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Guide · Brand ambassadors

What is a brand ambassador? A guide to the role.

The three things "brand ambassador" can mean, what in-person ambassadors actually do on a shift, and how to choose, brief and measure a team.

7 min read7 steps5 checks
Northern Rail brand ambassadors in matching aprons and hats on board a train
An ambassador's two outputs are conversations and information. Brief for both.The one thing to remember

Start here

Seven steps to the right ambassadors.

From what the title means to measuring a team. Follow the line; tap any point to read it.

Brand ambassadors in Northern jackets beside a branded ice cream van
01Step 1 of 7
Budweiser brand ambassador at the NFL game at Wembley Stadium

Three meanings of one title

What is a brand ambassador? It depends who is asking, because the title covers three quite different roles.

  • Celebrity
  • Social and community
  • In person
02Step 2 of 7
Two Northern Rail brand ambassadors carrying sample trays on a train

What does a brand ambassador do?

A typical shift starts before the public arrives: signing in, setting up the stand or space, checking stock and running through the day's brief with the team leader.

  1. Sign in and set up
  2. Run through the brief
  3. Start conversations
  4. Invite the next step
  5. Pack down and report
Key pointAn ambassador's two outputs are conversations and information. Brief for both.
03Step 3 of 7
Rollover brand ambassadors engaging students at a university freshers fair

Where brand ambassadors work

Anywhere a brand wants a person rather than a poster.

  • Supermarkets
  • Shopping centres
  • Train stations
  • Festivals
  • Freshers' weeks
  • Trade shows
  • Roadshows
04Step 4 of 7
Northern brand ambassador giving a thumbs up with members of the public on a high street

What makes a good brand ambassador

Beyond the basics, match ambassadors to the audience and the product.

  • Confidence
  • Reading people
  • Product knowledge
  • Reliability
  • Stamina
05Step 5 of 7
Four Northern Rail brand ambassadors briefed and ready on board a train

Briefing and training a team

A good brief fits on a couple of pages.

  1. Written brief sentIn advance
  2. Walked throughIn person or on a call
  3. Product trainingHands on
  4. Understanding checkedA few quick questions
06Step 6 of 7
Budweiser brand ambassadors in matching red tops on the UK depot roadshow

Choosing a supplier you can trust

Most in-person ambassadors are employed by a staffing agency, so check how your supplier works.

  • Right to work
  • PAYE
  • Insurance
  • Food hygiene
  • DBS checks
  • Age checks
Key pointAmbassadors represent the brand openly. Never ask them to pose as customers.
07Step 7 of 7
Northern brand ambassadors on their stand at the Super League Magic Weekend

Measuring a brand ambassador team

Set two or three measures that match the objective: conversations held, samples or demonstrations given, sign-ups, sales or vouchers redeemed.

  1. Numbers by hour
  2. Spot checks
  3. Shift reports read
  4. Observations passed on

Checklist

Before ambassadors start.

Ready for the first shift.

Rollover brand ambassador at a freshers stall with giveaways

At a glance

The team in five stages.

Each stage of booking a brand ambassador team, what it aims for and one tip.

StageAimTip
SelectPeople who suit the audienceProduct interest helps
BriefMessages, mechanic and answersSend it before the call
TrainConfident with the productHands on, then check
ComplyEmployed, insured, checkedAsk your supplier to confirm
MeasureNumbers plus observationsReport by hour

Common questions

Brand ambassador questions.

How much do brand ambassadors cost?

It depends on the number of ambassadors, shift length, the number of days and locations, getting staff to each location, briefing and training time, any specialist skills or checks, and how far ahead the booking is made. A supplier should give you an itemised quote that shows each of these clearly.

What is the difference between a brand ambassador and promotional staff?

Promotional staff is the umbrella term for everyone booked to promote a brand. Brand ambassadors are the conversation-led role within it, expected to know the product well and represent the brand in depth, rather than simply hand out samples or leaflets.

Are brand ambassadors employed by the brand?

Not as a rule. Most in-person ambassadors are employed by a staffing agency, which handles recruitment, right to work, payroll and insurance, while the brand provides the brief, the product and the uniform.

Can we keep the same ambassadors for a whole campaign?

It's worth asking for. Consistent teams need less retraining and build relationships with store staff and repeat customers. Availability can change over a long campaign, so a good supplier also trains a few backups.

Rollover brand ambassador at a freshers week stand

Further reading

What are promotional staff? A guide for marketers

The roles that sit under "promotional staff", where they work and how booking a team works from brief to report.

Read the guide →

Booking a team?

Ambassadors who know your brand.

We've supplied brand ambassadors since 2007, from a pool of more than 6,000 registered staff across 40 UK hubs. Each team is selected for your audience, given a written brief and optional product training, and managed live with geo-tagged check-ins. See our brand ambassador staff for the roles we cover.

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