Demystifying Brand Ambassadors: A Clear Guide with Practical Tips

Ever wondered what exactly brand ambassadors do and how they can boost your business?

With so many types and roles, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

We’re here to break it down and offer tips for brands looking to work with brand ambassadors effectively.

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Brand Ambassador Definition

A brand ambassador is an individual or group who embodies and promotes a brand and its products or services, often through personal influence and advocacy.

Brand ambassadors actively engage with their audiences and their main role is to help increase brand awareness and sales. They use their influence and personal stories to create a stronger bond between the brand and its audience.

Typically, brand ambassadors have a formal relationship with the company or organization and are often contracted to be the face of the brand in the long term, not just for short-term events.

Brand Ambassador vs. Brand Advocate vs. Brand Representative

The term “brand ambassador” is often used interchangeably with roles like brand advocate and brand representative, but each of these terms has a distinct meaning:

• Brand ambassadors typically have a formal and long-term relationship with a brand. They are often contracted to promote the brand consistently over time, embodying its values and image in various promotional activities. There are many types of brand ambassadors, including celebrity endorsers, goodwill ambassadors, and influencers, who partner with the brand in the long-term, to name a few.

• Brand advocates are usually happy customers, employees, or fans who genuinely promote the brand long-term, without any formal agreement or payment from the company. They share their enthusiasm and talk about their positive experiences through word-of-mouth or social media. 

• Brand representatives usually represent the brand at specific events or locations, like in-store or at trade shows. Their role may be more temporary and event-focused. They are usually employees, such as sales representatives, in-store staff, or field representatives during a travel to a different location to represent the brand

The Different Types of Brand Ambassadors

Official Brand Ambassadors

People with formal ambassador contracts and specific promotional duties

1. Celebrity Brand Ambassadors (Celebrity Endorsement)

Celebrity brand ambassadors, or spokespersons, are high-profile individuals who partner with brands through formal celebrity endorsement contracts. These include:

• Actors/actresses
• Athletes
• Musicians
• Models
• Public figures

These partnerships often involve advertising campaigns where the celebrity associates its image with the brand’s products, but also public appearances, and social media promotion. Their influence can significantly impact brand perception and reach massive audiences instantly.

2. Goodwill Ambassadors

Goodwill Ambassadors are prominent individuals who represent non-profit organizations and advocate for social, humanitarian, or cultural causes. Unlike Celebrity Brand Ambassadors, who promote commercial products, Goodwill Ambassadors focus on raising awareness for important issues and driving social change. Goodwill ambassadors, however, are often celebrities and activists.

Their roles can involve raising awareness, participating in campaigns, making public appearances, and using their fame to support the organization’s mission. Their influence helps bring attention to important issues and inspire positive change.

3. Influencer Brand Ambassadors

Influencers can be considered brand ambassadors when they sign long-term contracts with brands. Influencers are content creators with significant social media following. They can be social media personalities (on Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn, for example), YouTubers, or even bloggers.

Unlike one-off influencer campaigns, these ambassadors integrate the brand consistently into their content over time. They create authentic connections between brands and specific target audiences through regular, ongoing content creation and community engagement.

4. Other Professional Brand Ambassadors

Brand ambassadors don’t necessarily have to be celebrities or have a social media following. They can also be trained specialists who work exclusively to represent brands at various touchpoints. These individuals possess deep product knowledge and are skilled in brand communication. Their role includes conducting demonstrations, training others, representing the brand at events, and managing long-term promotional activities. Unlike temporary staff, they maintain consistent, long-term relationships with the brand.

• Field marketing specialists
• Brand trainers
• Product specialists
• Event professionals (with long-term contracts)

5. College/Campus Brand Ambassadors

College, or Campus brand ambassadors are college students and undergraduates formally contracted by brands to promote their products within their campus. Their tasks include organizing campus events, running social media campaigns (if they have a social media following), distributing promotional materials, and creating peer-to-peer marketing opportunities. These ambassadors help brands establish a presence and credibility within the student demographic.

@malika.burieva q&a as an HBO max campus ambassador! #hbo #hbomax #hboeuphoria #hbomaxcampusrep #campusrep #campusambassador #adelphi #adelphiuniversity #hbomaxcollege ♬ original sound – Malika Burieva-Atabeg ☪️

6. Student Ambassadors

Student Ambassadors are often mistaken for the previous category. However, unlike campus brand ambassadors who represent commercial brands, these ambassadors focus specifically on promoting their educational institution and helping future students understand campus life, academic programs, and university culture through a peer perspective. They work directly with admissions offices to share authentic experiences and promote their institution. Their responsibilities include leading campus tours, participating in recruitment events, engaging with potential students online, and traveling to high schools or education fairs.

