What I Learned From Being A Brand Ambassador

I would consider myself a person that loves the marketing industry. I'm one of those lucky people that figured out what I wanted to do with my life at a somewhat early age. As a young child I was always very talkative and outgoing and over the years I gravitated to the power and creativity of the marketing industry. Naturally I went ahead and picked up a major in Advertising and obtained my Bachelor of Arts degree in it from Temple University in 2010.

I came across something in the spring of 2009 that changed everything. I had an opportunity to sample Coca-Cola and Gold Peak Iced Tea in small plastic cups at a Walmart on a Saturday morning in May 2009. For me it was a great opportunity because I made more money per hour than the minimum wage retail job and work study jobs I had in the past. It was also really fun! I was able to attend and influence some amazing events. More importantly in my eyes I was working in my field. I was a small part of Coke's marketing mix for one storied product and one brand new product.

This new stream of income not only helped to keep a struggling college student afloat but it made me even more interested in marketing! As time passed I did great work and worked for more companies and brands. I discovered a whole chunk of the marketing industry that we didn't focus on in class. With a scattered class schedule it also allowed me to make my own hours by picking up work when I had time.

Being a Brand Ambassador since that day in 2009 has helped me sharpen these transferable skills:

Organization: In my career I have worked for 35 different experiential marketing agencies on behalf of over 60 brands. Many times I would represent multiples brands a week or even multiple in one day! I learned to schedule out my life to make sure I was on time at events and ready to work. Not only that but I organized information from brands and agencies so that I didn't call Coke Zero Pepsi Max by accident at a Coke Zero activation.

Adaptability: Anyone that works in the events industry will tell you that nothing ever goes 100% right during an event. I have had the privilege to work as a staff member or manager at events throughout the U.S. and Canada and I have had to adapt to everything. This includes weather and technology issues to celebrity chaos and even insubordination from staff.

Communication: I have been comfortable speaking publicly since I was a child but my experience as a Brand Ambassador allowed me to speak with individuals at all levels. From consumers to clients to agency staff and even the media! I can bring the energy or the marketing jargon to a conversation. Many times I've memorized your favorite brands tagline or explained to a Marketing Representative from a brand why their outdoor activation might need a Wi-Fi setup next year.

Leadership: Over the last few years I have progressed to management roles in experiential marketing managing up to 12 people on-site or remotely. As a leader in an experiential marketing campaign it was my responsibility to guide my staff to successfully implement the marketing strategy on a field level. I have dealt with many different personalities and it was a great experience learning what tactics worked and what didn't in leading my staff to a successful activation.

As I look to transition from solely working in the field I appreciate the transferable skills I was able to master as a Brand Ambassador for some of your favorite brands. Take a second look the next time you attend a concert or sporting event and notice the Brand Ambassador's representing your favorite brands. Not only are they having fun but also they are building transferrable skills for their future.

Want to learn more About Me?

Visit my about.me page: about.me/SeanMcCloudMKTG