Walton Isaacson CEO Aaron Walton Inducted Into American Advertising Federation Hall Of Fame

As co-founder and CEO of Walton Isaacson, an advertising and marketing agency, Aaron Walton has built the Los Angeles-based agency into a perennial player. It delivers exceptional results for A-list clients, including Lexus, American Airlines, Constellation, McDonald’s, Pepsi, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Amazon.

In a nutshell, high-profile entrepreneur, influencer, groundbreaker, and titan are just a few nouns that describe Walton, one of the nation’s top Black advertising executives.

Walton founded the firm in 2005 with Cory Isaacson and partnered with NBA legend and serial entrepreneur Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Isaacson left in 2019 to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors outside the agency’s business. Walton told BLACK ENTERPRISE that his firm is now billing over $100 million in revenue. Walton Isaacson previously ranked No. 1 on BLACK ENTERPRISE’s BE 100s list for advertising agencies.

Aaron Walton, Carolyn Everson (Chair of Hall of Fame 2023), Antonio Lucio (Hall of Fame inductee)
Photo credit: Akintayo Adewole / DRKR PXLS. Photo provided by American Advertising Federation.

Walton was honored for his work in New York after being introduced by Vinay Shahani, vice president of Lexus Marketing, into the 2023 American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hall of Fame. Shahani and Walton have worked closely together for the past 2½ years. Among seven new inductees in this year’s class, Walton joins elite, iconic, and legendary figures who have achieved the industry’s highest recognition.

Their deeds have helped change the mighty industry and its culture. They are highly regarded too for their extraordinary philanthropic efforts in their business and communities.

Walton Isaacson engineered the award-winning partnership between Japanese luxury automaker Lexus and Disney’s Marvel Studios for the global blockbuster film Black Panther. Lexus is Walton Isaacson’s largest client.

Influencing The Advertising Industry and Being a Game Changer

On presenting Walton the award, Shahani says, “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this recognition. Aaron has worked tirelessly to help us put Lexus at the epicenter of cultural relevance through a pioneering approach to branded integrations and cultural marketing that allows us to speak to our constituents with an inclusive and authentic message.”

And Steve Pacheco, president and CEO at AAF, talked about Walton’s accomplishments and the influential impact he has had and continues to have on the business.

“Aaron Walton has built a solid career of success that covers entertainment, media, and advertising as well as pop culture, fashion, and tech,” Pacheco said. “He has helped shape modern-day advertising in positive ways and shown clearly what opportunities and possibilities are available in our industry and what can be.”

Walton says he never, ever thought about doing anything other than what he’s doing right now—advertising. “To be honored by the industry and acknowledged by industry leaders I have looked up to has really had a very special impact on my life.” He says for him to be included as part of this illustrious group of people, which includes inductees who were mentors to him, is a humbling experience.

One of Walton’s mentors was Roger Enrico, former CEO and board chair of PepsiCo. “Pepsi was a training ground for me, if you will, in terms of my first job, first opportunity to get involved in marketing and advertising.” Walton worked with Michael Jackson on the global Bad tour sponsored by Pepsi. Another Walton mentor was the late Alan Pottasch, creator of the “Pepsi Generation” ad campaign.

Cathy Hughes, founder and chairperson of Urban One, was another mentor. Enrico, Pottasch, and Hughes are AAF Hall of Fame members. “All of these people who I’ve watched and wondered how they did it— people who have been gracious enough to give me advice—it has been amazing. To be included in that company has really meant the world to me.”

Developing A Bold Business Plan and Differentiating His Firm from Rivals

A true innovator, Walton’s initial focus on cultural engagement and diversity has helped set him apart from rivals, transforming conventional marketing and advertising strategies. He recalls sharing his business plan with friends that were CMOs at different corporations and trying to get their feedback.

Before he even shared the plan, Walton remembers them saying, “OMG, Aaron, we don’t need another agency. We’re trying to slim the rosters right now.” Yet Walton stood his ground. “And I was like a dog with a bone: No, you don’t understand. This is going to be different. We’re going to lead with culture. We’re going to expand the marketplace and expand opportunities.”

That approach has resulted in big dividends for Walton and his firm. Walton’s work has gained much praise, including an AAF Mosaic Award for Best Integrated Campaign and Auto Campaign of the Year at the Think LA Idea Awards, among many accolades.

Further, Walton’s pledge to value differences and build cultural inclusion has helped WI win recognition from many major outlets. They 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 firm capture Black Enterprise’s Advertising Agency of the Year in 2013.

Overcoming Obstacles and Catering to Multiple Cultures

But the journey has not always been easy. Walton admits his firm started very small with just a couple of clients. He says his firm was lucky Lexus was one of those clients – “because they believed in what we were all about.” He says what has made the difference is people understand his firm’s “Why.” He says clients understand his firm’s mission and the critical need to expand their brand into markets that have been overlooked.” He added that it had created new opportunities and markets for the clients, translating into new revenue streams and growth for his agency.

Simultaneously, Walton overcame obstacles while focusing on growing the business. He noted one challenge has been convincing major US corporations not to put his firm in a box – the box being a belief that Black-owned means Black only. “The reality is we are marketers; we are professional advertising executives. We don’t just do powerful advertising catering to the Black consumer.”

He pointed to American Airlines, a brand that understood his firm’s full potential. In 2021, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported WI was named the new multicultural agency for American Airlines, reportedly the nation’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 corporate America, specifically in the C-suite or
other leadership positions with decision-making power. “We need to see more people of color in
positions within these organizations where they can make marketing-related decisions.”

Looking at the big picture, Walton explained part of it is shifting the perception that Black-owned only means that you can only do Black targeted advertising. His firm serves multiple segments, including the general market, DE&I, Hispanic, Black, millennial, LGBTQ+, and women.

“I love doing targeted work and will continue doing it. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be included in some of the larger opportunities. I can do both – targeted and broader cross-cultural work across all audiences.”