MELT FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN, CEO AND AUBURN ALUMNUS VINCE THOMPSON TO GIVE CAREER DEVELOPMENT SPEECH TO AUBURN UNIVERSITY STUDENT-ATHLETES TODAY – THEME OF THE LECTURE IS “LEVERAGING YOUR STUDENT-ATHLETE EXPERIENCE INTO BUILDING YOUR BRAND FOR LIFE AFTER ATHLETICS”
ATLANTA, GA – October 9, 2019 – MELT (www.meltatl.com), the award-winning sports, entertainment and culinary marketing agency announced that its Founder, Chairman and CEO and Auburn Alumnus Vince Thompson will deliver a career development lecture and seminar to the Auburn University Student-Athletes today. The lecture is part of the Auburn Athletic Department’s “AuburnYOU Lunch & Learn” (www.auburnyou.com) series for all Auburn University Student-Athletes. Auburn University developed this monthly series as a way to promote personal growth, professional development, athletic success, and overall well-being.
Thompson, a 1984 Auburn University graduate worked his way through Auburn University as a student assistant in The Sports Information Department under then Sports Information Director David Housel during the Pat Dye, Bo Jackson, and Charles Barkley era. He was also a Sports Editor for The Auburn Plainsman and a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. It was this experience that set Thompson on his career path and the founding of MELT in 2000. MELT is now one of the nation’s largest independent sports, entertainment and culinary marketing agencies including its 19-year representation of The Coca-Cola Company, one of the country’s longest-running agency-client relationships. MELT has activated 17 consecutive Final Fours for The Coca-Cola Company, 7 consecutive seasons of ESPN College GameDay and much more. Other major clients include AFLAC, IHG, Kia, Reese’s Sr. Bowl and Auburn University alumni Cam Newton and Frank “Big Hurt” Thomas.
Thompson’s experiences at Auburn also inspired him to create MELT University, one of the country’s most successful college intern marketing programs. In the summer of 2019, MELT University graduated 37 interns from 21 universities, hired several interns and placed others in companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, Chick-Fil-A, Home Depot, The Atlanta Falcons and others. MELT has also hired many Auburn alumni as well.
Thompson’s lecture will focus on “Leveraging Your Student-Athlete Experience Into Building Your Personal Brand,” as he shares his secrets for resume building, LinkedIn pages, social media usage and how to link their specific sport into their industry careers.
“I’m so honored, proud and delighted to be a part of the ‘AuburnYOU’ program and The Auburn Athletic Department,” said Thompson. “It’s an honor to be asked back to a place that gave me my career start and is near and dear to my heart.”
About MELT
Founded by CEO Vince Thompson in 2000, MELT, LLC, is an Atlanta based fully-integrated sports, esports, entertainment culinary and lifestyle marketing agency offering clients advertising, original content development, digital, social media, event and experiential marketing, retail and consumer promotions, brand strategy and sports property evaluation and activation. MELT has won or has been nominated for the following industry awards since 2017:
- 2019 Bronze Stevie Award (American Business Awards) – Company of the Year: Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations
- 2019 Drum Marketing Awards USA Finalist- Best Event/Experiential Strategy: MELT & IHG’s Avid Hotels Pop-Up Tour
- 2019 Interactive Marketing Awards – Shortlist
- Best Social Media Campaign: MELT & Coca-Cola College Gameday Snapchat
- Best Influencer/ Outreach Campaign: MELT & Coca-Cola Company Valser Influencer Strategy
- 2019 Atlanta Magazine – Top 500 Business Leaders: Vince Thompson
- 2018 BizBash500 List – Top 500 People in Events: Vince Thompson
- 2018 Event Marketer Top 100 “It List”- Top 100 Agencies
- 2018 Atlanta Business Chronicle Most Admired CEO: Vince Thompson
- 2018 Silver Stevie Award- Brand Experience of the Year- Consumer: Taste of the Tournament for Kroger, Hershey’s, Mondelez & The Coca-Cola Company
- 2018 PR News and Social Media Award- Best Use of Filter (Snapchat): Coca-Cola ESPN College Gameday
- 2018 Social Good Influencers- Honorable Mention: MELT University
- 2018 Cynopsis Sports Media Award – Honorable Mention for Use of Snapchat: Coca-Cola ESPN College Gameday
- 2018 Shopper Marketing Effie Award – Multi-Brand/Manufacturer Shopper Solution: Taste of the Tournament for Kroger, Hershey’s, Mondelez, & The Coca-Cola Company
- 2017 Experience Design and Technology Awards- Best Permanent or Pop-Up Retail Experience: The Coca-Cola Kitchen
- 2017 Stevie (American Business Awards) – Marketing/Advertising Agency of the Year