Who is an ambassador, what is he for the brand and where to find him

Briefly: A brand ambassador is a public figure or loyal customer who officially represents a company and promotes its products to their audience. The institution of brand ambassadors appeared in the 1930s in the USA as a way to build trust through celebrities. For the beauty business, an ambassador is an effective channel for attracting customers through a lively and sincere representation of the brand.

Today on the APPOINTER blog we will analyze the topic of brand ambassadors. Who are they, why are they needed, what duties do they perform? How to find a good ambassador and by what criteria should you choose one? What does the company gain from such cooperation? We will also give real examples of brand ambassadors.

Content:

• How did company ambassadors come about?
• Who is a brand ambassador?
• Why does a brand need ambassadors?
• What does a brand ambassador do: responsibilities
• Where companies look for their ambassadors
• Who is a good brand ambassador: selection criteria
• Real brand ambassadors: examples
• Conclusion

How did company ambassadors come about?

The idea was born when American companies (General Foods, Procter & Gamble, etc.) were economically affected by the Great Depression (1929-1939). Companies decided to try to build brands and develop them in a new way, using celebrities (actors, singers, athletes, models, etc.) as official representatives. One of the most famous brand ambassadors is Michael Jordan, who was just starting his star career. Nike created a line of sneakers “AIR Jordan” for the talented athlete, which, by the way, are still not forgotten.

Currently, brand ambassadors are used everywhere. Their roles are still performed by celebrities, as well as Internet bloggers of various specializations. This method of promoting products and services continues to justify itself, helping companies increase their customer base and maintain their loyalty, as well as successfully working to increase sales.

Who is a brand ambassador?

By definition, this is a person who represents a brand to a potential audience, promotes the company’s products/services online and/or offline, which contributes to increasing recognition and sales. A brand ambassador does all this without resorting to advertising. The more popular the brand, the more recognizable its ambassadors are. In addition to athletes, actors, singers, influencers and models, these can be photographers, doctors, sports coaches, chefs, etc., that is, people with a sufficient level of expertise in their field.

The terms “brand person” and “brand ambassador” are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference. A brand ambassador is someone who uses a company’s product but does not directly advertise it. They also do not work for the company and do not accept product claims. Brand personas are officially involved in advertising campaigns, but are not supposed to use (or promote) the products/services in their personal lives.

Why does a brand need ambassadors?

Ambassadors communicate the brand’s mission and values, thereby organically contributing to improving the company’s reputation. Due to their activities, the loyalty of the customer base and trust in the brand are strengthened, and as a result, demand and sales volumes grow.

Brand ambassadors are a tool for communicating with the buyer. They communicate with the company’s audience at offline events and on social networks (in particular, they collect feedback). Thanks to brand ambassadors, viral content is launched, the task of which is to increase media coverage, strengthen the market position, and increase the company’s income. To achieve such results, it is important for the ambassador to match the brand with his image, charisma, and professionalism, to sincerely love the product/service being promoted, and to stay away from scandals.

What does a brand ambassador do: responsibilities

The obvious part of an ambassador’s duties is to use the company’s products/services, tell + show it through social media. A brand ambassador is also responsible for the following:

• 1. Attracting customers, expanding the company’s audience.
• 2. Communicating with buyers online and at live events.
• 3. Recommendation of the company and its product (active, but as organic and unobtrusive as possible).
• 4. Advocacy of the brand’s interests to potential customers (answering questions, analyzing criticism, resolving disputes, etc.).

The list may change and be supplemented depending on the company’s line of work and the specifics of its service/product.

What else does an ambassador do? Conducts master classes, presentations, lectures for clients, where they inform about the benefits of the product and show how to use it correctly. Ambassadors can also organize contests and raffles of branded products, use them in thematic events (for example, for photo shoots), etc.

The result of all of the above increases when a brand uses multiple ambassadors at the same time. For example, if a blogger recommends a frying pan to subscribers, and a famous chef posts a video on his YouTube channel where he prepares a signature dish using it, the audience reach will be greater, and trust in the manufacturer will be higher.

Where companies look for their ambassadors

It’s worth starting with a thorough study of your target audience, in particular, you need to understand who your customers subscribe to, whose opinions they listen to, and who they trust. Plus, a celebrity or blogger with similar values ​​and priorities to your company will make a great brand ambassador.

An ambassador can be found among users who tag a brand on Instagram. A company should pay attention to loyal customers who, without formal cooperation, recommend products/services, write detailed reviews and product reviews (especially if they have an active, engaged audience). Such customers are also called brand advocates, because they convey to others the value and reliability of the company’s offer. In addition to advocates, there are brand evangelists – more active fans of the brand who devote more time to promoting the service/product. As in the case of advocates, evangelists make excellent brand ambassadors.

