Nowadays, companies and brands are turning to famous faces to endorse their product or brand to see the growth they desire. Why is that?
In today’s world, it’s become near impossible for a brand or business to gain any notoriety or traction without the help of some popular faces on the internet. Influencer marketing has shot up in recent years, and celebrities seem to have continued to rise in value. BetMGM brand ambassador Jamie Foxx is a good example of this.
Companies and brands now need a famous face to endorse their product or brand in order to see the growth that they desire. This is where brand ambassadors come in. There have been many famous ambassadors over the years for popular brands and businesses. There is no doubt that there will continue to be many more to come in this digital age.
Collaborating with a famous influencer to promote branded products is a good way to gain social proof. After all, the influencer’s audience already trusts their opinions and recommendations. It therefore goes without saying that if said influencer speaks about your brand favorably, their audience will trust your brand too.
The most successful influencer or celebrity collaborations are the ones where the audiences and values of both parties align. Brands need to do their due diligence to research and vet the celebrities they reach out to beforehand. Failure to do so will result in a partnership that helps them reach the wrong audience, or a partnership where the celebrity’s misaligned values damage their reputation.
When you partner with an influencer to promote your brand on a long-term basis, they become the face of the brand. It’s therefore important to ensure that you choose someone who will add value to your brand and someone who is easy to work with.
Let’s look at some of the most recent collaborations between ambassadors and brands.
JBL
First-time Grammy winner Doja Cat was recently revealed as the new global brand ambassador for JBL speakers. She teased the partnership by wearing a custom JBL Clip 4 speaker on the red carpet for the 2022 Grammy Awards. She stated, “I’m really excited to be working with JBL. From the start of the collab, they have made it crystal clear that they’re here to support me and my ideas about their various products. That is easy for me because I actually love their speakers, and I carry them around with me wherever I go. I’d wear clothes made of JBL speakers if I could.”
The South African-born rapper continued, “I can’t wait for everyone to see all the amazing things that we’re doing, including something coming really soon for my biggest fans.” It’s safe to say she loves the brand and is doing her job pretty well!
Adidas
Bad Bunny continued his Adidas collaboration with the latest iteration of the blue-tint Bad Bunny Forum sneakers. The sold-out sneakers were released recently, and while you won’t find them in an Adidas store, they’re available on various resale sites like StockX, Fight Club, Goat, and Farfetch.
The new release follows the release of the Forum PWR “Catch and Throw” sneakers in February and previous limited-edition Forum sneakers such as the “The First Café,” “Easter Egg,” and “Back to School” options released in 2021.
Adidas continues to break the boundaries of fashion and entertainment, and with many more ambassadors, they will continue to see success.
New Balance
Jack Harlow recently signed on as a brand ambassador for New Balance. The Grammy-nominated rapper’s work with New Balance will include appearances in viral marketing campaigns as well as playing an important role in the brand’s connection to the basketball culture, along with debuting new sneakers. Harlow wears some of his favorite New Balance sneakers in his “Nail Tech” music video.
“I have been wearing New Balance since I was young, so to officially join the brand in this way is really amazing,” Harlow said in a recent statement. “I’ve always adored the 990, and recently the Joe Fresh Goods 993, too, and collabs with the 550s have been awesome. I’m excited to look behind the curtain and work with the brand more.”
New Balance is definitely on the rise.
Mercedes-Benz
A$AP Rocky was recently named the global ambassador of PacSun, which has resulted in the launch of multiple clothing collections. The latest is an exclusive, all-gender capsule collection with Mercedes Benz.
Fashion and entertainment collide when Rocky is involved, and it’s no different with his collaboration with the famous automotive brand.
Mint Mobile
“Deadpool” actor and LinkedIn extraordinaire Ryan Reynolds endorsed Mint Mobile in 2019 before he officially bought the company. That’s right, the movie star now owns a mobile company, and he’s supporting it in a unique way that only he can. In a recent ad, he “hires” his young daughter to film and direct the video so the company can continue to give great savings to their customers.
Amazing!
Beats by Dre
A four-time Grand Slam Champion and social justice advocate, tennis star Naomi Osaka partnered up with Beats by Dre for a powerful commercial with a profound message. In the ad, she is preparing for a competition and listening to her Beats Flex Wireless headphones. There’s zero narration, only music. When she walks past the camera, beads in her hair say, “Silence is Violence.” The ad ends with a clever tagline, “Flex that voice,” a play on the product name and the stand the athlete takes.
Beats have been at the forefront of the entertainment industry ever since they arrived on the scene, so it’s no surprise that they are working with superstars like Osaka.
Conclusion
Wherever you may look today, be it online or on the side of the road, you’re likely to see a face you recognize endorsing a brand you may or may not recognize. This is the reality of marketing today, and the brands and businesses that are realizing this more and more are much better for it, it seems!