Let’s get real: which grabs your attention more? A stiff corporate ad that screams “BUY NOW!” or your favorite coworker gushing about a product they can’t live without?
In a sea of generic marketing messages, nothing cuts through quite like a genuine recommendation from someone you actually trust. Tired of marketing that feels like marketing? A brand ambassador program might be your new best strategy.
Brand ambassadors aren’t just random people who like your stuff – they’re the ones who can’t stop talking about you. They’re the enthusiastic customers, partners, or even employees who eagerly share your story because it feels like their story too. They’re not posting because you paid them to – they’re creating those “This is so me!” moments that make people feel seen and understood.
A brand ambassador program can help you cut through the noise of bland marketing and connect with actual humans through the voices of other actual humans who love your brand. No more boring corporate speak – just authentic connections that convert!
Here’s everything you need to know about brand ambassador programs, including examples that’ll make you say “why aren’t we doing this?”, benefits beyond just sales, and how to start a successful brand ambassador program that people actually want to join.
What is a brand ambassador program?
A brand ambassador program is a marketing strategy that formalizes the process of recruiting, training, managing, and rewarding brand ambassadors.
Successful ambassador programs consist of:
- Identifying those ride-or-die fans who know and love your brand, who are already advocating for it, and who have sway within a specific niche or audience.
- Making it official by having these fans sign on as your brand representatives (with a proper brand ambassador contract).
- Keeping them in the loop about what’s happening with your brand.
- Hooking them up with the resources, promotional materials, and support they need to effectively hype your products or services.
- Tracking their marketing moves, both online and offline.
- Showing genuine appreciation and rewarding them for the work they put in.
Ready to give your ambassadors an experience worth raving about (while tracking all that brand awareness and sales they’re generating)? Investing in a solid brand ambassador software is definitely the way to go.
Brand ambassadors vs. influencers
Ambassador programs might look just like influencer marketing, but they’re totally different beasts.
For starters, brand ambassador relationships are built to last. While influencers might do a one-off Instagram post or short marketing campaign, ambassadors are typically in it for the long haul—often a year or more.
Plus, influencers might be complete strangers to your product before that sponsored post. They don’t have to have previous experience with your brand. But brand ambassadors? They’ve genuinely used and loved your products and services.
When scouting for ambassadors, smart companies prioritize passion for their products, relationship-building skills, and authority within specific niches or among certain audiences. Influencers, meanwhile, are primarily chosen for their follower count and their influence over a certain audience.
Like influencer programs, ambassador programs typically operate on an invite-only basis. That said, some brands throw open the doors and let any enthusiastic customer join their ambassador family – or run contests to discover new ambassadors.
Here’s more on what makes ambassadors different from influencers.
Brand ambassadors vs. affiliates
Brand ambassador programs are sometimes similar to affiliate programs (if you choose to pay ambassadors commissions or rewards on sales). But unlike affiliates who are laser-focused on conversions, the best brand ambassadors care more about authenticity and building genuine connections. They drive sales naturally through honest recommendations. Meanwhile, affiliates haven’t always used your product before they pitch it.
Check out more differences between ambassadors and affiliates.
What are the best brand ambassador program examples?
Let’s dive into 10 of the best brand ambassador program examples that’ll spark your creativity.
1. Red Bull
As the company who literally created a new product category – energy drinks – Red Bull has been “giving you wiiings since 1987.” They’ve built one of the world’s best-selling energy drink empires through savvy marketing: sports team ownership, celebrity endorsements, smart collaborations, their own record label (Red Bull Records), and of course, their legendary brand ambassador program.
@dahlia.bernardini on Instagram
The Red Bull brand ambassador program
Red Bull’s ambassador program is the OG—one of the longest-running and most successful out there. Over 4,000 college-age brand ambassadors, known as Student Marketeers, are dedicated to “generating awareness and excitement for the product and brand” by giving wings to fellow students, athletes, and anyone in need of an energy boost.
Why the program works: This brand ambassador program doesn’t just tap into their target audience of college students—they position their program as a super selective, professional opportunity that can kickstart ambassadors’ careers.
Marketeers are assigned to share Red Bull on their campus (or their whole region) through guerilla marketing efforts and online sharing.
They work with the brand’s sponsored athletes, interact with the public at Red Bull’s iconic events, and identify strategic opportunities to distribute Red Bull. They even get to “work with various opinion leaders in order to bring their ideas to life.”
