Vince Thompson
CEO / Founder / Chairman
Vince Thompson is a force in the sports and entertainment marketing world—a relentless brand builder, entrepreneur, and industry pioneer who has left an indelible mark on the landscape of college sports, NIL, live events, and agency leadership.
Thompson is the founder and CEO of MELT, the award-winning, Atlanta-based marketing agency he launched in 2000. Over the past 25 years, MELT has grown into one of the largest independent sports, entertainment, culinary, music, and event/experiential marketing agencies. This includes MELT’s 22-year representation of Coca-Cola activating 18 NCAA Final 4s, 8 seasons of ESPN College GameDay, FIFA, MLB, MLS, Nascar, NBA, NFL, NHRA, PGA and Olympics. Thompson also has delivered breakthrough campaigns like AFLAC’s college football initiative starring Coaches Nick Saban and Deion Sanders.
Thompson has been consistently recognized at the highest levels of his field. His accolades include:
- 2023 BizBash Sports Power Player
- 2023 Chief Marketer Pro Awards Winner
- 2022 & 2023 SBJ Power Player in College Sports
- 2022 Silver Ex Award Winner
- 2022 NACDA/NACMA Gold Medalist
- Atlanta Magazine “Atlanta 500 Power Player” (2018–2024)
- 2020 Georgia 30 Most Influential People in Sports Business
- 2019 Sports Business Journal Power Player
- 2018 Atlanta Business Chronicle Most Admired CEOs
His leadership has garnered national agency recognition including Chief Marketer’s Top 200 Agencies and Event Marketer’s Top 100 “IT” List, alongside more than 25 other industry awards from Adweek, Cynopsis, Effie, and Biz Bash.
A proud Auburn University graduate (‘84), Thompson was a student assistant in the Sports Information Department and as sports editor of The Auburn Plainsman. That early passion sparked MELTU, MELT’s renowned intern program that has launched hundreds of careers and earned industry acclaim.
A pioneer in the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) space, Thompson co-founded SANIL, and in 2022 produced the first-ever NIL student-athlete summit. He also developed The Jboy Show, a college sports podcast that caught the attention of The Daily Wire, who acquired it in a groundbreaking move into sports media.
In 2024, Thompson helped reimagine and reopen Auburn’s legendary War Eagle Supper Club at The Graduate Hotel, cementing his commitment to preserving and evolving cultural landmarks. He also played a pivotal role in helping the City of Mobile secure OVG and Live Nation to manage their new $300 million arena.
A passionate advocate for mentorship and education, Thompson lectures at universities nationwide and sits on advisory boards at Samford University and the University of Georgia. He is the author of Build Brand YoU, a playbook for personal and professional growth in the modern world.
Thompson’s commitment to community has been recognized with honors including the ADA Father of the Year Award, Wellspring Living HOPE Award, and the Showcase Group Rise Award.
