Meet Your Pierce Pros: Carson Brown

Carson Brown joined Pierce Public Relations in early 2021 as an account coordinator and has been on an incredible growth trajectory ever since. Earlier this year, she was promoted to the role of account manager and now plays a larger role managing less experienced team members and strategizing client programs. Although there are many strengths and capabilities she brings to our team, much of her current role focuses on digital strategy, content creation and media relations.

Prior to joining our team, she interned at The Hallway, a large ad agency in Sydney, Australia, and VMLY&R, a global marketing agency in New York. She also served as an entertainment marketing intern at Bauer Entertainment Marketing in Nashville. 

Carson is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) with a bachelor’s degree in advertising and a minor in business administration at the College of Communication and Information. During her time at UTK, she was production team lead for the 2020 Delta Dental Campaign, which earned the Bronze Addy. She was also nominated by university faculty as a campus leader and received the Extraordinary Professional Promise Citation for the Chancellor’s Honors 2020 Banquet.

If you can’t tell yet, Carson is simply AMAZING, and we’d be remiss not to give you a chance to learn more about her. Continue reading to learn how she spends her days off, the band she enjoys most, and how her travels to Australia during college positively impacted her life.

1. What has been the key to your growth at Pierce over the last two years?

My growth is truly a result of Pierce PR’s culture. I was hired after my 2020 virtual college graduation, and although I had several internships under my belt, I was as fresh faced as they come to the “real working world.” Julia and the team immediately jumped on my desire to learn and grow my confidence and shared many tools to help me find and create my path. The team is incredibly generous with their time, patience and encouragement, and my growth is a direct result.

2. What advice would you give other young professionals who want to kick butt the way you have?

My advice to other young professionals is to take any and every opportunity to hone your skills and learn new ones! Whether you execute them flawlessly, need help or completely fail, you will learn something that makes you a better professional and stronger asset to your team. The Pierce team is nothing if not supportive and has given me every opportunity to excel and try new things.

3. What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

Though I am not a morning person, I like to enjoy the morning sun. I start my days off watching a pop culture documentary next to my pool-view balcony with some strong coffee in my favorite Canadian nature mug. Then, I get ready to hit the thrift shops and hunt for little brass animals, funky art and vinyl. My ideal end to the day is drinks at my favorite local watering hole, Otto’s, and a show at a local music venue.

4. We know you’re very well-versed in music of the past and present. What’s one band everyone should give a listen to?

Just one?! I think a rule of discovering your favorite or most reliable band or artist is how many playlists they end up on. My Morning Jacket has been one of my favorite bands since high school when I first saw them at Bonnaroo in 2015. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them five times, soon to be six, and they bring the nicest groups of people together. Anytime I’ve seen them, it ends up being a truly wholesome reunion with family and friends of some kind. 

They have a song for every mood, which wins them a spot on nearly every playlist I create. For example:

• “One Big Holiday” – Road trip home stretch, ideally crossing state lines to your destination
• “Touch Me I’m Going To Scream, Pt. II” – When dance therapy is needed
• “Mahgeeta” – Beach or pool summer play day 
• “Feel You” – Late night cozy reading 

Every song must be played at maximum volume to appreciate it to the fullest.

5. What’s your favorite place you’ve traveled to and why?

My favorite place I’ve traveled to is Sydney, Australia. Yes, I was the study abroad kid who will never get over her experience. It was easily the most fun I’ve ever had away from home. I changed majors from graphic design to advertising at the end of the previous semester. Before I had even taken one class in my new major, I fled down under with a large group of students I’d never met from UTK’s College of Communication and Information. It was my first big trip on my own, and I was able to explore and do so many things I wanted.

I visited every beach I could sink my toes into, tried every local brew offered, saw “Carmen” at the Sydney Opera House, tried fairy bread on Australia Day, attended the Pride festival, snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef and had my very first internship. All in all, it was an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world because it also was the start of one of my most beautiful friendships. I met one of my best friends, Liza, which eventually led me to find my core friend group at school. Even now, there isn’t a day these friends go without talking even though we all live in different states. My friendships are one of my most special accomplishments from my time at UT and many are a result of my time in the land of Oz.