Ãå±±½ûµØ

Mark Lau (B.A. ’06) is this week’s featured alum in our new Alumni Spotlight series for the This Week at Meadows e-newsletter. Each week, a different Meadows alum will be highlighted for their accomplishments post-graduation.

SMU’s vast variety of flexible degree programs allows students to build a customized college education that best fits their interests. Our students can not only major in multiple areas of study within the Meadows, but also add in majors or minors from other schools.

Alum Mark Lau’s fascination with the interplay between form/function and art/science led him to double major in both advertising and marketing while at SMU. And both degrees have proven to be a major professional asset in his career journey.

“While my career is in marketing, my understanding of the arts profoundly influences how I collaborate with creative teams,” explains Lau, who has worked at Nike for 18 years and is currently the Global Director of Retail Marketing for their EKIN & Heritage program. “This unique blend of creative insight and marketing knowledge has become my professional strength, enabling me to bridge the gap between business goals and creative execution.”

In his role, Lau spearheads the strategy and direction for the worldwide EKIN program. EKINs are “Athlete Missionaries” who serve as the baton between Nike's innovative products and their consumers, translating the brand's vision into meaningful, one-on-one experiences.

Lau’s ultimate goal is to ensure that EKINs are equipped and empowered to bring Nike's Mission to life across the globe. He regularly collaborates with teammates from around the world, which presents unique culture and communication challenges.

“I've learned to craft visual and engaging narratives that resonate across cultures with the tools from Meadows,” Lau says. “This ability to create emotionally connecting stories has been crucial in my personal and professional life, allowing me to develop concepts and initiatives that feel both globally relevant and locally authentic.”

The hands-on projects Lau tackled in Meadows’ advertising design program provided a solid creative foundation for his future. Combining that creative base with his experience in Cox’s marketing program, Lau has been able to develop more innovative and impactful strategies throughout his career in an ever-changing industry.