anheuser-busch
When Nick Kelly joined Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2014, the competition was easily defined. It was Miller/Coors, and the occasional local bre
Now there’s competition on multiple fronts, as A-B InBev faces challenges from competitors in new categories across alcoholic beverages. “We went from the same competitors for decades to now, where it’s like death from a thousand paper cuts,” said Kelly, who joined the brewer after a PR stint with NASCAR. “It’s changing fast — that’s an enjoyable challenge.”
Vice President, Partnerships, Beer Culture and Community, Anheuser-Busch InBev
Age: 37
Born: Tacoma, Wash.
Education: Marshall University, B.A., business
Family: Wife, Kristen
I get fired up by … : Real-time creativity. Now that we know we can do that and quickly support the big sports events we are associated with, it’s all to the better.
Profession I’d most like to attempt: Hedge fund manager. The balance of risk, pressure and reward are all there.
Guilty pleasure: Cigars; sometimes it’s my excuse to walk home.
Could not go a day without: My Apple watch.
Cause supported: March of Dimes — great history, and everyone on the board participates.
Person in the industry I’d most like to meet: Jerry Jones … just to ask him a million questions.
Most unusual question asked while networking: I’ve been asked if I could still work at A-B if I didn’t drink, and sure, we have 100,000 employees — not all of them drink.
Sports industry needs to do a better job of … : ROI. Too many people don’t invest in it until it’s too late.
When the brewer moved its sales and marketing headquarters to New York City in 2015, Kelly came along. It took him a while to learn the vernacular spoken at the highest levels of sponsorship. “Contracts and rights in this business are nuanced, to say the least,” Kelly said.
Now he’s earning accolades for not only seeing the big picture, but helping to design it. “Nick has an impressive ability to deal with the big, strategic issues, while still keeping track of all the details,” said Ed Horne, president of Endeavor’s 160over90, A-B InBev’s lead marketing agency. “He’s been the quarterback as A-B made some dramatic moves within their industry. Clearly, he has the confidence of his senior management and those that he deals with across sports.”
Over the past five years, Kelly’s helped engineer a number of firsts for A-B InBev, including a new business model, under which properties sponsored by the brewer are incented to reach specific goals, after which they are rewarded. Another oft-discussed but elusive goal was the inclusion of active athletes in A-B InBev marketing. “It’s about leveraging our scale, while adding speed,” Kelly said. “That makes every day unique.”
