By Arun Fernandes
In the past, brand ambassadors were utilised for advertising purposes by brands to raise awareness about the brand and the product that was about to be or had already been released in the market. Because technology innovation was slow at the time, it was the brand ambassadors that promoted the brands’ products because consumers could connect with the product and the brand through the brand ambassadors. People stared at the majority of the brand ambassadors because celebrities have an aura and mystique about them. That is why, in order to capture the aura and the overall perception of celebrities, brand ambassadors came into play. Earlier, there were no influencers or social media platforms for brands to promote their brands and products.
In recent years, every brand has attempted to collaborate with celebrity brand ambassadors or influencers. However, due to technological advancements, what used to function may no longer work. Brands need to be extreme caution in who they choose and with whom they collaborate. Because it has a greater impact, and the audience is considerably more alert and well-read. Celebrity brand ambassadors and influencers who are involved in controversies or engage in dubious public behaviour can bring a brand down with them and usually result in negative press coverage. Instead of cooperating with brand ambassadors and influencers simply because they are popular and viral at the time, brands should aim to connect with people because if the product does not match, their advice may appear out of place and is more likely to be mocked than to wow buyers.
When brands seek out prominent brand ambassadors or influencers, they may overshadow the product by drawing attention to themselves rather than the product; viewers remember the celebrity or influencers rather than the brand. Although it may appear to be straightforward, securing a celebrity endorsement usually requires a significant financial expenditure. If the brand is still in its early stages, it may not have the resources to invest in celebrity endorsements until it becomes a unicorn. As a result, brands must weigh whether the increased customer attention and income is worth the expense of the endorsement. Some businesses have the urge of promoting their businesses through brand ambassador or influencer who will increase product sales and make the brand more well-known in the audience, but brands should also examine their current and former endorsements. When celebrities or influencers promote many items, particularly those with competing principles, potential customers may become sceptical, ofcourse until its Shah Rukh Khan.
Brands should not just rely on brand ambassadors and influencers, but also seek to become as well-known as them, so that they do not need to hire a brand ambassador or influencer to advertise their products and brand. It is preferable for brands to invest more in R&D and explore for ways to differentiate themselves in the market. Brands recognise the importance of brand awareness. Creating a distinct brand, however, entails more than just having a memorable logo and a catchy tagline. In the absence of brand ambassadors or influencers, brands must differentiate themselves from their niche competitors. Brands should interact with their customers and target audiences to appear more authentic to the consumer. They should launch significant campaigns and seek to personalise their encounters with clients in order to make them feel valued by the firm. There are several examples of brands that have never used brand ambassadors or influencers and are still top brands in their specialty around the world. Natural Ice Cream or Tupperware (in the Indian market) have never relied on brand ambassadors or influencers to sell or advertise their products; instead, they intentionally built brand recognition and image in people’s minds through word of mouth and understanding the USP of their products. People now understand brands based on their USP and IP rather than whatever celebrity or influencer is promoting the brand.
The author is founder-CEO, Hotstuff Medialabs
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