Growing From Your Core: Super Consumers, Community, and AI with Brian Aucoin
July 9, 2026
In this episode of Change Agents: Inside Modern Insights, host Devora Rogers is joined by veteran marketer and strategist Brian Aucoin to explore how listening to the consumer drives massive brand growth. Brian shares the exact moment in 2007 when a surprising piece of data from a Pizza Hut pilot program (discovering that online ordering led to significantly larger ticket sizes) completely revolutionized the company’s media strategy and shifted dollars to digital.
Beyond the big wins, Devora and Brian tackle the very real challenge brands face when sudden, meteoric growth (like the COVID-19 boom) begins to slow down. Drawing on his leadership experience at Gooder sunglasses, Mattel and Disney, Brian explains why the answer is always to “grow from your core.” He breaks down consumer segmentation for the uninitiated, explaining how to find and leverage your “ride or die” super consumers.
The two also dive into today’s biggest macro trends, discussing why brands must act as platforms for real-life community building in an era of low trust. Finally, they tackle the elephant in the room: AI. Brian explains why AI currently has a “brand problem” and why, as automation increases, authentic human connection will become a brand’s ultimate premium offering.
About the Guest
Brian has worked directly with growth stage, start-ups and fortune 500 brands for over 25 years. Disney, Mattel, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Pizza Hut and XBOX are among the large brands that he’s worked with directly. He is actively working with brands and organizations on adopting the AI Marketing Playbook to scale growth. Brian draws inspiration from solving the difficult marketing challenges. He specializes in consumer-led and data-driven strategic planning and execution of campaigns.
To learn more, visit:
https://alteragents.com/
Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:
https://missionmatters.com/author/devora-rogers
