These 16 L.A. Brand Stars Are Doing Show-Stopping Work in the City of Angels

Sex Dust and Naked Juice have nothing to do with the San Fernando Valley’s once-thriving porn industry. As a matter of fact, those two products, from Moon Juice and PepsiCo, are part of the groundbreaking wellness wave that began in Southern California and continues to thrive courtesy of companies like Headspace, Papa & Barkley and others on the second annual L.A. Brand Stars list.

With the explosive growth of Silicon Beach, there’s also a startup culture that’s taken its place alongside local legends like the Lakers (All hail King James!) and Taco Bell (All hail the Quesalupa!). In short order, Bird Rides and Ring doorbells have upended the ridesharing and home-security businesses, MedMen has reimagined the cannabis dispensary and Drybar has modernized (and standardized) the beauty parlor concept. 

There may be something about this company town that encourages creativity and risk, where even insurance and cruise-line ads qualify as four-star entertainment. “Everyone here is used to being rejected, even if they’re not actors,” says Papa & Barkley’s CMO Kimberly Dillon. “That makes for a lot of grit and resilience.” It’s apparent in the show-stopping, innovative marketing from 16 brand executives you need to know right now.