Branding expert gives real-world insight into sports marketing

Founder and President of AP Brand Group Alexy Posner discussed how to spark social change through talent management and authentic branding with W. P. Carey students.

"The more you love a player, the more likely you are to go to a game," said Alexy Posner to W. P. Carey sports marketing students. "Branding is creating an emotional connection to something."

As founder and president of the boutique talent and athlete management company AP Brand Group, Posner is an expert in brand engagement. She shared her career journey with students while guest lecturing in Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing Ryan Kota’s MKT 494: Branding Strategy in Sport class.

A former professional athlete, Posner began her marketing career as a minor league baseball intern before transitioning into marketing and communication roles with several minor league teams and the Reading Royals ice hockey team. Posner founded AP Brand Group over seven years ago and represents athletes and celebrities, including former NFL player Akbar Gbajabiamila, actor Jaleel White, San Francisco 49ers center Alex Mack, and wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys Brandin Cooks.

"I absolutely love what Alexy has done to build her own brand and it is easy to say that she is one of the best at what she does," said Kota. "Her genuine passion for life and her profession is contagious and I knew the students would engage with her and her story."

Posner founded AP Brand Group "to make an impact on the world through athletes and talent" while sparking social change, and she emphasized the importance of finding purpose in a career while pursuing professional relationships with positive intentions. After sharing her story, students asked Posner about her experiences managing high-profile talent, balancing opportunities and brand deals for each client, and how she navigates crisis communications. Posner shared the challenges of being a small business owner, her greatest takeaways as an entrepreneur (when to say "no"), and the skills students need to be successful in the sports branding industry.

"Sharing the room with industry experts like Alexy is important because it shows students that every business owner acts differently according to their passions," said Chris Moreton (BA Sports Business ’24).

Kota’s course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of branding, brand identity, and brand performance within sports organizations. Remy Laflamme (BA Sports Business ’24) said the course has encouraged her to approach branding with creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

"Branding can make or break a business, but it’s an area many businesses miss," she said. "This class has influenced how I think about brand strategies and identities, especially when they have long-term impacts on people."

Posner emphasized how branding and brand deals can prepare athletes for success after retirement and shared how she pursues brand deals for each of her unique clients. She said she only considers branding opportunities authentic to her clients' interests and values.

"When you start working with athletes, ask yourself what that person truly cares about," said Posner. "We think about all the consumer touchpoints like an athlete’s charitable work, endorsement deals, and how they show up on social media. Their audience will know if that isn’t authentic to who they are and what they care about."

Laflamme said her most significant takeaway from the discussion was Posner’s passion for authentic branding and developing personal relationships within the industry.

"She wants to represent people and brands for who they are, what they want to be, and where they want to go," said Laflamme. "She isn’t afraid to speak up for herself and her clients and has a relentless passion for moving forward. There are few companies nowadays that are that deeply connected to integrity."

After the Q&A session, students broke into small groups and role-played as brand managers for several of Posner’s clients. Each group brainstormed branding ideas for an athlete based on their current brand deals and values and presented their findings to Posner and the class.

"I hadn’t seen an entrepreneur as passionate about engaging and informing students in previous guest lectures as Alexy," said Moreton. "It was genuinely inspiring to witness."

Photo: Alexy Posner