New independent research by global creator agency, Billion Dollar Boy, shows brand ambassadors are on the rise, with 61% of marketers across the US and UK having increased investment over the past 12 months.
The rate of increase is set to accelerate into 2025, with the survey finding an extra 73% of marketers are planning to invest more in ambassador programs over the next 12 months.
This upward trend is particularly prevalent among US marketers, with 85% planning spending increases over the next year compared to 61% of UK marketers.
The research, which canvassed the opinions of more than 500 senior marketers and brand managers across the US and UK, also reveals marketers’ top reasons for expanding ambassador programs:
- Improves the authenticity of the content/partnership (36%)
- Allows for faster content approvals (34%)
- Delivers strong ROI (34%)
- Delivers better campaign engagement (32%)
- Builds better relationships with the creator(s) (32%)
- Improves the creator’s understanding of brand messaging (31%)
- Are more cost-effective (28%)
- Increases recall (28%)
The results show how marketers typically attribute ambassador programs to cost-effectiveness as well as acknowledging the benefits it brings in terms of improved content performance and creator relations.
Discussing the research, Thomas Walters, Europe CEO and co-founder of Billion Dollar Boy, comments:
“Brand ambassadors have been a marketing mainstay for as long as celebrities have lent their faces to products and services. But within the context of the creator economy, their popularity has ebbed and flowed as short term influencer campaigns became prioritised for quick results.“
“Now though, our research shows how they’re making a resurgence as brands recognise their value in reaching niche communities and navigating the complexities of the modern marketing landscape, with trusted and agile relationships enabling brands to move at the ‘speed of culture’.
“By empowering creators to play a bigger role, marketers can also enhance their understanding of brand identity and key marketing objectives while strengthening creator relationships. Ultimately the survey results show the impact this has in levelling up influencer partnerships for both awareness and sales objectives through repeat advocacy.”