What you can take away: Let your ambassadors bring ideas directly to your leadership team and identify new marketing opportunities. They might come up with your next big campaign, so treat them like the marketing pros they are.
2. Pura Vida
Pura Vida is a company that sells hand-crafted bracelets and jewelry in support of artisans all over the world. Founded by two friends during a trip to Costa Rica, the company is about enjoying small pleasures and living life to the fullest. Their core mission? Giving back and building communities.
Pura Vida’s brand ambassador program
Pura Vida’s ambassador program is a hybrid between an ambassador program and an affiliate marketing program.
Customers apply online, and once they’re in, ambassadors earn 10% cash commission on purchases they generate, score free products when they hit certain goals, and get entries into exclusive ambassador-only giveaways.
Its brand ambassadors receive a 20% discount code to share with their circle (hello, more referrals!), access to an exclusive ambassador community, and learn about new products before anybody else.
Why the program works: Even though there’s a sales focus, Pura Vida’s ambassador program only accepts people who are genuinely obsessed with the brand (just check out their testimonials). This creates authentic sharing from ambassadors who’ve already built serious trust within their communities.
What you can take away: Give ambassadors a shareable discount code—it’s a win-win that helps bring in new customers. And those milestone rewards for reaching certain lifetime sales? They’re serious motivation (especially alongside per-sale rewards).
3. PINK
PINK is a line of lingerie and apparel from Victoria’s Secret targeting younger shoppers (ages 13–22). Since its 2010 launch, it’s grown into its own standalone store chain and crushed the marketing game with PINK Nation and its brand ambassador program.
@gmupink on Instagram
4. Bumble
Launched in 1994, Bumble started as an online dating app where women make the first move. While still championing women’s empowerment, they’ve expanded to include matchmaking for new friend meetups and professional networking.
@louisavons on Instagram
Bumble’s brand ambassador program
Bumble describes its ambassador program, which it calls The BeeHive, as “one of the most engaging… in the world.” In fact, Bumble understands the power of targeted ambassadorship and networking so much, they actually run two tailored ambassador programs.
The first, Bumble Honeys, is for college-age women leaders. The second, Queen Bees, is for city-based young professional women with networking prowess.
As Bumble explains, the brand selects “the most talented tastemakers and change-seekers around the world… to join our elite program of move-making marketers.” Those chosen few should “embody Bumble, and help spread our brand mission at their university or in their city.”
Both Honeys and Queen Bees are tasked with spotting trends, generating creative ideas to reach the brand’s audience, hosting events, organizing guerilla pop-ups, negotiating partnerships, working with “opinion leaders and influencers,” and directly coordinating with Bumble’s HQ.
The goal? To build Bumble’s presence and spread the brand’s mission in a way that resonates with their community.
Why the program works: First off, we love how clear the company is about exactly who they want “in their hive” of ambassadors. Hand in hand with the brand’s focus on women’s empowerment, the two ambassador programs are also positioned as ways for leaders to grow their resumes and forge valuable, lasting relationships that will further their careers.
Bumble’s brand ambassadors are able to “connect with like-minded hustlers,” build their network, grow as leaders, and take advantage of unique, fun opportunities along the way.
What you can take away: Before launching your ambassador program, get super clear about your ideal ambassador with a specific list of traits. Posting the list on your website will help you filter your applications and attract the best fits. You might even create multiple sets of ambassadors to reach more specific audiences, like Bumble does with its Honeys and Queen Bees.
5. Gymshark
UK-based Gymshark creates fitness apparel and accessories focused on performance and engineering for active lifestyles. What sets them apart? Their savvy social media presence and killer ambassador partnerships.
Gymshark’s brand ambassador program
Fitness apparel brand Gymshark built their empire largely thanks to their brand ambassador program.
They started by partnering with fitness enthusiasts and athletic video influencers. As they grew, they developed a family of long-term ambassadors passionate about fitness and relationship-building.
Today, they’ve leveled up these relationships with one of the industry’s best ambassador programs. Several pro athletes are signed as long-term ambassadors (not just one-off campaigns), and some even collaborate on their own Gymshark clothing lines.
Why the program works: Think Gymshark only chases big names instead of authentic brand fans? Think again.
As Gymshark’s Head of PR Stephanie O’Neill explained to Fashion Monitor: “It’s all about being authentic. The vast majority of Gymshark ambassadors were once fans and consumers of the brand. Who better to represent the brand than those who actually love Gymshark?”
