Brand Storytelling Takes Flight at Southwest Air

Derek K. Hubbard is Manager of Public Relations for Southwest Airlines. In his role, Derek shares the story of Southwest with audiences across a variety of channels. For more than 10 years, Derek has been a sought after expert on how to craft compelling stories and influence audiences. He believes stories can change the world and everyone has one waiting to be told. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Derek K. Hubbard Derek K. Hubbard is the Manager of Public Relations for Southwest Airlines, where he helps share the airline’s story across a variety of channels. This year, he served as a jury member for Brandstorytelling 2025, a sanctioned event of the Sundance Film Festival, evaluating top films, podcasts, and episodes. With a background as a television producer in Dallas and experience in financial communications in London, Derek’s expertise spans media, storytelling, and brand strategy. He’s been recognized as a PR News 30 and Under Rising PR Star and has contributed to outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Today Show. An avid communicator and entertainment enthusiast, he’s even made an appearance on Carpool Karaoke! From the Show Want more on that Herb Kelleher Malice in Dallas arm-wrestling match? Check out the full story on the Southwest website! What brand has made Derek smile recently? “During my time at (Sundance's) Brand Storytelling (Festival), I had the pleasure of watching and and an episode of a series called Celebrity Substitute, which I believe is streaming on YouTube. What was really cool about about this series is that they went into classrooms and highlighted education, highlighted teachers and the incredible work that they are doing within our classrooms.” Connect with Derek on LinkedIn and check out Southwest’s social channels and their website. As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at  Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices