Brand Ambassadorship Success Stories

Following up on my previous blog post, I’d like to share three great brand ambassadorship success stories from companies we can learn from. Each shows the power.

Taco Bell: Last year, 15-year-old Illinois high school swim team member Ryan Klarner, posted a plea on Taco Bell’s Facebook page a plea to receive a customized Speedo that says think outside the buns on the back of it. Two weeks later, Taco Bell posted a reply: “What size do you wear? And what’s your address?” More than 2,600 people liked Ryan’s post, and more than 1,000 liked the reply. Ryan was already a regular customer–his post noted that he eats at Taco Bell “at least” five to seven times a week–but he is now a fan for life!

Ford: In 2009, Ford launched The Ford Fiesta Movement campaign where 100 agents were selected to drive around in Ford Fiestas for six months and complete monthly missions related to volunteerism, adventure, style and design, while broadcasting their missions on social media. The results were phenomenal, generating millions of Twitter impressions and YouTube views, and the campaign resulted in 50,000 requests for information about the car, largely from people who didn’t previously own a Ford. The company sold 10,000 units in the first six days of sales, and the results came at a relatively low cost.

Jersey Mike’s Subs: Quick-service franchise Jersey Mike’s Subs recently completed a campaign in the San Diego market with DrivAd, which after great success and feedback is now being continued with large expansion across California and nationwide. During the campaign, DrivAd worked with Jersey Mike’s Subs to recruit a large number of concentrated brand ambassadors, aka DrivAdvocates™, located two miles from each store. These DrivAdvocates comprising Jersey Mike’s most influential and loyal fans, were selected to spread valuable awareness and buzz for the brand in exchange for free Jersey Mike’s Subs using moving billboards on their personal vehicles, as well as a variety of social media and digital marketing activities. According to Steve Miller, marketing specialist, Jersey Mike’s Subs, “Moving billboards get more attention / exposure. Static billboards, while good, at some point become invisible to passers-by, but if you’re sitting at a light or driving behind a DrivAd car it’s hard not to see it.”

Olivier Baudoux is the founder and CEO of DrivAd, a unique customer engagement program that matches organizations with their ideal brand ambassadors, turning them into motivated influencers for their products, services or causes in exchange for valuable rewards and a great sense of pride.

DrivAd was born in 2012 from Baudoux’s vision to create powerful and cost-effective ways for businesses to tap into their natural and most loyal brand ambassadors, who are typically under-utilized.