Lauren Avery ’14 knows how to "go big or go home" when it comes to marketing, having worked along the East Coast for large events and with brands like Pepsi and the Baltimore Orioles ever since she graduated from McDaniel.
For Communication major Lauren Avery ’14, marketing is a way to connect with people through expressive and engaging methods. Avery has worked in Pepsi’s marketing department since 2018, with a focus on the southern portion of the East Coast. She started as a marketing coordinator and was promoted to the role of marketing associate analyst in the summer of 2021. Prior to her time at Pepsi, Avery worked in corporate sales with the Baltimore Orioles.
“My focus has been on bringing our Pepsi brands right to our consumers in large, fun, impactful, and unapologetic ways,” she says. Avery has managed premier events like CMA Fest in Tennessee, Artscape in Baltimore, and DC JazzFest in Washington, D.C., as well as sampling events throughout those territories.
Her favorite project was to lead the creation of the Pepsi Fan District at FedEx Field in 2019. The then-Redskins came to Pepsi with the opportunity to rebrand the blank space. She worked to wrap the space in all things Pepsi with a nod to the history of the football team. The Fan District area has become a destination spot for fans to watch the game with Pepsi/Washington Football-themed drinks and serves as a great viewing spot. Avery will have the opportunity to rebrand the location again once the team announces its new name.
Her marketing role also comes with some unique perks.
“For the Orioles, I threw out the first pitch to represent the Orioles/Pepsi partnership, which was a bucket list item! I also managed the signing of the first-ever Orioles player to a Pepsi sponsorship with Trey Mancini, an Orioles fan favorite.”