At Faulhaber, we believe growth starts with curiosity, and the courage to look beyond what’s already working and imagine what’s possible. That’s what we mean when we say seeing you bigger. It’s about asking deeper questions: Who is included in this story? Whose voice is missing? And what new opportunities could appear if we built for belonging from the start?

That belief guided my recent conversation in Mexico City with Danny Guerrero, CEO and Founder of The Culturist Group, at our partner agency Brandstravel’s annual summit. Together, we explored one powerful truth: diversity isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s a business growth strategy.

Representation Is ROI

The numbers tell a clear story. Brands that show inclusive representation drive up to 30 per cent higher consumer interest, and inclusive campaigns are three times more likely to be shared on social media. Across studies, Gen Z consistently emerges as the most values-driven generation, choosing to trust, follow, and purchase from brands that reflect inclusion in meaningful, visible ways.

Diversity drives trust. Trust drives loyalty. And loyalty drives long-term growth.

When audiences feel seen, they engage more deeply. Not because they were targeted, but because they were understood.

From Tokenism to True Integration

At Faulhaber, we often remind clients that authenticity isn’t about who appears in a campaign — it’s about who shapes it.

Avoiding tokenism means weaving inclusion into every layer of strategy, from briefing to casting to creative leadership. It’s about building teams and stories that reflect real lived experience, not representation for appearance’s sake.

When inclusion is an outcome of intention, not insertion, it leads to storytelling that resonates and lasts.

Travel as a Cultural Mirror

The travel sector offers a compelling example. The Culturist Group’s Traveling in Color 2025 report found that 82 per cent of BIPOC travellers are more likely to visit destinations that champion diversity and cultural connection. When travellers feel seen, they stay longer, spend more, and return.

Exclusion, on the other hand, has a measurable cost.

For brands and destinations alike, it’s a reminder that marketing doesn’t just reflect culture, it helps build it. When done right, it creates real bridges between communities.

One recent example comes from our collaboration with the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. Through our partnership, Canadian journalist Natalie Preddie explored Black surf culture in Los Angeles for Travel + Leisure, spotlighting stories of connection, heritage, and representation within the travel experience. It’s a reminder that inclusive storytelling isn’t abstract, it has real-world cultural and economic impact. 

Read the full article here →

The Canadian Reality

In Canada, diversity is not a niche market. It’s the consumer reality. Nearly one in four Canadians is foreign-born — the highest share among G7 countries — and by 2041, more than half the population will be immigrants or their Canadian-born children. Add to that more than 450 reported cultural origins, a thriving 2SLGBTQ+ community, and two official languages that shape our national identity, and you have a marketplace built on multiplicity.

If your brand story doesn’t reflect that reality, it’s already out of date.

PoweredPR®: Building Connection Through Inclusion

At Faulhaber, inclusion isn’t an initiative, it’s our operating system. As a women-founded and women-led agency, we’ve built a culture where Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are integrated into every facet of our business — from who’s on our team to whose stories we tell.

We maintain a team that is at least 25% from BIPOC or LGBTQ2S+ communities, and we commit to working with a minimum of 25% diverse vendors, creators, and partners on every client campaign — ensuring that the stories we tell reflect the communities we serve. In partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), we established the Faulhaber Award, a 20-year annual bursary supporting a BIPOC female-identifying student who demonstrates leadership and potential in communications. 

Our proprietary PoweredPR® model turns these commitments into impact. By uniting data, creativity, and empathy, we help brands tell the right stories to the right audiences: ensuring campaigns connect authentically and reflect the diversity of the world around us.

Looking Ahead

As marketers, we have a choice: to mirror the world as it is, or to help shape the world we want to see.

Diversity in marketing isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about opening doors. It’s how brands remain credible, magnetic, and future-proof. And when inclusion sits at the heart of strategy, the return is measured not only in numbers, but in trust, community, and lasting growth.

Because the greatest growth happens when everyone feels they have a place in the story.