A successful brand activation can introduce audiences to a brand, create lasting memories and build meaningful connections. As senior art director at Live Nation Entertainment, Anna Haggerty helps transform brand partnerships into immersive experiences for music fans. Haggerty has developed creative concepts for major entertainment and consumer brands, including projects featuring Madonna and Amazon Prime Video. Her work on PATRÓN Tequila’s festival activations earned a Best Festival Activation award from the Ex Awards in May 2026.
Haggerty’s interest in design began early. Growing up in Rochester, Minnesota, she knew by middle school that she wanted to be a designer. Teachers in nearby Pine Island, many of whom were UW-Stout Polytechnic alumni or supporters, encouraged her to explore the university’s design program. Their recommendations made such an impression that she toured the university three times. It was the only college she visited and the only one to which she applied.
At UW-Stout Polytechnic, Haggerty appreciated an education that extended beyond computer-based design. Her Bachelor of Fine Arts program included sculpture, painting and drawing, helping her explore different disciplines and broaden her creative perspective. She credits Kelly O’Brien’s sculpture instruction and Nagesh Shinde’s design instruction with helping shape her experience. Faculty members, including Shinde, also encouraged her to consider career paths beyond traditional advertising agencies.
Outside the classroom, Haggerty found another outlet for her creative interests through Blue Devil Productions (BDP), a student organization that brings entertainment to campus. She joined as a freshman and became a board member as a sophomore, first serving as comedy director before becoming music director. She helped bring local bands to campus for weekly Thursday performances, combining her interests in music and design. Emily Ascher, BDP’s advisor during Haggerty’s time on campus, also played an important role as a trusted mentor, offering guidance that extended beyond the design world.
That experience also gave her a lasting sense of community. “People are really searching for these analog experiences and wanting to socialize in ways that maybe they didn’t even know were possible,” she said. “I found mine, I found all of my friends through BDP and I still have them to this day, and it’s truly what I cherish most.”
After graduating in 2017, Haggerty moved to New York without a job offer, staying with family on Long Island while looking for work. She took a contract position with Marchon Eyewear before landing a graphic design role with L’Oréal’s Redken brand in 2018. At Redken, she created global templates for product launches and helped develop visual identities for new products. The experience gave her opportunities to contribute to major launches, but she realized she wanted to work in music. When a position opened at Live Nation, she saw a chance to combine her design skills with that passion.
Nearly eight years later, Haggerty has advanced from creative designer to art director and senior art director in Live Nation’s media and sponsorship division. She helps brands connect with music audiences through artist partnerships, tour sponsorships and festival activations.
One early project involved designing an advertising poster for Madonna’s limited-run performances sponsored by Citibank. The visual identity she created became the foundation for the broader experience, informing branded content and details throughout the event’s lounges.
Haggerty has also helped develop PATRÓN’s festival activations, which offer fans more than a place to grab a drink. The creative team considers how programming and amenities can make a space more inviting while meeting a client’s goals.
“How do you create more than just simply a bar? What makes these fans and musicgoers really want to come into the space?” Haggerty said. Her team answers those questions with local vinyl DJs, artist pop-ups featuring performers from the festival lineup and premium amenities, including free margaritas and lounge areas.
The work earned PATRÓN a Best Festival Activation award from the Ex Awards in May 2026.
Another memorable project brought Amazon Prime Video to South by Southwest in 2022 to promote season 3 of The Boys and Lizzo’s series, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls. Haggerty helped bring both shows' identities into a pop-up experience. Seeing Lizzo visit the space and share her enthusiasm for the project and its empowering message made the project especially meaningful.
As Haggerty has advanced in her career, she has taken on new responsibilities, including leading client presentations and taking greater ownership of projects while continuing to design alongside other creatives. Live Nation’s internal NextGen leadership development program helped prepare her for the transition to senior art director.
Her advice to students is to take advantage of campus resources, join organizations, attend events and explore opportunities beyond their majors. Those experiences can help students discover new interests and build relationships that last beyond graduation.
Haggerty’s own experience at Stout shaped both her creative perspective and her sense of belonging. She values the opportunity to explore different disciplines, learn through hands-on experiences and become part of a community beyond her major.
“I truly feel like you're being a part of something bigger than just your major at Stout,” Haggerty said. “There's so much beauty in the people and in the environment that is there.”
