Strategic Comms, Brand Strategy and Storytelling Specialist Kelly Brown Joins APCO as Senior Director

Raleigh – April 10, 2023: Kelly Mullens Brown—a strategic communications veteran with decades of experience driving brand innovation and business growth through game-changing campaigns for public and private companies as well as non-profit organizations—joined APCO Worldwide as a senior director for Corporate Brand Strategy, Courtney Crowder, managing director of APCO South based in Raleigh, NC announced today.

“Kelly has been deeply involved establishing strategic direction in response to the most complex, high-profile issues facing global clients throughout her career,” Crowder said. “Leading the charge at the intersection of brand strategy and creative storytelling, Kelly’s knowledge and insight will be a valuable resource for clients and APCO colleagues around the world. I am very excited to welcome her to APCO.”

Prior to joining APCO, Brown was the global lead for Content Strategy and Planning at Apple. She worked to elevate editorial storytelling on a global basis and developed and led integrated editorial programs for cultural moments and events, seasonal and strategic initiatives, new product features, as well as key programming launches.

“It’s an exciting time to be joining APCO, as the firm bolsters its global capabilities and wildly talented, diverse team,” Brown said. “I’m excited to work to elevate and protect client reputations with transformational, integrated campaigns that leverage data-driven insights, to connect strategy, storytelling and content across issues, advocacy and communications efforts in c­­­reative, impactful ways.”

Brown also served as president at Ryan Seacrest Enterprises, overseeing corporate strategy and operations, brand innovation, strategic alliances and philanthropy for creative entrepreneur and popular TV/radio host and producer Ryan Seacrest. Previously, she served as the co-lead and Managing Director of the Strategic Communications practice at 42West and was a leader in the Entertainment practice at crisis communications firm Sitrick and Company. She has held senior corporate communications roles at Sony Corporation of America, Universal Music Group (UMG), and was a Vice President in the corporate practice at Fleishman-Hillard in the Los Angeles and New York offices. She began her career in public affairs at the University of Oregon.

Brown joins APCO’s global team of strategic communications, creative and brand strategy experts, helping organizations break through the noise to reach and resonate with their target audiences through a distinctive and meaningful approach to creative content. Just as a company is about more than its offerings—it’s about what it stands for—creative content must be infused with humanity and take its audiences on a journey. APCO’s global team delivers integrated services from the drawing board to execution through seamless integration and collaboration between its global offices.