Is There a Difference Between an Influencer and Brand Ambassador – Social Media Edition

Back in the day, before television shows and movies were streamed, we had those interruptions in our regularly scheduled programs for commercial breaks. The commercial breaks were typically created in thirty-second intervals, or it seemed. However, the actual length of commercial breaks varies by the station but is usually 2 – 3 minutes. These commercial breaks include advertisements from outside companies as well as the station's own promotional materials. Often, these commercials and even today use celebrities to help promote products or services. The first celebrity endorsement dates back to the 1760s when the term brand had not even been coined, and royal endorsements were used as celebrity branding (Berland, 2014).

Now that we have had that brief history lesson about television commercials let us move into the now normalcy of influencers and brand ambassadors. From 2015 to the current, we have seen an increase in companies using influencers to promote or advertise their brands and company campaigns. Also, with this increase, we have seen companies complain that some of those influencers or ambassadors have not kept their end of the bargain. This complaint makes you question if there is a difference between an influencer and a brand ambassador. Although influencer marketing has been around for hundreds of years, it was not until social media started gaining momentum in the early 2010s that the term influencer became popular. This is one big history lesson. So, that is when influencers became popular, but what exactly is an influencer? An influencer is a person with the ability to influence or persuade potential purchases of products or services by promoting or recommending items on social media (Hennessy, 2018). TikTok is a sea of influencers, also known as content creators. I immediately click the influencers' bios looking for the links to the product they are recommending. Let's say my Amazon cart is packed and waiting for checkout. Back to the topic at hand.

With an influencer, you get their opinion or experience of a product, which can be either positive or negative. Influencers are not bonded by contract or required to comment positively about a brand. In my opinion, that is where the chief complaint mentioned earlier comes from. Companies send their products to content creators and expect them to give only positive reviews. In reality, content creators receive hundreds of products to review. If and only if the influencer likes something about a company's product, they will check it to leave a comment. In any situation, spoken or unspoken agreement, management teams must research to ensure the product they send is to the right influencer. You would not want to send a coffee product to an influencer to review just because they like coffee. The influencer could leave one hundred comments that are left on blind eyes all because their followers do not like coffee.

You may still wonder what the difference between an influencer and a brand ambassador is. Simply put, a brand ambassador is an employee for the company of the brand, product, or services they are advertising for. Here is a more technical definition. A brand ambassador is someone that is hired to promote on behalf of a company, endorses its products, and embodies the company's corporate identity through words and actions. Brand ambassadors are experts when it comes to speaking for and about brands online and offline (Miler, 2017). The chief complaint I keep referring to is valid as it pertains to a brand ambassador. If a company hires a person to endorse its brand, the endorsement is usually exclusive, and the ambassador is expected not to use or wear any other products. For example, Nike endorsed LeBron James. Nike exclusively makes his sneaker. Nike has contracted and expects LeBron James to only wear Nike products. How would it look if LeBron James made a video discussing how much he like a pair of New Balance shoes? LeBron James, as an influencer, can give positive reviews for any sneaker brand he likes. He can also leave negative comments. However, the brand ambassador, LeBron James, signed a contract only to endorse a particular brand. Raymond Weil, a Swiss luxury watch brand, chose Charlize Theron as its brand ambassador. Of course, the relationship came with a contract that stipulated she could not be seen wearing any other watch brand. Charlize, at the time, was also hired to endorse Christian Dior. Yes, brand ambassadors can be hired to endorse brands simultaneously. She was spotted wearing a Christian Dior watch, a breach of contract with Raymond Weil. Needless to say, Charlize Theron was sued by the luxury brand owner. Brand ambassadors have also been released from their contracts because their actions and beliefs do not align with the company they are promoting.

There is a significant difference between social media influencers and brand ambassadors. As with any difference, there are some similarities. In both capacities, it is essential to build a relationship. There should be established objectives and end-result goals for the company as well as the person the company is partnering with. Back to the differences. Influencers or content creators have many followers, and these relationships are normally short-term. Content creators can charge for the number of times they post about a product or based on the number of followers they have. Think of brand ambassadors as being there for the long haul. These relationships are more long-term and are less transactionally based. Brands often reach out to influencers who have never heard of their company. Ambassadors are typically someone interested in becoming the company's brand ambassador. They know the company's mission and are already endorsing the products in some form. Outside of brands approaching or soliciting celebrities, some ambassadors come to a company and inquire about being their representative. With this method, this person showcases a company's brand in a place of real interest and authenticity.   

To be honest, I would love to start content creation. The more content you create, the more followers you will get and the more influential you can be.  

Come back next week for more.

Berland, T. (2014). Breaking into Commercials: The Complete Guide to Marketing . West Hollywood: Silman-James Press.

Hennessy, B. (2018). Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media. New York: One Time Publishing.

Miler, D. (2017). Building a Brand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen. Nashville: HarperCollins Leadership.