Public Relations and Advertising Alumnus Miles Ritenour is Director of Marketing Communications, Bud Light – Anheuser-Busch Alumni Profile

Since this story published, Miles Ritenour has been promoted to Sr. Director, Brand Marketing.

In what ways did your Point Park experience provide a pathway to your career?

I did several internships and worked as a stringer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette during my time at Point Park. My senior year, I interned with the Pittsburgh Penguins media relations department and at Ketchum Pittsburgh, a leading global communications agency. 

During my two years at Ketchum, I worked on clients like Conagra and Kellogg’s. In 2012, I was offered the opportunity to move to New York City and work for Ketchum’s sports and entertainment specialty group working on campaigns for Kellogg’s P&G, Liberty Mutual, Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Samsung, among others.

After five years at Ketchum, I moved to WME|IMG – now known as 160/90 – where I oversaw public relations efforts for Microsoft’s NFL sponsorship and influencer marketing, as well as Dick’s Sporting Goods 2016 U.S. Olympic Committee sponsorship and sports matter initiatives.

In 2016, I applied for a job through LinkedIn at Anheuser-Busch, which had recently moved their marketing group to New York City. I was selected to oversee all communications and PR for the Bud Light brand, which I have been doing for more than three years. Working at Anheuser-Busch, on America’s most popular beer, is a true honor. This job has taken me to Super Bowls, I've brushed elbows with Post Malone and created some of the most iconic marketing campaigns in recent memory. I’m surrounded by the best marketers in the world here and that's pretty awesome.

What are your key responsibilities as director of marketing communications?

I oversee all of the external communications for the Bud Light brand. My job consists of promoting and protecting the brand. I develop messaging, content and prepare our executives to speak to media about Bud Light campaigns, as well as work closely with high-profile media to drive earned press coverage and consumer conversation. When it comes to protecting the brand, I oversee external communications when there are issues and crises related to Bud Light. If you see the words, “A Bud Light spokesperson said,” that person is probably me.

Beyond that, I’ve become a trusted member of our Bud Light marketing team. One of the great things about my team is that they don’t see the PR folks as just people who get press coverage, but rather creative influences on our marketing. My agency team and I are regularly consulted to help bring ideas for the brand. Things like the Cleveland Browns "Victory Fridge" and Dilly Dilly cease and desist letter were ideas hatched by the PR team, which is really cool.

In what ways has your college experience prepared you for professional success?

I regularly work with journalists, so working in the newsroom at The Globe at Point Park really prepared me to look at things like a reporter. Additionally, I had great professors with journalism experience like Helen Fallon, M.A., who really helped frame how I think about how a particular marketing campaign can get news coverage.

Beyond that, I was always encouraged by my PR and advertising professors to intern as much as possible and I did that with six internships. Additionally, it was great to learn from someone like Bob O’Gara, M.A., who did my job for years before teaching at Point Park. I think learning from people who have real-world experience is very important.

What career advice do you have for our School of Communication students?

Never stop learning. Try to soak up as much as you can in the classroom, but actually get out there and do the job you want to do. You can only learn so much in the classroom, so go out there and intern, shadow people you admire, ask for advice from professors and people who have done what you want to do.

I’m 32 years old and I am still trying to learn from the great marketers at my job. To be successful in the field of communications, you can’t get complacent. So read, learn and get experience.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Not really, I’m just thankful to be featured in something like this and to Point Park for helping to set me up for success in the future. Other than that, just pick up a Bud Light or Bud Light Seltzer next time you’re at the bar.

Connect with Miles Ritenour

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