Building a standout brand in today’s AI-saturated world isn’t just about performance data. It’s about people. And according to Adam Morgan, VP of Brand at Twilio and author of Sorry Spock, Emotions Drive Business, the creative marketer is finally stepping into their rightful place at the table.
In Episode 27 of Beyond the Billboard, Adam joined us to explore why brand is making a comeback—and why creatives should be leading the way.
Watch the full episode here.
The False Divide Between Creative and “Serious” Marketers
For too long, creatives have been seen as the artists in the corner—the ones who make things look good, but don’t speak the language of spreadsheets and attribution models. Adam calls BS on that.
He argues that creative thinkers are built for leadership. Their ability to emotionally connect, adapt to change, and see patterns others miss makes them uniquely suited to lead in a noisy, commoditized market. But there’s a catch: creatives also need to step up and speak the language of business if they want to lead.
“If we’re going to differentiate in the age of AI, we need people who understand emotional connections—and who know how to prioritize them.”
—Adam Morgan, VP of Brand at Twilio
Brand Is the Differentiator—Not a “Nice to Have”
Adam didn’t shy away from calling out the tough truth: some companies simply don’t value brand. If you’re in a business that prizes operational efficiency above all else, your time and creative energy might be better spent elsewhere.
But for companies focused on customer intimacy or product innovation? Brand is the unlock. And Adam’s team at Twilio is living proof. They recently went through a full brand refresh—not to change the logo or colors—but to anchor the company around a new ethos: The Builder Mindset.
This was more than a campaign. It was about aligning every touchpoint—from creative direction to partnerships to language—around one powerful idea: builders shape the future.
“The visual identity came last. The story came first. That’s what brand really is.”
—Adam Morgan
The Path to Brand Investment Starts With Internal Marketing
One of Adam’s most actionable takeaways was how to get buy-in for brand investment when you’re not getting it today. His advice: treat it like a marketing problem.
Step one: assess your company’s business model. If branding truly supports the strategy, build your case with data, examples, and customer insight.
Step two: assess your leadership. If your CEO or board isn’t bought in on the value of brand, you’ll need to market the idea of brand to them. Avoid doing this mid-campaign—plant the seeds in quieter moments. Then prove the value with small wins that tie back to what leadership cares about.
“There’s no silver bullet. But if you market internally the same way you market externally, you can make change happen.”
Bold Doesn’t Mean Loud. It Means Human.
Adam pushed back on the idea that bold branding has to mean stunts or shock value. At Twilio, “bold” means emotionally resonant. It means thoughtful. It means showing up with a message that actually means something to the people you’re trying to reach.
That’s the type of brand leadership he’s advocating for—and it’s where the industry is heading.
🎧 Listen to the full episode with Adam Morgan
He shares more on brand refresh strategy, internal influence, and why creative marketers must reframe their role in B2B.