When you first hear the term “brand genius,” you may be picturing a top advertising executive or marketing professional that has propelled a brand forward exponentially. But a brand genius isn’t strictly limited to the advertising industry. A brand genius can be an entertainer, blogger, media professional, or artist. Essentially, a brand genius is someone who has taken great strides with their own brand or the company they work for, instilling that brand firmly in the minds of their audience and consumers everywhere. In this informative and entertaining category, Adweek showcases some of the biggest brand geniuses within and outside the industry, and how they achieved that status.

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Walmart CMO William White Keeps the Essential Retailer Relevant

The Brand Genius honoree has preserved the company’s heritage while driving it into the future.

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Nationwide CMO Ramon Jones Built Trust—and Accountability—During a Pandemic 

The Brand Genius honoree and evp helped drive the insurance brand to record sales.

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The Campaign Against Living Miserably Saves Lives Via ‘Borderline Illegal’ Marketing

Adweek’s Brand Purpose honoree makes global waves with its suicide prevention efforts.

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CMO Soyoung Kang Turned Eos Into a Beauty and Skin Care Powerhouse 

The Brand Genius honoree focused on social marketing to cultivate the challenger brand.

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Andréa Mallard Built Pinterest’s Marketing to Champion ‘Inspiration’

The Brand Genius honoree goes against the grain of most social media rivals.

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Bayer’s Patricia Corsi Gets Creative to Reinvigorate a 160-Year-Old Brand

The Brand Genius honoree thrives on ‘unforgettable’ marketing initiatives.

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JPMorgan Chase CMO Carla Hassan Fuses Customer-Centric and Values-Based Marketing

The Brand Genius honoree leans into inclusive messaging and convergence.

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HP’s Vikrant Batra Prioritizes Building the Tech Brand, Not Just Selling Product

The Brand Genius honoree’s messaging touts the company’s innovation and sustainability efforts.

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Shannon Ryan Shines at Telling the Stories of Disney’s Top Storytellers

The Brand Genius honoree makes a marketing splash across the company’s linear and streaming platforms.

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Microsoft CMO Chris Capossela Is a Master at Navigating Technology Upheaval 

The Brand Genius honoree focuses on the big picture—not ‘bright, shiny objects’ like ads.

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Her Entire Career, Lego’s Julia Goldin Has Mastered Building Brands, Brick by Brick

The legendary marketer is Adweek’s first-ever Brand Genius Lifetime Achievement honoree.

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Adweek’s Brand Genius Class of 2023

Honoring the top marketers who have delivered long-term success for some of the world’s leading brands.

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Molson Coors’ Michelle St. Jacques Revived Coors Light and Elevated Creative Effectiveness

The Brand Genius honoree helped her company ‘build brands that more people want to hang out with.’

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UPS’ Kevin Warren Transformed the Stodgy Brand Into Something ‘Unstoppable’ 

The Brand Genius honoree also helped win back small- and medium-sized business owners.

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Marketing Advice From Adweek’s 2023 Brand Genius Class

Honorees shared words of wisdom during this year’s ceremony at Cannes.