A Deep Dive into Finding the Perfect Brand Ambassador
A Deep Dive into Finding the Perfect Brand Ambassador
Before jumping off the high board for a deep dive into finding the perfect brand ambassador, it’s important to define the who, what, where, why, and how of the search. Let’s begin with the definition of Brand Ambassador.
Yeni
Before jumping off the high board for a deep dive into finding the perfect brand ambassador, it’s important to define the who, what, where, why, and how of the search. Let’s begin with the definition of Brand Ambassador.
In a July 23, 2021 article entitled, 5 Characteristics of a Successful Brand Ambassador,the Editorial Team at Indeed.com asked the question, What is a Brand Ambassador?They answered the question in a two-paragraph defining summary. “A brand ambassador, also known as a brand representative, brand influencer, or corporate ambassador, is a person enlisted by a company to represent their products and create and maintain a brand identity.
Brand ambassadors often need an established following, usually on social media platforms, and a consistent brand through their outreach within your community of followers. However, it is not necessary to already have a following, as some companies will guide you in creating one after you're hired.”
Building an Ambassador
A key disclaimer in the thoughts of the indeed summary as written by their editorial team is significant for any company in finding a Brand Ambassador. After defining the role of the Brand Ambassador, the writers point out that they should also come with their own following. Then they say not, as companies will create the following for their Brand Ambassadors.
To see which is true, a Brand Ambassador should have a following or no they don’t need to come complete with their own audience, let’s take a peek behind the curtains. That is the curtains or more precisely the floor-to-ceiling windows of the old stalwarts of the corporate advertising world who represent the Brands in the Fortune 500.
We can all rattle off Brand Ambassadors from our youth until today who became the face of products and services. The ones you name will tell your age, so think ahead to your twenties. If you start calling out names from your youth your colleagues will leave the meeting saying, “wow, how old is……?
Flo, who represents Progressive is a Brand Ambassador who comes to mind instantly. A list of Brand Ambassadors that the corporate ad agencies have been able to implant in our mind that are instantly associated with the brand after Flo, yet we don’t know their names, include:
▶ The ex-Verizon Brand Ambassador who switched to Sprint in a rare corporate coup of spokespeople. This was a clever move by the Sprint Ad agency, although it was risky to co-op a Brand Ambassador in the same space, it was a masterful maneuver. They were able to play on his disaffection with the Brand he once represented without naming it, just because we all know him, not by name but by the Brand he represented.
▶ The guy with the ostrich is quickly becoming a Brand Ambassador for Liberty Mutual.
▶ The old and new AT&T women who would be instantly associated with the brand yet remain unknown to those of us who are not in the commercial casting profession.
▶ Both of the Allstate Brand Ambassadors, one plays “mayhem,” the other offers a voice of warmth and security. Their names are unknown but there is no doubt the Brand they represent as soon as they are seen.
All of those named above did not bring their own following when they became Brand Ambassadors. The personalities for each of these Brand Ambassadors were created to fit the requirements of the product or service. This brings us to the next question to finding Brand Ambassadors, when they bring their own following is it a plus or minus?
Creating or Finding a Brand Ambassador?
There are many “ifs” when setting about to answer the question as to whether it is better to create or find a Brand Ambassador. The first question is the number of digits in the advertising budget account. Both finding a powerful influencer and creating one can be costly. It is all relative. There are celebrity influencers who are more affordable than celebrity Brand Ambassadors like Patrick Mahomes II.
Remember that State Farm didn’t start the campaign using the celebrity Brand Ambassadors from the NFL, they created “Jake,” a fictional insurance agent who we do not know by any other name. State Farm is the classic example of finding and creating Brand Ambassadors with equally effective results.
Each of the decisions to find or to create the Brand Ambassador that’s right for your product or service has more questions that need to be answered beyond the budget. Hiring an influencer requires due diligence not only to verify their reach but also to be sure there aren’t any conflicts. Creating a Brand Ambassador will also require assistance from agencies that specialize in matching Brand Ambassadors and Brands.
The decision to create or hire a Brand Ambassador requires thought. The Brand identity will be contingent on the influencers or Brand Ambassadors in creating an image. It is rare that in the advertising world a Brand Ambassadors can switch horses in mid-stream like the Sprint spokesperson was able to accomplish. Be sure whether creating of finding a Brand Ambassador that they have not repped a Brand in the same space.
