For years, brands have been choosing their brand ambassadors with great care. But have you ever wondered the reason behind it? Who are these people? What value do they add, and how?
A brand ambassador is a person who promotes and represents a business, backs up its deals, and acts as the verbal and nonverbal embodiment of the brand's identity. Brand ambassadors are professionals in promoting the brand both online and offline. They give the brand a human touch, boost its identity, as well as strengthen the brand’s social presence which supports the marketing activities. They offer what customers are looking for: Honesty.
Why Brand Ambassadors Are the Secret to Successful Marketing?
Brand ambassadors have significance in every market today. They are the key people in creating brand awareness and building trust in the brand. Also, they can increase the brand's credibility by sharing its products and services, and raise awareness of the brand by introducing it to a wider audience. For this reason, one of the important marketing strategies to be successful in today's competitive market is to choose brand ambassadors thoroughly.
Brands can bond with customers by working with people who fit their vision, mission, and goals. To give an example, in 2017, Louis Vuitton made Emma Stone its brand ambassador and strengthened its unshakable position in luxury fashion by shooting various commercials and putting Emma Stone at the forefront of the Louis Vuitton fashion show at Paris Fashion Week. After that collaboration, Emma Stone identified with Louis Vuitton’s high-quality products and luxurious image. Before Emma Stone, Louis Vuitton was often marketed to older and wealthy consumers. Emma Stone helped Louis Vuitton to reach a large population and appeal to young and modern consumers with its style. Also, she joined events and organizations that support eco-friendly fashion collections, showing that Louis Vuitton cares about the environment. This also helped Louis Vuitton to attract customers who value sustainability in luxury fashion.
So, we see that most luxury fashion brands, even those who do not break their lines from classicism, turn to Gen Z for brand ambassadorship.
Image Credit: Harper's Bazaar, Emma Chamberlain for Lancôme
Why Brands Are Changing Their Ambassadors?
Because now we are on the brink of another paradigm shift. As we previously discussed in our article called “Gen Z’s Power in Luxury Fashion”, the share of Gen Z in the consumer market is increasing. This generation, born into technology, is encouraging brands to enter the digital world. Thus, brands started to keep up with new generations in order to maintain their sales and attract attention, making Gen Z one of their main target groups.
Saying that, in order to establish trust while communicating and promoting the brand, a brand ambassador should always be relatable to a brand’s target audience at a given time. The rising stars of Gen Z hold great influence power in that sense, and that’s another reason why we see a shift in brand ambassador selection.
"Gen Z is the generation of influencers. They are the ones creating content and driving trends, and brands need to tap into that by using them as brand ambassadors."
- WGSN
After signing with Emma Stone in 2017, Louis Vuitton announced the embassy agreement with, Korean music group, BTS in 2021, and within a few hours, 500 thousand shares were shared and earned a brand value of 436 thousand dollars. As BTS is a Korean group and has a large following in Asia, especially among young ones, Louis Vuitton also increased its appearance in the Asian market after the brand ambassador change. BTS also helped Louis Vuitton create a youthful, energetic, and modern image in luxury fashion.
The Rising Stars of Brand Ambassadorship
Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain, a YouTuber and Instagram influencer with millions of followers, is one of the most content producers today. She previously has been a brand ambassador for Crap Eyewear, Cartier, Bad Habit, and Louis Vuitton, adding another success to her list by becoming the brand ambassador for Lancôme currently.
Image Credit: WWD, Cartier Taps Emma Chamberlain as Brand Ambassador
Lily Rose Depp
Uncompromising its timeless and classic designs, Chanel agreed with Lily Rose Depp, aiming to make luxury fashion attractive to young consumers as well. Lily Rose Depp, a popular model among Gen Z, manages to attract the attention of the younger generation to Chanel by playing an important role in reflecting the modern and youthful spirit of Chanel.
Image Credit: British Vogue, Lily-Rose Depp's Chanel No.5 Debut
Millie Bobby Brown
Millie Bobby Brown served as the brand ambassador for Calvin Klein Jeans from 2018 to 2019, and has been serving as the global brand ambassador for Pandora since 2021. As a young icon with a unique fashion style, Millie Bobby Brown helped Pandora to reach a wider audience and contributed to its strengthening with her active social media presence and a high number of followers. Her ambassadorship helped Pandora gain both popularity among the masses and a prestigious image.
Image Credit: Glamour UK, Millie Bobby Brown for Pandora
Jenna Ortega
Jenna Ortega, a young and successful actress, served as the ambassador for Sunglass Hut. She collaborated with Sunglass Hut to design a collection that was specifically designed for Gen Z. This collection helped the brand to establish a cutting-edge image and attract a younger audience. Additionally, Jenna's social media presence and posts helped increase the brand's visibility. She later participated in a fashion campaign for Fendi's Couture collection, showcasing her own success and the success of the brand. Her unique style, broad social media following, and prestigious image helped the brand gain more visibility, attract younger audiences, and establish a modern and innovative image.
Image Credit: British Vogue, Jenna Ortega
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