The telecom and communications industry has witnessed decades of excellent growth. And there are no signs of any dwindling phase. Telecom providers across the globe usually dedicate themselves to tariff competition. Bill plans, call rates and SMS charges become key factors for people choosing their brand of mobile providers. On the other side of this hyper active industry are mobile phone companies. This one is more influenced by human factors such as brand name and brand ambassadors.
Brand ambassadors are known to drive home messages as varied as laptops, soaps, cars and social issues. Little wonder then that mobile phones, which have increasingly become a lifestyle choice for buyers, also always prefer a celebrity endorsement. All leading and niche mobile providers like to engage celebrities because they are known to affect mobile sales to a large extent. Time and again, surveys have proven that sales of mobile brands have been affected for lack of a celebrity endorsement.
Consumers around the globe have an unconditional tendency to gravitate towards stars more than anything else. Mobile phones and mobile technology is updating rapidly. It is being said that the number of mobile phone users across the world has reached the 4 billion mark. The number is estimated to reach 5 billion in the year 2010. To meet this speed, companies continue to launch new models with more innovations and features. In the world of mobile phones, it is important for manufacturers to choose the most appropriate advertising tools and promotional strategies well before they release the product. This helps companies to increase sales and create greater interest in their brand.
Technology has played an important role in the sale of mobile phones. We are seeing the cheapest mobile phones; the slimmest mobile phones; ideas have even begun floating of a wallet phone. There has been advancement in the innovation of mobile phones all over the globe. Companies are striving hard to provide all sections of mobile phones with appealing innovations such as internet, Bluetooth, camera, Wi-Fi, memory, e-mail and games.
The concept of brand ambassadors has always been more effective than traditional marketing tools. This is primarily because consumers trust and tend to identify themselves with their celebrity’s recommendations. The other way brand ambassadors work is by creating an interest in the consumer’s mind about the brand they are endorsing. Globally, most manufacturers look at targeting a large chunk of the population. This population, in turn, looks at celebrities for endorsement of their brand. Brand ambassador strategies are long term social media strategies adopted by companies who want to give their consumers active advice on the product. The celebrity can also help to gain a kind of official recognition for the brand they support. Brand ambassadors can be anybody from movie stars to sportsmen. They could easily be a youth icon--glamorous, well known and well respected. As people grow fonder and more conscious of their lifestyles and living standards, the best way to reach to them is by engaging a person they look up to.
Mobile phone majors usually rope in young actors and sportspersons as their brand ambassadors. The arrival of young brand ambassadors targets the youth and style savvy consumer. These celebrities represent the individuality, style and modernity of the buyers. Brands are used to make a personality statement and brand ambassadors are an important part of that identity. The personality of a brand ambassador is automatically transferred to the brand and therefore they should be chosen while knowing the positives of the product itself. In India, successful Bollywood celebrities and cricket players are the preferred celebrities to endorse mobile phones. This works because they represent power, statement and style. All of these are purely the aspirations of the young. Younger and the more popular celebrities appeal equally to all demographic groups and are therefore suitable to promote the brand.
Securing a brand ambassador for a mobile company can be expensive but effective if chosen carefully. The celebrity can be someone from within as well as outside the country. Consumers should be able to identify themselves with the celebrity. Some other niche mobile companies like to target the gadget savvy consumer. They prefer to choose celebrities who are savvy and superbly stunning and famous. These celebrities display status, determination, dynamism, success and a charm for the brand.
Brand ambassadors help consumers to discover the brand. They are the ones who appeal to the mass group in a demographic setting. Brand image is important in determining a buyer’s behaviour towards the product. Therefore, whether it is high profile brand ambassadors or under marketed (yet well known) celebrities, everyone has a place in the mobile branding market. Of course, the technology can never be left behind. So each time a company launches a new technology, promotion by a brand ambassador accentuates the message doubly so.
Brand ambassadors are an important marketing tool that assists mobile companies to achieve their key business objective of increased sales and of being a leading competitor. Celebrities are the utility vehicle that keeps the brands going. It is equally important that brand ambassadors are able to associate themselves with the brand name. Mobile companies have made the world a stage that has come into everybody’s hand through the use of mobile phones. It is important for the manufacturers to select and choose brand ambassadors in sync with their brand style and design. Global and local brand ambassadors together make the image of the brand. And knowingly or unknowingly, we all fall prey to it!
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