Creative leadership, brand strategy, and the future of the industry—Troy Hitch, Global Chief Creative Officer at RAPP, shares how he approaches it all. From empowering teams to rethinking the role of brand in an AI-driven world, episode 89 explores what it means to lead well and build work that resonates.

This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world around them. Episodes feature guests from a variety of backgrounds who bring their own unique perspectives to the conversation.

Brand Story is created and produced by Gravity Group, a full-service brand and marketing agency, and is hosted by Gravity Group President, Steve Gilman.

Links and Information From the Episode Here: https://www.gravitygroup.com/podcast/the-evolution-of-branding/

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(00:00) - Intro: Troy Hitch’s Path from Theater to Advertising

(01:26) - Creativity Born from Theater & Early Career Lessons

(05:01) - You Suck at Photoshop and the Dawn of Branded Content

(09:51) - The RAPP Journey: Leadership and Innovation at Omnicom

(13:02) - Leading Global Creative Teams

(14:43) - AI, Cost Pressures & The Changing Creative Landscape

(18:08) - The Ego Epiphany: Redefining Creative Leadership

(23:30) - Supporting Teams Through Change and Uncertainty

(27:36) - The Future of Brand: AI, Empathy & Individual Relevance

(31:43) - Brand as a Harmonizing Signal in a Noisy World

(41:07) - Advice to His Younger Self – Don’t Not Do That Thing