All Gymshark brand ambassadors build authentic connections with customers, both during in-person events and through high social media engagement. Says O’Neill, “It’s all about the vision and what they stand for. We are more interested in how [potential ambassadors] engage their followers rather than how many they have.”
What you can take away: Remember that your most authentic ambassadors are already your loyal customers. They understand your shared audience and are creating genuine connections, driving engagement and sales.
6. Sephora
Sephora leads the beauty and skincare industry by creating distinct shopping experiences and offering diverse products, expert beauty advice, and interactive stores.
Sephora’s brand ambassador program
The Sephora Squad, launched in 2019, is already one of the best brand ambassador program examples despite its youth.
(Sephora calls its ambassadors “influencers,” but they’re recruited to promote the brand for an entire year. This long-term relationship makes them brand ambassadors, not influencers.)
Every year, Sephora recruits “beauty lovers, trailblazers, and influencers – no matter their following size – who share the brand’s values of belonging, acceptance, and beauty of all kinds” to join their Squad and create authentic content on their own channels.
The company describes its Squad as a “unique and inspiring group of storytellers with a diverse range of followers, points of view, and interests.”
Squad members get early access to coveted new products before anyone else, networking with other members and industry leaders, connecting and collaborating with the Sephora team and founders, and receiving “peer and professional coaching.” Their original content creations often become the basis of Sephora campaigns, lending more authenticity to the brand’s marketing.
Why the program works: We love Sephora’s commitment to selecting a Squad of ambassadors who reflects all facets of its customer base. The group is diverse in race, age, body type, gender, sexual orientation, and expression, just like Sephora’s target market is.
This representation means far more people feel seen and heard, making it easier for ambassadors to build trust and relationships.
We also appreciate a unique part of their recruitment process: after applicants share their Instagram and basic info, they access a testimonial page where followers can vouch for them with personal stories. This shows Sephora values ambassadors who already have genuine community impact and trusted beauty industry presence.
What you can take away: Follow Sephora’s lead by ensuring your ambassadors truly reflect your target audience and have communities that already trust them. Why not include a testimonial section in your own application?
7. Maker’s Mark
Maker’s Mark is one of the well-known small-batch bourbon whiskeys in the US. In fact, every bottle sold is still hand-dipped in the brand’s signature red wax in its home town of Loretto, Kentucky. This authenticity, in addition to its strong community, have kept Maker’s Mark in its top shelf position.
Maker’s Mark’s brand ambassador program
The Maker’s Mark ambassador program has a uniquely brilliant way of ensuring ambassadors love the brand and commit long-term.
First, prospective ambassadors need to pass a pop quiz to show their commitment to the brand. After passing the test, all new ambassadors have their name engraved on a barrel of Maker’s Mark.
Then, once the bourbon inside the barrel is aged to perfection – a process that takes five to seven years – ambassadors are invited to tour the distillery for free and purchase bourbon from the barrel that literally has their name on it. Talk about an ambassador perk!
Ambassadors receive regular brand updates to guide their mission to “introduce friends and family to the smooth, handcrafted taste of Maker’s Mark Bourbon” via regular updates from the brand. They also get early access to brand news and occasional exclusive branded gifts.
Why the program works: Maker’s Mark’s approach is less formal than others here—and that’s perfect. It guarantees authentic ambassador conversations and promotions.
What you can take away: Ambassador programs don’t need excessive formality. Create a program open to all customers that gives them freedom for authentic sharing. We’d recommend encouraging sharing with rewards when they help you make a sale, though. A referral-style ambassador program is an easy way to implement this.
8. Xbox
Xbox stands among the top gaming brands globally. Created by Microsoft, they’ve released five consoles, numerous games, and streaming services.
Xbox’s brand ambassador program
In the Xbox ambassador program, inclusion and community-building among Xbox users are top priorities. As the brand describes, “Xbox Ambassadors are on a mission to make gaming fun for everyone… Level up for being a positive and welcoming gamer on Xbox.”
Ambassadors primarily connect with and assist fellow gamers (especially newcomers) and maintain a fun, welcoming, and safe community.
Ambassadors gain points for completing special missions: making friends with other Live members, sending encouraging messages, and starting or joining conversations around the latest Xbox games on different social media outlets.
As they rack up points, Xbox ambassadors move through both seasonal and lifetime levels of ambassadorship, making the program feel like a game of its own. They can put these points towards digital badges, physical swag, and exclusive sweepstakes entries. And the best and most active ambassadors earn the chance to be featured in periodic spotlights.
