Why Inclusive Marketing Outperforms AI (and Boosts Sales)

The ROI of Inclusion – Why Diverse Voices Drive Better Business

In this episode of the Courageous Leaders Podcast, I speak with Ali Hanan, Founder and Executive Director of Creative Equals, an award-winning organisation helping brands like PepsiCo, Mars, and McDonald’s put inclusion at the heart of marketing.

We dig into why inclusive advertising isn’t just a social good but also one of the smartest business investments you can make. Ali shares how bias still shapes the work we see on screen, the data behind why diversity drives growth, and the small, intentional steps leaders can take every day to create lasting change.

We Cover: 

00:00 – Introduction

01:30 – What it takes to start and scale a business as a creative

05:21 – Why operations are the hidden engine of growth

07:51 – Collecting data to prove the need for change

11:40 – Winning funding to launch programmes

13:57 – Supporting disabled creatives and removing barriers to entry

15:26 – Why female creative directors are still underrepresented

17:44 – Bias in redundancy processes and hybrid working

19:27 – How brands influence diversity across supply chains

20:10 – The way adverts still stereotype women and men in 2025

24:02 – Racism, homophobia, and harmful portrayals in advertising

25:37 – Why inclusive marketing outperforms AI hype

31:20 – Keeping a team motivated through tough times

32:49 – Where leaders need more courage in tackling bias

37:38 – The freedom of caring less about judgment as you get older

40:08 – How expanding your network can shift your perspective

Don’t miss out on this powerful episode.

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