Often Considered “Brand Ambassadors” (But Not Officially)

Roles that promote brands but without specific ambassador agreements

In everyday language and job descriptions, people often use the term “brand ambassador” for roles that don’t involve long-term commitments or formal contracts.

These roles would be more accurately described as brand representatives, natural advocates, or short-term partners. They help promote and represent brands, but unlike true brand ambassadors, their engagements are typically less formal and more temporary in nature.

1. Regular Company Staff

These are employees who, through their daily work and interactions, naturally promote the brand. They influence how people view the company by providing customer service, handling sales, and demonstrating company values. Their genuine connection to the brand makes them credible representatives. Examples:

• Founders and CEOs in representative missions
• Sales representatives
• Customer service staff
• Happy and loyal employees

2. Temporary Staff & Partners

Temporary partners or staff at events are often considered as brand ambassadors in job descriptions. These people represent brands for specific events or short-term campaigns. Their relationship is temporary and usually focused on specific promotional activities rather than long-term brand building. Examples:

• Event demonstrators
• Promotional models
• Trade show staff
• Short-term brand representatives
• Short-term influencer partnerships

3. Natural Advocates

Lastly, as mentioned earlier, natural brand advocates are often considered brand ambassadors. These unpaid supporters promote brands based on genuine appreciation, including satisfied customers, social media followers, and brand fans. They share their positive experiences voluntarily, making their advocacy particularly valuable due to its authentic nature and basis in actual experience with the brand or product. Examples:

• Satisfied customers
• Brand fans
• Loyal clients

Types of Brand Ambassador Contracts

Brand ambassador contracts can vary widely based on the nature of the partnership and the goals of the brand. Here are some common types:

• Long-Term Contract/Salary: Ambassadors commit to extended agreements, receiving regular payment for ongoing representation.
• Hourly or Per Campaign/Event: Ambassadors are compensated based on specific events or campaigns they participate in.
• Affiliate (Commissions): Participants earn commissions for sales generated through their promotional efforts, incentivizing performance, without formal contracts.
• Volunteer Ambassador: Individuals represent causes or organizations without monetary compensation, driven by passion and commitment to the mission.

Main Benefits for Brands

Brand ambassadors can benefit both larger and smaller brands, from commercial ones to non-profit organizations. Here are the main reasons you should consider using brand ambassadors as part of your brand’s strategy:

• Brand personification: Brand ambassadors add a personal face and touch to the brand, making it more relatable and human.
• Brand associations: When working with brand ambassadors, the brand’s products are directly associated with the chosen ambassador’s qualities. It’s a perfect way to build trust, credibility, and other attributes linked to the person’s achievements and personality.
• Increased brand awareness: Ambassadors boost the brand’s visibility and reach through their networks, generating valuable word-of-mouth and the possibility to reach new audiences or markets
• Engagement: People connect more easily with individuals than with brands, so partnering with ambassadors can effectively spark audience interest and increase their engagement in the brand’s activities.
• Content marketing: Brand ambassadors are an opportunity to create new types of marketing materials, such as advertising campaigns, user-generated content, or posts that can be very valuable for the brand’s marketing channels.
• Product sales: Brand ambassadors are also very helpful in convincing people to buy the brand’s products or services. Their influence can lead to an increased interest and will to purchase the products.

Tips for Companies Looking for Brand Ambassadors

Because a brand ambassador should be selected carefully, here are a few tips to ensure you make the right decision for your brand:

• Define clear objectives and a specific audience in mind.
• Choose ambassadors who align with your goals and target audience.
• Ensure they embody your brand’s personality, identity, and values.
• Look for individuals who can increase your brand’s visibility and credibility.
• Opt for ambassadors with a strong influence and engaging presence within your brand’s market and niche.
• Like for co-branding partnerships, associating a brand with a person can come with some risks. Be cautious with potential scandals linked to the brand ambassador, and ensure the person aligns with your desired brand’s image.
• Look for long-term partnerships that can contribute to your long-term brand building efforts.

Selecting the right brand ambassador can significantly boost your branding efforts. Consider your brand’s needs and think creatively to find the perfect fit.

An important thing to remember is that brand ambassadors aren’t just for big companies. Small brands can also benefit by partnering with individuals who work in the same niche and have a small but highly engaged audience.

The key is finding someone who truly embodies your brand, enhances its image, and effectively communicates to your target audience that your products are the perfect fit for them.