What could a 150-year-old, public research university and a modern candy brand possibly share? The same drive to do good and do it well. Both Texas A&M University and JOYRIDE are proving that in complex, crowded categories—education and candy alike—purpose and values remain powerful differentiators.

Join (AdWeek moderator name and title), R. Ethan Braden, Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Texas A&M University, and Tyler Merrick, founder and CEO of JOYRIDE and proud Aggie graduate, for a conversation on how even the most traditional, crowded categories are ripe for meaningful differentiation through disciplined strategy and creative conviction.

Merrick’s JOYRIDE, co-led by creator Ryan Trahan, is redefining candy through innovation, integrity, and joy, making treats with 50 percent less sugar and no artificial anything, while inspiring millions through storytelling that’s as sweet as the product itself.

Then there’s Texas A&M University, long known for Johnny Football, the 12th Man, and the Aggie proverb: “From the outside looking in, you can’t understand it. From the inside looking out, you can’t explain it.”
Today, Braden and his team are helping the nation understand it. Through storytelling that enchants, research breakthroughs and service at scale, and a mission that forms leaders of character, Texas A&M is translating its magnitude, momentum, and mission into lasting impact and national relevance.

Together, they’ll explore how purpose fuels disruption and why striving to be the best for the world remains the surest way to build brands that last and matter.