At the beginning of the summer, a mutual passion for sports business was enough to break the ice and ignite relationships that are a significant part of the MSBA experience. Yet as we spend more time together, we learn that it is our shared enthusiasm, resiliency, and respect that allow us to form the unparalleled bonds that shape the MSBA commmunity. These common virtues become the core makeup of MSBA and allow the program to give its participants a unique and enjoyable feeling when thinking about the MSBA brand.

“Yet as we spend more time together, it is our shared enthusiasm, resiliency, and respect that allow us to form the unparalleled bonds that shape the MSBA community.”

On Monday night, the students dissected the idea of the brand as a feeling with Ed O’Hara, Senior Partner of SME Branding. Whether the brand is an American institution, or a new start up, a brand must represent a core set of values. MSBA students were not only able to evaluate the key components of successful branding, but also observe the consequences of poor branding. Ed was open and insightful, detailing the stories of brands on the rise, in moral crisis, and near closure situations. If there was a clear takeaway message from the evening it was the importance of connecting with the consumer on a deep level – a daunting task given the great amount of shallowness in the current, digital market. The speaker left no questions unanswered as students went deep into the evening seeking more branding content. Ed’s deep engagement with the students not only allowed listeners to learn more about big company brands, but personal branding as well. As MSBA participants seek to grow and evolve their own personal brand, there is no doubt they’ll keep Ed’s lessons in mind, connecting them to the many great experiences they have already had this summer.

Special thanks to Ed O’Hara for giving the students a night they will not forget. He went above and beyond, like many of the MSBA speakers, and spoiled the participants with invaluable insights.