07.08.24
By Lisa Major
Marketers have recognized the importance of brand ambassadors as social media and influencer marketing spending has increased to reach target consumers. However, what some may not realize is that experiential marketers have known the effectiveness of brand ambassadors long before TikTok and Instagram became primary media channels. In fact, many leading brands have used brand ambassadors for decades to reach audiences using experiential marketing tactics like brand activations, street teams, and product samplings. Event brand ambassadors serve as the face and voice of a brand for experiential events and are responsible for interacting and engaging with consumers, delivering messaging, and creating real-life connections. Below, we explore five ways in which brand ambassadors can amplify experiential marketing campaigns.
Influencer marketing is a one-to-many strategy, and while social media creates a sense of personal connection, experiential marketing actually delivers it. The pillar of an experiential campaign with brand ambassadors involves real people having real conversations with others. These genuine interactions allow consumers to engage with the brand’s product or service, ask questions, and receive immediate responses, influencing their purchasing decisions. These personal connections happening over and over throughout an activation, festival, pop-up event, or multi-location campaign add scale and help boost overall reach and impact.
Quite simply, influencers show how products work for them. Influencer marketing strategies are aspirational, tapping into an audience’s desires for what they want to be. Experiential marketing is the opposite. It meets people (quite literally) where they are in real, tangible settings. This approach involves brand ambassadors showcasing the brand to the specific audience in authentic, immersive, and interactive ways. This approach helps to establish brand credibility more quickly, as consumers can easily see the value for themselves.
The purchase journey for products and services marketed via social media can sometimes take weeks or months to convert a sale as consumers need a lot of message frequency to make a decision. In contrast, in-person campaigns with real products or services and real people advocating for your brand make it easier for consumers to be convinced of the features and benefits and feel confident enough to purchase, especially when they can see, touch, and experience products firsthand.
Integrating social media into an experiential campaign is still an important tactic for success. Brands need shareability and word of mouth to maximize the effectiveness of an experiential approach. Additionally, experienced brand ambassadors are skilled at personal interaction, enabling them to tailor their message to each individual, increasing the likelihood that the consumer will share or amplify that message.
Measuring brand sentiment among a target audience is a new marketing trend as companies use AI technology to get deeper insights into how consumers feel about a brand when they aren’t actively purchasing. Interactions with brand ambassadors directly impact sentiment, creating personal experiences and positive impressions that are now measurable. Additionally, experiential marketing campaigns are providing brands with even more influence and insights into audience behavior. This shift means that the campaign goals and KPIs no longer only focus on lead conversions, follower count, or sales.
As influencer marketing becomes more prevalent, it’s important for brands to recognize that not all ambassadors are synonymous. In experiential marketing, brand ambassadors play a unique role and have a more profound impact on engagement compared to digital brand ambassadors and social media influencers. It’s important to distinguish between the two to ensure your campaign strategy aligns with the specific goals of experiential marketing.
Ready to elevate your brand’s event experience with a team of experienced event brand ambassadors? ATN Event Staffing can help! For over two decades, ATN has provided top-notch brand ambassadors for experiential marketing campaigns across the nation. Contact us to learn more about our brand ambassador staffing solutions and how we can help you reach your campaign goals.
Get the latest and greatest in experiential marketing news delivered to your inbox once a month!
