Brand ambassadors are not a new concept, it is one of the oldest marketing tactics used by brands to increase their market presence and grow their brand. But what exactly should you consider when becoming one? And how will being one affect your personal brand? Read on to find out.
A brand ambassador is a person of influence who commits to promoting and associating with a brand for monetary compensation. They serve various purposes, but in general, brands recruit them to promote the brand, reach new target markets and drive sales.
Being a brand ambassador seems luxurious — complementary products, photoshoots and, of course, generous paychecks. However, it is a serious commitment that holds unique challenges and risks.
media update's Joreke Kleynhans outlines the key details to be aware of before becoming a brand ambassador.
Contracts and Legalities
Being a brand ambassador is a long-term commitment, meaning that your name and the brand in question will be tied together for an extended time period. For this reason, it is necessary for the protection of both parties to draw up contracts and legal agreements about the expectation of such a commitment.
These contracts contain the rules by which you and the brand will play during your time as ambassador. The caveat is that they are usually drawn up by the brands' legal teams, which means that the brand ambassador is the most at risk of being subjected to unfair treatment.
To ensure that the contract grants you and the brand equal leverage, read through it with the help of a lawyer to ensure that you understand the contract and that the terms are fair.
Also, remember that you are fully within your rights to request amendments to the contract wherever you feel they are necessary. This needs to be done before signing the contract, so do not procrastinate!
Fewer Alternative Opportunities
When you make a commitment to a brand to be its ambassador, many other doors that could lead to partnerships and sponsorships will close.
Once you are a brand ambassador for one brand, other brands might not want to work with you because they would then automatically be associated with your primary brand.
Similarly, the terms on which your legal agreement with the primary brand is made will most likely restrict you from working with an array of different brands, including:
- its competitors
- brands with conflicting values
- brands with poor reputations, and
- any other brand specified.
Therefore, you need to consider whether what you gain is worth the opportunities you will inevitably lose when you take on this commitment. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Effects on Your Personal Brand
Just like a brand takes a risk by appointing ambassadors to promote it, ambassadors also risk their personal brand, reputation, future and audience relationships when agreeing to a deal.
When a brand faces a reputational crisis, your name is tied to it and by extension, you also face criticism.
Brands are run by people, and people are not perfect. Therefore, brands can't be perfect either. At some point during your time as a brand ambassador, the brand could very well get some bad publicity.
So, before becoming a brand ambassador, you should be fully aware of the reputational risks a brand faces and what the probability is of it facing a brand crisis while you are associated with it.
Additionally, even when all is well, your personal brand is affected by the brand you represent. Stepping into a brand ambassadorship communicates to your audience that you endorse that brand and, therefore, its values, products and practices.
Lastly, being a brand ambassador will shift the focus of your online presence significantly. Whichever platform you use for connecting with your audience will now contain regular mentions of your associated brand and can easily begin to sound sales-y.
Before stepping into the ambassadorship, you need to plan out how you will retain your audience and maintain authenticity on your channels despite now having the presence of another brand taking up part of your platform.
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*Image courtesy of Canva