LSU ANNOUNCES IN-HOUSE ATHLETIC MARKETING HQ "THE BRAND"

------from LSU Sports Media Press Release

LSU Athletics has announced the launch of The Brand, which will unify multiple units of the department to create the ultimate hub for student-athlete and team brand elevation and innovation.

Located on the newly renovated third floor of Tiger Stadium South, student-athletes and athletic personnel will have access to LSU’s unrivaled brand-building resources: from communications and social media, to photo and design, to video and podcasts, to NIL and marketing. Each aspect of The Brand will allow Tiger student-athletes to innovate, elevate, and dominate, not just in competition, but by growing their personal and team brands to unprecedented heights.

The Brand is comprised of approximately 100-plus staff members in Tiger Stadium, which includes student workers earning valuable hands-on experience. The expanded space on the third floor includes suites of offices, a photo/video studio, recruit dressing room, NIL recruiting lounge, LSU+ studio, podcast lounge and LSU Radio Network studio, among other amenities. All of the wall graphics in the space were designed by The Brand’s own award-winning design team.

“LSU is not just one of the premier brands in college athletics – it’s the brand when it comes to transcending sports and creating a transformative impact on our student-athletes,” said Zach Greenwell, LSU Senior Associate AD for External Affairs. “In order to continue to attract elite talent in this new era of college athletics, it’s vital that we offer our student-athletes the greatest brand-building resources in the country so that they can maximize their NIL opportunities and leave here the best professionals possible. The Brand positions us to do just that.

“I believe wholeheartedly that our staff has the best combination of talent and workplace culture in the nation. Our mission every day is to showcase the power of the LSU brand for our university, athletic department and student-athletes, and to find innovative ways to take it to new heights.”

Some of the most prominent figures, both in sports and cultural influence, have been developed in Baton Rouge. From SHAQ, Seimone Augustus and Pistol Pete, to Jayden Daniels, Olivia Dunne and Joe Burrow, to Justin Jefferson, Paul Skenes, Angel Reese, Mondo Duplantis and Flau’jae Johnson. LSU is where stars become icons, and where icons become legends.

When student-athletes wear purple and gold, they have the power to become whoever they want to be - not just on the playing field, but in life. When you are a Tiger, there are no limits or guardrails. It’s being on the cover of Vogue. It’s becoming a music mogul. It’s winning Heismans, Hondas, Bowermans, Golden Spikes, Howsers and Annikas. It’s 52 team national championships. It’s No. 1 picks, larger-than-life icons, and recognizable TV personalities. Step on campus and find the best version of yourself. This is not a four-year plan. This is for life.

Communications

For over 70 years, LSU has boasted one of the premier communications departments in the country, winning numerous national awards for outstanding publications, press releases and feature stories. The unit produced nearly 2,500 news articles and press releases last year promoting LSU Athletics. The communications department also collaborates with campus to provide resources such as media training programs, where student-athletes are placed in mock interview settings and instructed how to best represent themselves and their respective teams.

Social Media

LSU has become one of the most recognizable brands on social media with 7.7 million followers across all platforms, in addition to 59 million engagements, an estimated post reach of 1.3 billion and 6.3 billion post impressions across the last year. Eight of LSU’s sport programs rank in the top five nationally in social media engagement.

NIL

On July 1, 2021, NILSU was launched with a billboard in Times Square, showcasing a commitment to being at the forefront of this new era of collegiate athletics. In September of 2024 – over three years later – that commitment remained steadfast with the premiere of “The Money Game” documentary, which provided viewers with an inside look on all things NIL at LSU. The documentary, which reached No. 2 on Amazon Prime within a week, featured Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels and now-WNBA star Angel Reese, along with Trace Young from Men’s Basketball, Olivia Dunne from Gymnastics, Flau’Jae Johnson from Women’s Basketball and Alia Armstrong from Track and Field.

NILSU also hosts multiple events throughout the year to educate and position its student-athletes to thrive in the NIL space. LSU is the only school to have three of the top 10 NIL earners at one time. Sports Illustrated recognized Dunne, Johnson, Reese and Skenes – as well as LSU athletes as a whole – as some of the top 50 most influential figures in sports in 2024. Forbes has honored five LSU athletes over the last two years on its annual 30 Under 30 and Top Creators lists

Nobody has captured history like the LSU Pix staff, who took over 3.5 million photos of student-athletes, staff, and coaches in the last year. From iconic moments to national championship seasons, the LSU Pix staff – consisting of full time staff members, graduate assistants and students – is always in the right place at the right time to document greatness.

Video

Creative video has become integral to athletic departments across the country. LSU’s award-winning video team has received seven Emmy nominations and four Emmy winners from the Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. These prestigious awards include recognition for projects including LSU Baseball’s docuseries “The Powerhouse” and LSU Gymnastics’ “The Climb,” both housed on LSU+. “The Climb” and LSU Football’s docuseries “The Path” both also air on ESPNU, drawing more than 3.5 million combined viewers last year.

Design

Visuals are key to brand building. At LSU Athletics, we have some of the most talented and versatile graphic designers in the industry, who produce award-winning work such as logos, posters, schedule cards, web graphics, social media posts, promotion items, billboards and more. Our colors are bold, and so are our designs. Each program has a unique look that helps bring the spirit and values of each team to life.

Podcasts

The Hey Fightin’ Podcast Network proudly serves as one of the largest podcast networks in collegiate athletics, garnering over 1.37 million plays through eight different shows – two of which are hosted by student-athletes. From “Tigers Win”, to “Play by Play,” to “Hey Fightin’ Podcast,” “Hearing Voices” and more, the network is the perfect outlet for LSU fans to catch up on all things Tigers.

Marketing

LSU prides itself on a world-class fan experience. Whether it’s Saturday night in Death Valley, a Friday night at The Box, or a big time matchup at the PMAC, LSU’s marketing team has enabled Baton Rouge to become home to some of the greatest environments in all of sports – college or pro.

For more information, visit LSUsports.net/thebrand or follow @TheBrandLSU on Instagram and X.

------from LSU Sports Media Press Release

The Brand is yet another fantastic addition to LSU's mission, helping expand their reach, influence and impact on college athletes & athletics as a whole.

- Lonn Phillips Sullivan