campaign, open a new channel, or create a new product. But the fastest-growing brands today start somewhere very different: with who they’re growing with. In this episode, Sonia Thompson breaks down the mindset shift powering today’s fastest-growing brands — the shift from focusing on tactics to focusing on people. As the first...

Most brands focus on awareness in their customer acquisition strategy—but neglect the proof that actually drives conversions. In this episode of Inclusion & Marketing, Sonia Thompson explains why relevant social proof is the missing piece that helps customers see themselves in your brand—and feel confident saying yes. You’ll learn how to show “people like me succeed here,” why belonging matters ju...

Most brands overlook underrepresented and underserved consumers — but these are the communities driving the biggest growth opportunities today. In this episode of Inclusion & Marketing, Sonia Thompson sits down with Edgar Hernandez, Chief Strategy Officer at MyCode, the U.S.’s largest multicultural media company. Together they unpack how MyCode helps brands grow by engaging the audiences most mark...

Most brands are eager to launch new campaigns and chase fresh leads. But here’s the truth: if your foundation isn’t strong, your customer acquisition strategy won’t deliver the growth you want. In this episode of Inclusion & Marketing, Sonia Thompson breaks down why “getting your house in order” is the key to making any acquisition strategy more effective. You’ll learn what most companies overlook...

Inclusive marketing isn’t about business as usual—it’s about disrupting the status quo. In this episode, Sonia Thompson shares a live conversation from HubSpot’s INBOUND conference with the co-founders of DRAFTED, a brand elevating Latinas and reshaping what the “general market” really means. You’ll hear how they’re challenging incorrect narratives, disrupting an entire male-centered industry, and...

Buyer personas are supposed to guide your marketing—but too often, they fall short. In this episode, Sonia Thompson, inclusive marketing strategist shares how to uplevel your buyer personas with simple identity-based shifts so they actually reflect your customers. You’ll learn how to move beyond demographics, close the persona gap, and create campaigns that convert more people into loyal customers...

Performance marketing is one of the most popular ways brands try to grow. But here’s the problem: too often, leadership decisions create gaps that keep campaigns from reaching their full potential. In this episode, Sonia Thompson sits down with Laura Lee—growth marketing expert, fractional CMO, founder of LL Consulting, and board member of Asians in Advertising—to explore a major miss in performan...

Cracker Barrel’s logo redesign didn’t just spark backlash—it exposed cracks in leadership decision-making. In this episode, Sonia Thompson shares 3 timeless marketing lessons every brand leader needs to keep their business backlash-proof. Discover how decisions around values, who’s really in charge, and whose voices guide your strategy can make or break customer trust. Tune in for practical insigh...

Want more customers? You need better customer acquisition strategies — ones that actually work in today’s marketplace. Too many brands still take a passive “build it and they will come” approach, but today’s consumers — especially those from underrepresented and underserved communities — don’t show up where they haven’t been invited. In this episode, Sonia Thompson, inclusive marketing strategist...

Most brands want more customers, better conversions, and stronger ROI. But here’s the catch: when it comes to customer acquisition, there’s one critical rule most brands completely skip. And missing it could be the reason your campaigns aren’t delivering the results you want. In this episode, you’ll discover the #1 rule of customer acquisition that turns efforts into measurable growth. I break dow...

AI is powerful — but it’s not perfect. Hidden biases in AI-generated content can quietly push away the very customers you want to attract. In this episode, I share exactly how to create AI prompts that eliminate bias and help you win more customers. You’ll learn: The simple question every customer — especially from underrepresented groups — asks before buying How to give AI the right context so it...

Two pop culture moments. Two powerful marketing lessons your brand can’t afford to miss. In this episode, I breaks down the biggest key takaway for marketers from the American Eagle X Sydney Sweeney controversey, and a viral interview with two stars of Love Island USA season 7. Both examples teach us about what today’s customers really want from the brands they buy from. Get the Inclusion & Market...

The Sydney Sweeney x American Eagle campaign made headlines, sparked debate, and flooded social feeds. But beyond the buzz lies a deeper story marketers can’t afford to ignore. In this episode, I unpack 5 real lessons from the campaign marketers can't afford to miss. Get the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter - www.inclusionandmarketing.com/newsletter