In the world of influencer marketing you may hear the term “ambassador” floating around a lot. Brand ambassadors can be powerful marketing tools for fashion companies that are looking to increase sales, push beyond traditional marketing methods, and connect with their customers on a more personal level.

What is a clothing brand ambassador?

According to Zip Recruiter, clothing brand ambassadors represent a fashion brand or clothing company, promote the company’s products, and raise awareness for the brand through activities like wearing their clothes, attending fashion shows, or through other promotions either in person or via social media.

These days there are many different types of brand ambassadorships. While some brands like to use famous brand ambassadors like celebrities to represent their brand, others are turning to micro and nano influencers to help get the word out about their company and products. A celebrity at the forefront of a brand may drive awareness, but smaller creators with strong connections to their audiences can really drive sales.

For some being a clothing brand ambassador may be as low-committal as receiving pieces from the brand and potentially sharing them on your Instagram stories. For others, there may be a paid contract with specific posting requirements for different social media platforms.

When done well, ambassador marketing can be incredibly effective! That being said many brands may jump into this type of program with a bit of a half-baked approach so just keep in mind each program will be different and for some brands ambassadors could just signal something a brand is testing out that isn’t fully fleshed out and organized. And above all else, please make sure that your partnership as an ambassador is mutually beneficial and worth your time as a creator.

What are the responsibilities that come with being a brand ambassador?

Brand ambassador programs will vary depending on the company but here are just a few things you may do as a brand ambassador:

Post about products on social media
Attend events like fashion shows or store openings
Demonstrate how to style pieces
Use social media to create word of mouth marketing for the brand
Content creation for the brand’s own channels or your own

What types of brands hire brand ambassadors?

Companies that want to find a way to get people to not just be interested in the products they sell, but relate to the brand overall and understand the lifestyle that someone who purchases the products are most likely to hire brand ambassadors to help tell their brand story.

While some brands may prefer to go a traditional PR route, companies that want to expand their audience or reach a younger generation may be more likely to try out some kind of brand ambassador program.

Brand Ambassador vs Affiliate

These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably but I wanted to make sure I defined affiliate programs separately so there’s no confusion. Many companies, especially fashion brands, are now investing a lot into what is known as affiliate marketing.

Brand affiliate partners can earn a commission on each sale they make and can be tracked through customized codes or personalized links.

You may see links for rewardStyle on my blog, which is an affiliate marketing platform that I belong to. I know some influencers who have affiliate relationships with fashion brands where they may have a unique link or discount code they can share with their audience. Sometimes affiliates and ambassadors can also get early access to new product releases. Most affiliate programs offer their members 10-20% commission on each product they sell.

Where can I find opportunities to be a clothing brand ambassador?

I wrote a blog post a while ago about how to work with brands where I listed some platforms you can sign up for to look out for different brand opportunities.

You can also search online or follow your favorite brands on social media to see if they ever post about opportunities. In the meantime, I’ve rounded up a few for you that you can check out right now.

Fashion ambassador programs to apply to:

Fashion affiliate programs to apply to:

You can also reach out to any brand you love even if they don't have an ambassador program yet and ask if they have plans to start one! That way you’ll be top of mind if and when they chose to move forward with a brand ambassador program.

Don’t forget to check out my other post about how to become a makeup brand ambassador.

yours,

Austen

How To Become a Clothing Brand Ambassador