Daryl Travis

Founder & CEO

Through a long career as a trusted advisor to many brands, I’ve helped them change the way they think about their customers and their businesses. Starting in advertising, I helped brands like FedEx, Humana, GE Appliances, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among others, to identify and communicate breakthrough opportunities to serve customers, grow their business and, in some cases, change the world. That experience helped me understand brands are about much more than communications, they’re also very much about experiences. As a visionary, I realized the process of branding had become too one-dimensional and there needed to be a new way of thinking about customers. I wrote my book, Emotional Branding, as an opportunity to share how brands are about feelings not facts. Fortunately, that book, and others, has helped lead the way in establishing the need to connect with customers on a more human level. Under my leadership, Brandtrust has become the flagship organization leading the business world with the message of “Business Challenges are Human Challenges,” which can only be solved through understanding the Power of Human Truth.

My faith in God is my driving force. He clearly said, “Love God and love others.” That’s quite straight forward and is the foundation of my belief that my life and Brandtrust’s story needs to be about helping others—those we work for and those we work with. Everyone really. I am a champion of Human Truth because it focuses and energizes our work to help businesses and brands become more human centered and is a powerful way to effect change. If I can lead a team motivated and dedicated to help others, together, we can improve lives, lead lives of significance and potentially change the world.

As Founder and CEO, I discern what’s coming next in our world – this maximization and strategic strength sparks opportunities and challenges that I navigate and optimize for both the Brandtrust colleague and client.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT DARYL:

  • Culture List: My favorite book is usually the one I’m currently reading. Favorite movie of all time is Going South. Most importantly, the thought leader that has changed my outlook on life is Jesus – the greatest servant leader ever.
  • Bucket Items: Visit Scotland, make more trips to London and hanging out more with my granddaughter.
  • Memorable Facts: Things I say. As a recovering ad guy, I tend to frame ideas in headlines or sayings. People tend to remember those and the stories I tell to try to bring things to life.
  • One Human Truth I Live By: There are three sides to every story – yours, mine and the truth.
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