As the co-founder and CEO of Walton Isaacson, an advertising and marketing agency, Aaron Walton built the Los Angeles-based agency into an enduring success. It delivers exceptional results for A-List customers including Lexus, American Airlines, Constellation, McDonald’s, Pepsi, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Amazon.
In short, high-profile entrepreneur, influencer, innovator, and titan are just a few nouns that describe Walton, one of the nation’s top black advertising executives.
Walton founded the company with Cory Isaacson in 2005 and partnered with NBA legend and serial entrepreneur Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Isaacson left the company in 2019 to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors outside of agency business. Walton told BLACK ENTERPRISE that his company now bills over $100 million in revenue. Walton Isaacson previously ranked #1 BLACK ENTERPRISE’s BE 100s List for advertising agencies.
Aaron Walton, Carolyn Everson (2023 Hall of Fame Chairperson), Antonio Lucio (Indie Hall of Fame Inductee)
Copyright: Akintayo Adewole / DRKR PXLS. Photo provided by the American Advertising Federation.
Walton was honored for his work in New York after being inducted into the 2023 American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hall of Fame by Vinay Shahani, Vice President of Lexus Marketing. Shahani and Walton have worked closely together for the past two and a half years. Among the seven new additions to this year’s class, Walton joins a roster of elite, iconic and legendary figures who have garnered the highest recognition in the industry.
Their actions helped transform the powerful industry and its culture. They are also highly valued for their exceptional philanthropic efforts in their businesses and communities.
Walton Isaacson engineered the award-winning partnership between Japanese luxury carmaker Lexus and Disney’s Marvel Studios for the global blockbuster film Black Panther. Lexus is Walton Isaacson’s largest customer.
informationlDefeat the advertising industry and be a game changer
Presenting the award to Walton, Shahani says, “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this recognition. Aaron has worked tirelessly to help us bring Lexus to the epicenter of cultural relevance through a pioneering approach to brand integrations and cultural marketing that allows us to engage our constituents with an inclusive and authentic message.”
And Steve Pacheco, President and CEO of AAF, spoke about Walton’s accomplishments and the influential impact he has had and continues to have on the company.
“Aaron Walton has built a solid, successful career spanning entertainment, media and advertising, as well as pop culture, fashion and technology,” said Pacheco. “He helped shape modern advertising in a positive way and clearly showed what opportunities and opportunities exist and can exist in our industry.”
Walton says he’s never considered doing anything other than what he’s doing right now – advertising. “Being honored by the industry and being recognized by industry leaders that I’ve looked up to has really had a very special impact on my life.” He says it’s a humbling experience to be part of this illustrious group of people, which includes recruits who were his mentors.
One of Walton’s mentors was Roger Enrico, former CEO and chairman of PepsiCo. “Pepsi was a training ground for me, if you will, in terms of my first job, first opportunity to get into marketing and advertising.” Walton worked with Michael Jackson on the Pepsi-sponsored Bad global tour. Another Walton mentor was the late Alan Pottasch, creator of the “Pepsi Generation” advertising campaign.
Cathy Hughes, Founder and Chair of Urban One, was another mentor. Enrico, Pottasch and Hughes are members of the AAF Hall of Fame. “All these people that I’ve been watching and wondering how they did it – people who were kind enough to give me advice – it was amazing. Being accepted into this company really meant the world to me.”
Developed a bold business plan and differentiated his company from competitors
A true innovator, Walton’s initial focus on cultural engagement and diversity helped differentiate him from his competitors and transform traditional marketing and advertising strategies. He recalls sharing his business plan with friends who have been CMOs at various companies and trying to get their feedback.
Before he even shared the plan, Walton recalls them saying, “OMG, Aaron, we don’t need another agency. We’re trying to downsize rosters.” But Walton stood his ground. “And I was like a dog with a bone: no, you don’t understand. This will be different. We will advance with culture. We will expand the market and expand opportunities.”
This approach has resulted in big dividends for Walton and his company. Walton’s work has received critical acclaim, including an AAF Mosaic Award for Best Integrated Campaign and Car Campaign of the Year at the Think LA Idea Awards, among many other awards.
Additionally, Walton’s pledge to value difference and build cultural inclusion has helped WI gain recognition by many major media outlets. These include Advertising Age, Black Enterprise, OUT Magazine and the Hispanic Public Relations Association. WI’s creativity and ability to thrive in an industry where others struggled helped the company win Black Enterprise’s 2013 Advertising Agency of the Year.
Overcoming obstacles and catering to multiple cultures
But the path was not always easy. Walton admits his company started very small with just a few clients. He says his company was lucky that Lexus was one of those customers – “because they believed in what we’re about.” He says what made the difference is people knowing the “why” of his company understand. He says customers understand his company’s mission and the urgent need to expand their brand into markets that have previously been overlooked.” He added that it has created new opportunities and markets for customers, resulting in new revenue streams and growth for ran his agency.
At the same time, Walton overcame obstacles while focusing on growing the company. He noted that one challenge was convincing major US corporations not to pigeonhole his company — the pigeonhole being the belief that owned by blacks means only black. “The reality is we are marketers; We are professional advertising professionals. We don’t just do powerful advertising for the black consumer.”
He pointed to American Airlines, a brand that saw the full potential of his company. In 2021, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported, WI was named the new multicultural agency for American Airlines, reportedly the country’s largest airline. Walton says, “They got it and didn’t put us in a box.”
He says another challenge is the lack of diversity in America’s businesses, particularly in the C-suite or
other managerial positions with decision-making authority. “We need to see more people of color
Positions within those organizations where they can make marketing-related decisions.”
Looking at the big picture, Walton explains that part of this shifts the perception that black-owned just means you can only target blacks. His company serves multiple segments including General Market, DE&I, Hispanic, Black, Millennial, LGBTQ+ and Female.
“I love being purposeful and will continue to do so. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be included in some of the bigger opportunities. I can do both – targeted and broader intercultural work for all target groups.”
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