Traditionally, a brand ambassador is a celebrity, company executive, or some other identifiable figure who is entrusted with the task of spreading the company's message to the masses. This term has expanded in recent times to include anyone who shows continued support of and spreads awareness of a company's public image and idealistic focus. When your employees are brand ambassadors, it shows the public that they believe in the company, are committed to the company's product, and ultimately shows them that the company and product are something worth investing in.
Today the biggest outlet brand ambassadors have in spreading the company brand is social media and their large network of friends and followers. People are much more likely to follow the recommendation of their friends and social contacts than through the usual methods companies use to reach the public, such as advertisements in television and other forms of media.
Establishing brand rituals is a substantial part of creating a publicly recognized identity, and employees are the crucial component for making them a reality. Brand rituals are the unique little ways a company does things that become part of the company's image as a whole and in a sense becomes that company's signature. One example of this is when Starbucks baristas write the names of each customer on that customer's cup. This act of writing the customer's name not only promotes interaction between the customer and the brand, while also creating a customer-centric mentality, making the customer feel special as if they are truly being cared for individually. The employees come to experience first-hand the impact that these brand rituals have on the customer, which strengthens their belief in the brand. It also provides them with a strong sense of their own agency within the company, giving them a sense of purpose and allowing them to see how they fit into the bigger picture.
By participating in spreading the company's principles and motives in their daily working lives and through social media, employees will also benefit by increasing their own social network, list of professional contacts, and by seeing first-hand the impact brand marketing can have. The practice they gain getting the company's brand out to the public unlocks potential future career opportunities and helps bolster their CV's.
Perhaps the most effective method for getting a company name out to the public in a positive light is by treating their employees well. When an employee shows pride in being a part of the company, the prospective customer sees a business that rewards their employees and treats them fairly, implying that they will get similar treatment as a customer.