LISTEN: Authenticity in Messaging and Representation in Media

Aaron Walton speaks in a Babson classroom
Listen

“Authentic storytelling, for me, really helps to increase brand love. And when we do the right kind of storytelling that not only touches the mind but also touches the heart, that’s where you have an opportunity to create loyalty for a brand with consumers.” 

Aaron Walton ’83, a trailblazing marketing and advertising executive and prominent thought leader, knows all about authentic messaging and the importance of representation in media. Walton, who was inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Fame in 2023, is the CEO of Walton Isaacson, the agency he co-founded in 2005 with Cory Isaacson and Earvin “Magic” Johnson. 

Walton shares his insights, lessons, and stories from working with Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and The Black Panther in the fourth episode of “From Problems to Possibilities: Entrepreneurial Leadership in Action,” Babson’s new podcast. 

The new episode, titled “Brand Love: Representation in Media,” explores the business opportunities and impact of an inclusive approach to marketing and advertising across the media spectrum. In addition to Walton, the episode features Anjali Bal, associate professor of marketing at Babson, and Kristie Raymond, founder and president of HumanKind, LLC, a Boston-based casting agency. 

The episode is available on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon, and you can listen here: 

Posted in Entrepreneurial Leadership, Insights

More from Entrepreneurial Leadership »

Latest Stories

Employees discuss over documents at table during a company retreat
Resolve to Network: Research Shows Company Retreats Help Forge New Connections Company offsites provide more than just a break from regular routines. New research shows retreats can serve an important function, write Madeline Kneeland of Babson College and Adam M. Kleinbaum for The Conversation.
By ,
January 21, 2026

Posted in Insights

Dylan Amaswache ’27 takes a selfie with students sitting at tables behind him
A Salute to Service: How Babson Students Give Back to the Community The arrival of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a holiday in which many people perform community service, makes for an opportune moment to examine the longstanding tradition of giving back at Babson.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
January 16, 2026

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Close up of young woman holding happy smile face on background epic sunset
Best Way for Employers to Support Employees with Chronic Mental Illness Is by Offering Flexibility New research suggests that workers with chronic mental illnesses need their managers to be flexible and trust them, write Emily Rosado-Solomon of Babson College and Sherry Thatcher for The Conversation.
By ,
January 13, 2026

Posted in Insights