Candidates for brand ambassadors can be found on the platforms trendHERO (search + verification of Insta-bloggers) and Epicstars (a platform for meeting bloggers and advertisers), you can also use Work.ua (post/search for relevant vacancies). It is logical for an enterprise to publish a request for ambassadorship on the official website and/or organize a competition on social networks.

For those who want to become an ambassador for their favorite brand, it makes sense to take the initiative – write to the company via email/Instagram Direct with an offer to represent its products. The better a person proves their offer, the more chances they have. The advantage for applicants is a loyal audience of online subscribers.

Who is a good brand ambassador: selection criteria

Recommendations for companies when choosing ambassadors:

• pay attention to the candidate’s audience. It should be similar to the brand’s audience. Otherwise, it will not have the expected effect: the ambassador’s subscribers will not appreciate the proposed product, the company’s clients will not accept the candidate chosen as an ambassador;
• analyze reputation. The key is not to cooperate with troublemakers. “Black” PR can be effective, but it is important to carefully study the reputation of the candidate for ambassador, weigh the pros and cons, and conduct a risk assessment;
• determine the image, values, priorities, aspirations of the candidate. The ideal brand ambassador is someone with whom the above in the company coincides. Then the promotion of brand products by this person will be natural and sincere. Otherwise, the company’s reputation will seriously suffer;
• assess the level of media coverage and trust. For a company, the best ambassadors are public, well-known, active in social issues, who manage social networks, etc.;
• evaluate the potential ambassador’s communication with the audience. How he communicates with his subscribers, journalists, what kind of publications he makes, how he responds to hate, etc.

The following personal qualities are important for a brand ambassador: charm, sincerity, stable self-esteem, adequate and relevant humor, sociability, politeness and tact, the ability to tell stories, artistry, stress resistance. The skills to create visually attractive, meaningful, trendy content (take photos, shoot videos, write texts) and the ability to promote on social networks will be advantages. Companies can also make specific requirements for ambassadors. But the key is, of course, the ambassador’s sincere love for the brand itself and its products.

Real brand ambassadors: examples

Maserati sports cars and David Beckham. The famous football player’s collaboration with the company began in 2021. The combination of his image with the exclusive Maserati+ concept made David an excellent brand ambassador because the athlete resonated with the mission and values ​​of the manufacturer of elite sports cars, thanks to which he was able to organically promote it to his audience.

Dua Lipa and her multi-ambassadorship. The singer represented Puma globally in 2020. This interaction was strengthened by feminist initiatives and events launched by the company and brought together 6 dozen of its ambassadors. Dua, with her social position, fit perfectly into this. The result of her collaboration with the brand was also a joint shoe collection. Dua Lipa is also a brand ambassador and face of Yves Saint Laurent Beauty and Versace, participating in advertising campaigns using products that are broadcast on her social networks.

Dasha Astafieva and cosmeceuticals. Dasha – a model, blogger, singer and TV presenter – can be regularly seen at conferences of the professional cosmetics brand from the USA HydroPeptide. The brand’s content on social networks includes Dasha’s experience using the brand’s products, which is hard not to believe considering Astafieva’s well-groomed, radiant appearance with health and youth.

Gucci and the Squidward Tentacles star. South Korean actor Lee Jong-jae, who rose to fame for his role in the hit Netflix series, became an ambassador for the fashion brand in 2021, having started his career as a model. Also proving that Lee would make a great ambassador for the company was his sense of style and balance of self-expression with inclusivity, which perfectly aligned with Gucci’s values.

Conclusion

To summarize: what is a brand ambassador? This is a person who broadcasts the company’s values, uses products/services, and publicly shares their experience. For any business, a well-chosen brand ambassador (or several) will bring increased recognition, increased + increased audience loyalty, increased demand for the product, and then increased sales. To choose the ambassador correctly, brands should, in particular, research their audience, work out positioning and visuals. Thus, companies will be able to find suitable representatives for promotion and develop a productive strategy for cooperation with them.

FAQ

Who is a brand ambassador and how is he different from a regular blogger?

An ambassador is a person who doesn’t just advertise a brand for money, but sincerely represents it and associates with it in the long term. A blogger may make one promotional post, an ambassador is a partnership for months or years.

What are the benefits of an ambassador for a small business?

An ambassador gives a brand a “human face”, increases audience trust and expands reach without large advertising costs. This is especially effective for a beauty salon, dance studio or fitness club.

How to find the right ambassador for your business?

Look among regular customers who already recommend you. Micro-influencers (1,000–30,000 followers) often convert better than celebrities — their audience is more engaged and trusts recommendations.

What to include in an agreement with an ambassador?

The contract should include: the volume of publications (number of posts, stories per month), a list of prohibited competitors, rules for using the logo and hashtags, compensation (money, services, discounts), the term of the contract, and termination conditions.

How does Appointer help track ambassador performance?

If an ambassador brings in new clients, you can mark the referral source in Appointer as “[name] referral.” This way you can see how many clients and how much revenue your ambassador actually brought in.