Why the program works: Xbox ‘s brand ambassador marketing effectively serve as the moderators and support staff for the Live community, making it safer and more inclusive.
And even though they’re initially trained and given some guidelines, the ambassadors have lots of creative freedom to represent the brand genuinely, in a way that reflects their gaming style and personality.
What you can take away: Even if you’re not in gaming, gamify your program with ambassador milestones—whether digital badges, tangible rewards, or both. Spotlights are another awesome, no-cost way to recognize top ambassadors. And whether or not you gamify, ensure ambassadors have freedom for authentic sharing!
9. Paul Mitchell
Paul Mitchell is a brand known for its salon-quality hair care products and styling tools. It began as a company to support “the success of hairdressers and provide luxury hair care at an affordable price.” And by sticking to this mission, they’ve built one of the industry’s strongest communities.
Paul Mitchell’s brand ambassador program
Paul Mitchell selects ambassadors for its program from among the stylists it employs in its Australia salons (reminder: sometimes employees make the best representatives).
Prospective ambassadors must prove their communication, styling expertise, and their brand love by submitting a video featuring their favorite Paul Mitchell product.
Selected ambassadors create regular social media content using Paul Mitchell products, and guide salon clients toward suitable products for their needs.
In return, Paul Mitchell brand ambassadors receive free products (including early access to new releases), features on brand social channels, and resume/personal brand boosts.
Why the program works: Brand ambassadors get a lot of love by being part of this program – which is a big help for someone growing their career. They gain access to exclusive events where they can network with fellow ambassadors, gain insights from top beauty innovators, build their styling and conversational skills, and talk with leaders at Paul Mitchell.
Even during COVID-19, these perks continued virtually, allowing ambassadors to connect with industry names and the Paul Mitchell Global Artistic Team.
To boost ambassador engagement even further, the brand even runs an Ambassador of the Year contest to recognize elite performers. It also holds monthly competitions to build ambassadors’ skills and foster targeted sharing.
What you can take away: Host events to make ambassadors feel like VIPs. These don’t need to be in person (online conversations with industry names are a great option if your ambassadors are nationwide or global).
10. Lululemon
Known initially for its popular yoga pants, Lululemon has since expanded into a global brand that sells all categories of athletic wear and lifestyle apparel. The brand invites people to enjoy their “daily sweat” and provides the right gear to be part of the experience.
@hannahleightripp on Instagram
Lululemon’s brand ambassador program
We can’t end our list without mentioning Lululemon, the popular athletic apparel brand. After all, Lululemon was one of the first brands to use long-term ambassadors – and their program is still going strong.
Lululemon recruits two ambassador types: Global Ambassadors (elite athletes and fitness gurus) and Store Ambassadors (local yoga instructors, emerging fitness experts, and micro-influencers partnered with neighborhood stores). Regardless of type, each ambassador embodies Lululemon culture.
Ambassadors host classes at Lululemon stores, online, and at other community locations – demonstrating how Lululemon gear performs in action while building authentic fitness-based relationships..But even though they prefer to show rather than tell, ambassadors must be ready to regularly talk about the brand one-on-one, in authentic, unscripted brand conversations. And as expected, most ambassadors regularly post workout shots on social media platforms, where they’re seen using a range of Lululemon products.
Why the program works: This ambassador program transforms its ambassadors into true partners. In exchange for their advocacy, Lululemon’s ambassadors receive increased exposure and mentorship opportunities. Top ambassadors are invited to a multi-day summit and sometimes even instruct at larger events.
Ambassadors test new products before public release, sharing early feedback with Lululemon.
They’re also invited to provide performance feedback on all products and suggestions for community engagement. Often, they relay customer desires to the brand, leveraging their close community relationships.
What you can take away: Treat ambassadors as genuine partners from day one. Beyond getting ambassador feedback, ask them to gather customer product feedback, incorporating input from your broader customer base. Let ambassadors be the voice of your customers.
Why do brand ambassador programs work?
As these examples show, having passionate brand advocates can work wonders. Here are the best benefits of brand ambassador programs:
Trusted advocacy: A whopping 92% of consumers follow recommendations from family and friends more than messages from a brand. This effect amplifies when recommendations come from brand ambassadors, who genuinely use and love your products.
Long-term promotion: Brand ambassadors are typically signed on for a long period of time (compared to social media influencers or other brand advocates). This tells a strong narrative that comes off as more authentic to your audience.
