One year into my event planning career, I had the amazing opportunity to work with some of the world’s most recognizable brands at America’s largest sporting event: Super Bowl XLV. In tandem with the Dallas-hosted game, Bud Light and Playboy sponsored public events, and I managed their décor design and installation. Working with the design and onsite management team, I observed how the brands’ interactive elements ¬ signage, lighting, décor, and entertainment – enveloped guests. For Playboy, I utilized location-themed set décor and strolling entertainers to recreate the atmosphere of Playboy Clubs in London, Macau, Cancun, and Las Vegas, promoting Playboy locations in a very tangible way and enabling direct interactions between guests and the brand. This experience sparked my passion for branding and inspired me to immerse myself in experiential marketing.

Over the five years since that Super Bowl, I have built upon my initial observations and honed my event management and marketing skills. Now, as enter my first year as an MBA student at University of Texas McCombs School of Business, I hope to combine my professional expertise with the skills I will gain in class to transition into brand management. After graduation, I hope to join a large retail or CPG company, merging my event planning expertise and my education and network to develop experiential marketing strategies that strengthen brand identities across platforms and regions, mirroring the success of global powerhouses such as Bud Light, Starbucks, Nike, and Apple.