06-18-2026
Your voice may be the most powerful differentiator you have, Bevin Maguire, chief communications and brand officer at Applied Materials, shared at the Daniels School’s Executive Forum. From corporate storytelling to campus networking, she spoke about the importance of developing a clear brand and personal voice. It’s essential for standing out in any role, at any career stage.
Companies that refuse to sound generic win because of it. Maguire pointed out Patagonia’s voice, which the company has crafted to be inseparable from its values; every message reinforces its commitment to the environment and responsible business. The company’s core values are built into its communications with its customers, and its clarity guides both the messaging and decisions about what the company will and won’t do.
Virgin Airlines, she noted, was built on a provocative thought experiment: “If you took rock & roll and an airline and you put them together, what would you get?” Founder Richard Branson didn’t want another British Airways or American Airlines — he wanted something unmistakably different, and the brand voice followed. Everything — from the lighting inside the plane, to playful safety announcements, to cheeky copy on required airsickness bags — was designed to signal, “This is not a typical airline.” Even small details like whimsical salt and pepper shakers, stamped with “Pinched from Virgin Atlantic,” turned into conversation pieces in customers’ homes and free endorsements of the brand.
The strongest brands don’t just describe what they do; they express who they are, consistently and memorably.
Maguire sees influence moving closer to where people live, learn and work. Large companies now look to campus ambassadors — often in Greek life or other highly visible student communities — as powerful extensions of their brand.
She shared the story of one of her daughters, whose “dream job” was to become a Snapple influencer. For brands like Snapple, everyday advocates who authentically love the product can be as valuable as celebrity campaigns. For students, that means your social presence and campus involvement are already communicating what you stand for — and companies are paying attention.
Maguire urged professionals to recognize that they are “responsible for your brand” in the same way chief communications or marketing officers are responsible for a corporate one. Your LinkedIn profile, the organizations you join, the causes you support, even how you introduce yourself — “Give somebody something they can hold on to” — all contribute to the story others tell about you when you’re not in the room.
Some of the most valuable brand lessons, Maguire suggested, come from getting outside your comfort zone. Living abroad, working across cultures and communicating in different languages force you to see yourself — and your assumptions — differently. Those experiences can teach humility, adaptability and listening skills that make both your personal and professional voice more grounded and credible.
For a global company like Applied Materials, brand voice must flex across cultures without losing its core. Maguire’s team manages dozens of social channels with local language and local context, from Korea and India to Texas and Silicon Valley. That same balance applies to individuals: know who you are, then learn to communicate effectively in different rooms, industries and countries.
Her closing challenge to students applies to any professional: decide what you want your brand to stand for — morally, personally, professionally — and then make sure how you show up, online and in person, tells a consistent story.
View her full talk here:
The Daniels School’s Executive Forum is held in person on the West Lafayette campus during the academic year and is open to the public, as seating permits. Watch past speakers on the Executive Forum podcast.
