Brand ambassador
[1] The key element of brand ambassadors is their ability to use promotional strategies that will strengthen the customer-product-service relationship, influence a large audience to buy and consume more.
Professional figures, such as good-will and non-profit ambassadors, promotional models, testimonials and brand advocates have formed as an extension of the same concept, taking into account the requirements of every company.
The term brand ambassador loosely refers to a commodity which covers all types of event staff, varying between trade show hosts, in-store promotional members and street teams.
[2] Previously, the job of a brand ambassador was undertaken typically by a celebrity or a public figure, who get paid adequately for their time and effort.
[4] The brand ambassador's job is to drive results through communication tools either publicly, such as social media, or privately including emails, messaging and further one-to-one channels.
However, the Great Depression led to a severe drawback in brand progress, as companies were left with few ways to increase revenue and get their business back on track.
The sudden boom in the economy, followed by a growing middle class population and birth rate, increased the demand for products within the market.
This led to a steady competition among a number of manufacturers who found it hard to get their products noticed amidst the pre-existing brands.
[10] Word by mouth plays a big part in marketing because the company brand, product or service is being passed down by people who most likely know each other and are close to.
According to Alberto Chinchilla Abadías "it is advisable that the company train its workers and managers in communication and digital skills in order to effectively use these technologies.
Creswell highlights that, "film stars in the 1940s posed for cigarette companies, and Bob Hope pitched American Express in the late 1950s.
"[13] Large corporations realized that the overall image of a brand ambassador within society is an integral element in attracting consumer attention.
A celebrity can capture consumers' attention, link the brand with their own personal image, and associate their positive attributes with those of the product concerned.
"[15] According to Giriharidas,"the personal-branding field or self-brand traces its origins to the 1997 essay "The Brand Called You," by the management expert Tom Peters.
"[17] Self-branding is an effective way to help new businesses save the hassle of hiring brand ambassadors, training them and then realizing they are not good enough for the company.
In addition, it is an effective tool in order to target a niche audience and allows one to take sole control of their own brand representation.
This falls down to the fact that audience members tend to believe that corporate organizations only have the final sales of product in mind as opposed to the publics interest instead.
[21] The promotion of a personal brand is also a key part of creating and building a successful network of contacts, which in itself can lead to more business and future clients.
[20] Goodwill Ambassador is a post-nominal title of authority bestowed by a head of state or the secretariat of an INGO; it is also a job description and position of an individual linked to the promotion of non-profit causes.
Predominantly, goodwill ambassadors are celebrity activists or known personalities, who use their fame and talents to secure funding, solicit donations, encourage volunteers to participate and raise awareness of the organization's cause.
Celebrities or known personalities are picked according to the organizations' intended audience and if fully invested in the cause they are promoting can greatly influence the process of persuading others and attracting attention towards a world issue.
The United Nations goodwill ambassadors include famous celebrities like Angelina Jolie for UNHCR, David Beckham and Shakira for UNICEF, Christina Aguilera for WFP and Nicole Kidman for UN Women.
Promotional models are most often found in trade shows exhibits (in some cases referred to as "booth babes"), conventions and in print, digital or selected advertisements for the brand.
[24] Fuggetta highlights that a brand advocate is a marketing term for "highly satisfied customers and others who go out of their way to actively promote the products they love and care about, they are a different breed altogether.
