The National Concert Hall’s Carolan Room was packed to its splendid rafters yesterday with over 100 public relations professionals eager to learn some advice and insight on the use of brand ambassadors to support their brand.
Ger Gilroy of Newstalk chaired a Public Relations Institute of Ireland panel consisting of Rob Hartnett from Sport for Business, Kevin Moore from Fleishman Hilliard and Niall Woods of Navy Blue.
The conversation ranged across money, gender, rules, personal branding and much more and here are six of the points to emerge:
1. In order to properly align with a good brand ambassador, the brand has to be confident about what it’s personality is and who it wants to address. Drafting in the right voice to bring that personality to life will be determined less by popularity surveys than by finding the right fit to what may be quite a niche but influential or key audience.
2. All of us are ambassadors for our own personal brands. What we do and say in public or on social media needs to be filtered to effectively tell the world what we are about. That is the kind of broad public persona that is most effective for brands using a sporting or other personality to promote awareness or sales. An obvious plug may well damage brand and ambassador in terms of credibility. Consumers are smart and don’t want to be treated like fools.
3. Even the biggest names need to work on their own image and will take time to grow into a mature and rounded individual that will understand what is needed and deliver effectively. Brian O’Driscoll’s transformation from wonder kid to everybody’s favourite did not happen overnight. Getting the timing right on each step of that journey is important.
4. It is less important whether a brand ambassador is male or female than that they fit the personality of the brand. Women’s sport is on an overdue roll at present and while Fiona Coghlan may not be as recognised as Brian O’Driscoll she may well offer more for less as a Grand Slam winning captain who is also a teacher.
5. Having a personality that enjoys and is willing to commit to rolling their sleeves up is important in terms of creating something more than a single photo opportunity. Getting involved in visits to workplaces can have a transforming impact on staff motivation, even if it does not reach a massive mass market audience. Imagination can be a better weapon than a press release.
6. Tread carefully around a partnership and what it might be able or unable to deliver. Different tournament rules can be restrictive and prevent some of the most high profile opportunities that you might be considering. It is better to build consistently than hope for a one off splash.
Sport for Business will host a Members’ Round Table on the subject of Brand Ambassadors and what they can do for brands in April.
Among the subjects we will cover will be:
- Value of social vs mainstream endorsement
- Potential for fans as brand ambassadors
- Getting it right in advance
- Being prepared for exit when the time is right
If you are a member and would like to take part, or if you would like to sponsor and host the event, get in touch with us today.
Thanks to Sport for Business member Lisa Cunningham for this picture from the event.
