From Airport Guides to Customer Journeys: How Accessibility Changes Everything

Unlock the secret to building a marketing career that thrives through constant innovation and authenticity. Vanessa Thomas, a seasoned product and brand marketer with over 14 years of experience across giants like Air Canada, Skip the Dishes, and Interac, shares her journey from aspiring lawyer to industry builder — and how staying adaptable fuels success in today’s fast-changing marketing landscape.

In this episode, Vanessa reveals how she’s leveraged her diverse roles to become a true builder—creating impactful campaigns like Calgary Stampede sponsorships and airport navigation videos for Air Canada, while forging authentic connections that inspire future marketers. Discover how her strategic playbook approach turns complex challenges into high-impact results, whether it’s mastering persona development in an AI-driven world or transforming customer lives through thoughtful lifecycle marketing.

You'll uncover: the importance of building with empathy and data, the evolving role of product marketing, and the power of creating accessible content that demystifies travel, finance, and tech for all. Vanessa dives into the pitfalls of content over saturation, the biases inherent in AI systems, and why a human touch remains vital in crafting compelling stories.

Connect with Vanessa at https://vanessamariah.com/ or on LinkedIn to learn more about her work and her philosophy of continuous growth and diversity in marketing.