Authenticity: Brand ambassadors authentically promote your products. Since they have firsthand experience with your offerings, they can share their genuine thoughts and feelings about your brand. These honest endorsements resonate more than standard marketing pitches.
Pure enthusiasm: Often, ambassadors promote you without being prompted, driven by genuine excitement for your brand. This authentic enthusiasm translates into powerful testimonials that can influence purchasing decisions.
Content created for you: Whether it’s a social media update, a blog post, or a positive review, ambassadors create engaging content that highlights your brand. After you give them the latest products and information, you can relax while they produce fresh, user-generated content (UGC) in their unique voice, widely shared within their networks and potentially featured on your platforms.
Reach a wider audience: Regardless of their follower count, ambassadors can effectively increase your market presence, provided their audience aligns with your target demographic. If their audience trusts their content, you’ve got the foundation for word-of-mouth marketing and access to otherwise unreachable communities.
Valuable feedback: As product fans, ambassadors make excellent testers, sharing both loves and improvement areas. This candid feedback helps refine offerings pre-launch.
Strengthened relationships with advocates: Formal programs ensure strong ongoing relationships with advocates, outlining partnership aspects, requirements, guidelines, and incentives. Brand ambassadors also get a lot of value in return, such as exclusive brand information, access to a strong community, and real-world experience marketing for a brand.
Cost-effective and low-risk: Even if you decide to reward your ambassadors, brand ambassador programs are still one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies.Performance-based payments mean costs only occur after new sales or goal achievement.
How do you create a brand ambassador program that works?
What can you take away from the best brand ambassador program examples above? Here’s your roadmap for launching your own ambassador marketing program:
1. Set goals and plan to track key metrics
- Decide on the key goals you want to accomplish with your program, such as increasing brand awareness, getting more sales conversions, fostering customer loyalty, or creating more trust and community around your brand.
- Identify the metrics you want to track, which will show whether you’ve accomplished the goals. Make sure these metrics are time-bound.
- Decide whether you’ll use software to streamline real-time ambassador tracking.
2. Find the right ambassadors
- Find ambassadors whose values match with yours, whose audience demographics match your brand’s own target audience the most, and who have the right brand ambassador skills.
- Prioritize trust over follower count—look for bloggers, micro-influencers, content creators, and potential ambassadors who have high engagement rates on the social media platforms your audience uses.
- Don’t forget about your loyal customers when selecting brand ambassadors. They’re likely already promoting you to others, so why not ask them to be ambassadors and make the ambassador relationship official?
3. Make the guidelines clear
- Lay out the rules and guidelines for promoting your brand as an ambassador, including the messaging dos and don’ts, so ambassadors know what to expect when they sign on.
- You might have an idea of the type of content you want them to create, but give ambassadors enough creative freedom to promote you in their own voice and style.
- Create a brand ambassador contract that covers all the essentials, and have ambassadors agree to it before they start.
- Allow ambassadors to focus on sharing their experiences with your brand and building relationships over hard selling. Make sure they can apply their skills in both online and offline engagement.
4. Equip ambassadors with the right resources
- Give ambassadors free products to try out so they can share their authentic experiences.
- Keep ambassadors up-to-date with how your brand is developing, and provide resources to help them promote you.
- Consider creating an ambassador community to share updates and other brand info, such as upcoming product launches and sales.
5. Thank ambassadors with rewards and other perks
- Reward ambassadors for their hard work with meaningful perks and incentives, like gift cards to your brand, free products, and VIP event access. Here are some more ideas on brand ambassador perks you could offer.
- Let ambassadors try new products before the public can access them. Their feedback can often be invaluable.
- Give ambassadors discount codes to share with their audience. This will increase the chances they’ll bring in new customers (plus, ambassadors will love the chance to give back to the community).
6. Communicate well with ambassadors
- Include ambassadors in conversations with brand managers, valuing their insights.
- As with any long term relationship, communication is key. Make sure ambassadors know how to reach you if they have questions.
7. Track and measure ambassador results
- Make sure to track the reach, engagement, and sales that each ambassador generates.
- The right software will make tracking each ambassador’s advocacy super-simple, as it’ll log key program metrics automatically.
- Referral Rock software helps brands of all types — not just ecommerce sites — launch and track ambassador programs. Turn customers, employees, and fans into advocates, and know exactly who’s responsible for your sales!
Want to learn more? Read our ultimate guide on how to start the best brand ambassador program. Or, see how you can create your own program with software — it’s easy!
