SUNNY SINGH Founder & CEO
How to do a celebrity endorsement. The right way! Game Changers recently saw an online campaign by a new brokerage that utilised several ambassadors who had no interest in the brand, along with struggling to read the 10-word script. We wanted to pick the brains of Sunny Singh, the CEO of Van Hawke Sports, and Game Changers guru of brand ambassador placements. Q How can a brand select someone from the entertainment industry to match their brand? Brand ambassador endorsements are steadily on the rise, with technology being a huge factor in determining accessibility, not only for brands but also for the followers of those individuals which has led to the now synonymous phrase of any ambassador as an ‘influencer’. However, selecting the correct ambassador can prove to be a tricky task for even the savviest of brands, as many factors need to be considered to ensure clarity and consistency of the brand message whilst also seeking to implement ROI metrics. To begin with, all brands need to understand that when selecting an ambassador, they are effectively entering into a partnership and in doing so they have to ensure that the individual shares those values that align with the company’s mission values. When we initially speak with brands regarding any ambassador placements the first question we ask is, “What are your objectives?”. This is a simple and effective question that usually sees brands respond with a range of answers, but the most common theme is to increase awareness within their target demographic which will lead to an increase in client acquisition. With this in mind any FX brand seeking to adopt ambassador strategies should already be aware as to who their target audience is and where they reside. Once established, the next step is to determine the type of individual that can best resonate with the target audience i.e Should it be a current sports person or past legend, a film star or musician, or maybe a YouTube or Instagram influencer? Does an internationally recognised personality based out of the USA (for example) have the same engagement rates with an audience in Vietnam as opposed to a local personality? What are their current audience
GAME CHANGERS Issue #23
demographics? Have they endorsed a similar product or service previously, if so, what were the engagement rates and across which channels? There is certainly not a ‘one-size-fits’ (or in this instance a one-personality-type-fits) all model. Brands need to be fully aware that ambassador endorsement exercises are similar to any other marketing campaign, whereby the whole user journey needs to be considered, from the channels used, the messaging conveyed, the initial user to brand engagement, brand interaction and then either lead or account acquisition. That is why it is crucial to assess a range of criteria when selecting an ambassador to ensure the success of this campaign type.
Q Is there a way to control the shoot, so the brand ambassador can look convincing when delivering the message? When liaising with brands, we always insist on submitting a full client brief along with a script and wherever possible a storyboard to the content producer. At times (especially when using social platforms like Instagram or YouTube) the content producer and the ambassador are the same individual, and as such he or she is the representative of a brand. However, many brands forget to ensure that the chosen message is conveyed exactly how they want it to be, and it is this crucial component which determines whether a shoot will succeed or fail. Technology today allows anyone to be in contact to work hand in hand with any content producer, regardless of whether they are able to be on site for a particular shoot or not. In addition, when utilising ambassadors, 9 times out of 10 it is a paid for service, so yes, a brand can ask for several takes to ensure that the content delivered is exactly as per the brief provided.
