LISTEN: Authenticity in Messaging and Representation in Media

April 22, 2025

Aaron Walton speaks in a Babson classroom

Aaron Walton ’83, co-founder and CEO of Walton Isaacson, recently visited the Babson campus and shares his insights on messaging and representation on the “From Problems to Possibilities: Entrepreneurial Leadership in Action” podcast. (Photo: Nic Czarnecki/Babson College)

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“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: