If you’ve ever met a brand ambassador at an event, their job seems pretty sweet. Throw elaborate parties, travel to exotic places on the company tab, and drink a lot of really good booze. Where can we sign up?
“Who wouldn’t want to do be a brand ambassador?” says Tatiana Nessier, who’s had the job with Alamos for about five years. “I meet so many people and am part of an exciting winery that has such great history.”
But it can’t all be fun and drinking games, right? Here, five brand ambassadors peel back the onion on what their day-to-day jobs are really like.
Adam Harris, national American whiskey ambassador for Beam Suntory
How long have you been a brand ambassador?
It will be 11 years this April.
Why did you decide to become a brand ambassador?
It wasn’t a conscious decision I made, as much as it was serendipity calling. Like a lot of others, I got my start behind the bar, and I was always a bourbon man. After many years of embracing that life and increasing my passion for the category, Maker’s Mark heard of me through the grapevine and asked if I wanted to work for them. To this day, it may be the only time my reputation has ever caught up to me in a positive way.
What does your job entail?
Sure there are all of the things that people get to see — happy hours, tastings, dinners, parties, and the other fun things that are really important to growing brands the right way. But there’s a lot going on behind the scenes to make that happen. First of all, you always have to be developing interesting material and programming that keeps people engaged, so there’s brainstorming and workshopping going on all the time. Then there is a lot of desk work as well: event recaps, emails, and you have to account for all the fun you’re having, so you have to keep your expenses tidy. There’s also conference calls with local teams, regional teams, brand teams, PR, and agency teams that can keep you pretty busy. Put that all together with in-person meetings throughout the year, and managing your own calendar can be a job in itself. Oftentimes it’s a 50/50 split of behind-the-scenes desk work and me being out in the market, but it absolutely varies week to week. And I wouldn’t trade it for any other job out there.
What are the best things about being a brand ambassador?
I love to see an event come to life and there is certainly something to be said about enjoying a whiskey at the bar with friends wherever I go, but I really love sharing and talking about the whiskey the absolute most. When you help someone come to the category and begin to understand why our native spirit, bourbon, is considered amongst some of the best whiskey in the world, it is extremely satisfying. Furthermore, as you gain your own working knowledge and can effectively communicate it in unique educational experiences, it’s incredibly satisfying to share that part of yourself with people who are excited to learn.
What are the worst things about being a brand ambassador?
I still haven’t mastered the elusive art of staying in shape while on the road. The days can be long and despite always packing gym clothes, they sometimes don’t get unpacked. I also have the chance to try some of the best food and cocktails from the best folks out there, and I don’t really turn down those opportunities. I try to balance it out with salads, juice, and smoothies as much as I can when I’m home.
Do you feel like you have to change your own identity to fit the brand at all?
I’ve been really lucky and have never had to. I think if it ever came down to that, I would have to do something completely different.
Tatiana Nessier, brand ambassador for Alamos
How long have you been a brand ambassador?
About five years.
Why did you decide to become a brand ambassador?
I decided to make wine my career when I was at university in Argentina. It started out as having fun discovering a new wine or two, and it became all I wanted to learn about. That sense of adventure and discovery led to me leaving my university to take up my sommelier studies, and now I want to give that same sense of adventure and wonder to the people who come to Alamos and to the people I meet when I travel.
What does your job entail?
I get to travel around the world and share the adventure of our wines, leading classes and tastings. When I’m at the winery, I often take visitors out to experience the vineyards and give them lessons in pruning or harvesting. At the winery and when I travel, I walk people through classic wine tasting techniques. I absolutely love it when I watch their faces and see the lights come up. It’s like wine has opened up for them and they really understand Alamos and Argentina. There is some desk work, too, of course.
What are the best things about being a brand ambassador?
My favorite part is seeing people enjoying our wines and getting really excited and wanting to learn more about Alamos and Argentina. If you just take an extra few minutes to listen to people and learn what excites them about wine, you can completely transform their tasting experience into something they’ll never forget.
What are the worst things about being a brand ambassador?
I don’t think there’s anything I don’t really love.
Brent Lamberti, global brand ambassador for elit
How long have you been a brand ambassador?
Five years.
Why did you decide to become a brand ambassador?
I had been bartending for about 13 years. There are only so many drinks one can make before they’d like a different challenge. I’m also extremely passionate about spirits, hospitality, and education. This position allows me the chance to still be involved in all three.
What does your job entail?
No two days are alike. My primary job is to be an advocate of the brand. That includes talking with and educating bartenders, consumers, and our distributors. In addition, I’m the media spokesperson. Drink strategy and cocktail development, collaborating on brand programs and event execution, and the dreaded expense reports also are all part of my job.
What are the best things about being a brand ambassador?
Traveling and meeting so many new and interesting people from all over the world. Educating the next generation of bartenders on how to look at vodka in a different light.
What are the worst things about being a brand ambassador?
Being away from my friends and family. Last year I visited 13 countries and traveled more than 100,000 miles.
What would you tell someone who wants to become a brand ambassador?
It’s a 24/7 lifestyle. I don’t even want to call it a job. You’re always “on.” The rewards are immeasurable, but it is important to find balance in your life
Greg Moon, harpoon evangelist for Harpoon Brewery
How long have you been a brand ambassador?
I’ve had this title for two years, but I’ve been with the brand 22 years.
Why did you decide to become a brand ambassador?
I was 22 in 1994 and who wouldn’t want to work for a brewery fresh out of college? I may have minored in beer, if I recall correctly.
What does your job entail?
I wear many hats: training and mentoring the sales team, working with the big-volume accounts in Boston, planning and executing promotions, recording the radio spots for Harpoon festivals, tasting and consulting with the brewers on new recipes, working with design on the naming and look of new releases and promotion material, problem solving (mostly customer-facing), in-field quality control, budgeting, routing efficiency, draft system troubleshooting… It’s probably about a 25:75 split between desk/administrative stuff and brand evangelizing. It’s an awesome job. I’m the only one at Harpoon, but I try to create disciples to carry on the good work and make the most of Harpoon.
What would you tell someone who wants to become a brand ambassador?
Choose something you’re genuinely excited about. It has to be real — you’d need to be a pretty convincing actor to be successful selling and promoting something that didn’t float your boat!
Manny Hinojosa, North America brand ambassador for Tequila Cazadores and Corzo Tequila
How long have you been a brand ambassador?
10 years.
Why did you decide to become a brand ambassador?
My dream was to travel around the world and represent a spirit from my country, Mexico. I’ve always loved to drink and enjoy Tequila Cazadores, and one day after winning the “Shake it Up” cocktail competition in Las Vegas, they invited me to travel to Miami and interview for a brand ambassador position. Of course, I went to Miami for the interview and in 2007, I took the job.
What does your job entail?
I am the spokesperson for media engagements, festivals, trade shows, spirits competition, and VIP events, so I am definitely traveling all the time. I develop business and cocktail solutions for key accounts. And I support the sales force with educational programs for key consumers in addition to creating and fostering relationships with key industry consumers and gatekeepers. My role also consists of assisting and activating programming at regional, national, and international trade events.
What are the best things about being a brand ambassador?
The opportunity to meet people all over the world, and I love being able to represent the spirit of my country while traveling and enjoying Mexican Chardonnay (Tequila Cazadores Blanco).
What are the worst things about being a brand ambassador?
Most of the time it is amazing, but the downside is missing time with my family because of the active travels. I travel about 20 days each month.
