From Associate Brand Manager to Marketing Director – Lauren's Top 10

No two days are alike for Lauren Carmody, a Marketing Director for Bayer’s Consumer Health division in the U.S. But her journey in Consumer Health marketing began over a decade ago when she joined Bayer as an Associate Brand Manager. Since then, she has built her career through progressive brand management roles, owning strategy, forecasting, creative development, and retail execution for iconic brands like Midol® and Claritin®, and learning valuable new skills along the way. Keep reading to learn the top ten reasons her professional journey at Bayer continues to push her career to new heights.

What drew me to a career at Bayer were the iconic brands. So many of them were products that I've used throughout my life, like Claritin and Bayer® Aspirin. When I joined Bayer as an Associate Brand Manager, it was exciting to step into a role where I could impact the very brands that have been part of my everyday life—and that are trusted in homes across America.

One of the things I’ve loved since the day I joined Bayer, is the breadth of people and topics my role exposes me to on any given day—from creative agencies to sales teams to our finance colleagues and our scientists. One second we're working on product supply and forecasting, the next I’m talking with our customer teams and retailers about sales strategy. The collaboration muscle you build working across such diverse teams keeps the role dynamic. It’s never boring.

No two days are alike, and I like it that way. Working in brand management means guiding how well-known brands show up for consumers—from shaping messaging and creative to collaborating with teams across finance, product supply, and retail. My role means working with many different teams throughout the day, all focused on keeping the brand moving forward. I plan my day, but I always know it’ll evolve as new conversations and opportunities arise—and that’s part of what makes the work energizing.

For starters, we have great people at Bayer. The team is diverse, curious, and driven. I’ve learned and grown from so many amazing leaders, mentors and peers in my career here. Specifically, marketing provides an opportunity to work across a variety of teams and continuously learn through different roles. Many people hired onto our Consumer Health marketing team begin their careers here as an Associate Brand Manager, and that experience gives you a solid foundation in brand management– from strategy and forecasting to creative development and retail execution. This prepares you to grow into broader leadership positions over time.

As an employer, Bayer gives you the ability to navigate your career and gain new experiences along the way, whether that’s across different brands, functions, or geographies. Plus, the teams and the people are, in my opinion, what makes Bayer special. That combination of meaningful work, iconic brands and world-class talent is what makes building a long-term career in Consumer Health marketing at Bayer fulfilling. 

When I worked on Midol, I spent a lot of time talking about PMS and periods. I loved every minute of it! We were working hard to design marketing and communications that broke taboos around women’s health and encouraged honest dialogue about real menstrual experiences. It was some of the most meaningful work I did because normalizing these topics isn’t easy—and when you can do so, it helps people feel seen, and help them to make more informed decisions about their health and the treatment options available to them.

I’ve had amazing leaders who supported me, professionally and personally, and I try to pay that forward. That support was a gamechanger for me—especially as a working mom trying to juggle family and a career. As a leader, I try to be clear about what needs to be delivered, but I make sure the team knows there’s support in place if someone needs it.

It’s something I value about Bayer’s culture as well—the flexibility and benefits that help employees care for both their careers and their families. You can learn about those programs on our Employee Benefits page.

One of my favorite days of the year is “Take Your Child to Work Day” when I have the opportunity to bring my son to Bayer. For him to see and experience where I work and who I work with—and then hear him say “it’s cool.” I mean, what better compliment is there for a parent than to be cool in their kids’ eyes? I’m always continuing to work on finding the right balance and it’s not easy. But having a supportive team makes a big difference. 

It’s my teammates. I love the conversations we have as a team, the energy people bring to our work, and the fact that the Consumer Health space is constantly changing. 

We’re solving some real health challenges together, and that collaborative structure makes the work incredibly energizing—even on the tough days.

I celebrated 10 years at Bayer in January, and when I look back, it’s incredible to see how much has evolved. I started my at Bayer as an Associate Brand Manager on the Consumer Health marketing team, where I had hands-on experience with things like strategy, creative development, forecasting, and how our brands show up in stores. That foundation in brand management shaped how I think about building brands and ultimately prepared me to step into a Marketing Director role.

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work across different categories and brands, including Aleve, Midol, and Bayer® Aspirin. There's so much that's transferable from brand to brand, but there are also new skills that you develop with each one. Now, as a Marketing Director across our Pain, Cardiology & Dermatology portfolio, I see how each chapter built on the last. Every role–from Brand Manager to where I am today–has been meaningful in its own way.