How to choose a brand spokesperson: Lessons from politics

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Around the time of the 2016 election, I wrote a post after one of the presidential debates about how Donald Trump stacked up from a media training perspective. Not much has changed since then, as we saw from his more recent first debate with Joe Biden, which was hilariously termed by broadcasters as “a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck” and quite simply, a “shit show.”

For four years, Trump has been the ‘brand spokesperson’ for the U.S. Over the course of his term as President, not only did his behaviour and actions damage his eponymous business brand, they have negatively impacted America’s brand on the world stage. In fact, the image of the United States took a nosedive across many regions of the globe. According to a recent survey from Pew Research Center, the share of the public with a favourable view of the U.S. across several countries is as low as it has been at any point since they began polling on the topic nearly two decades ago.

The repercussions aren’t just being the butt of jokes or memes, but a real weakening of America’s perceived power – and brand status. While Trump thought nothing of the effects of dishonesty or his bombastic bully approach, his actions have damaged the country. Even now, his refusal to concede the presidency only serves to further tarnish the country’s brand – and his legacy. In a civilized world, he is an example of what not to do as a business leader or spokesperson for any organization, let alone a nation.

Nowadays, everyone is a brand or brand ambassador – from companies to influencers to individuals. At BlueSky, we work with corporate spokespeople on media training, key messages and communications, as well as influencers across a variety of clients and sectors. Choosing the right spokesperson to represent your brand is critical since, as we’ve seen, they can either do a lot of good or a lot of harm. So, how do you choose a brand spokesperson? We’ve put together a list of some of the things to consider to help ensure you protect your brand:

  • Are they well-suited? It’s important that a spokesperson is a good match and makes sense for your brand and/or campaign. When it comes to influencers, it’s not about just their number of followers, but their passion and authenticity in how they embody your brand ethos. Corporate spokespeople need this and more, with the ability to blend charisma and professionalism while speaking authoritatively about your business.
  • Are they authentic? While being ‘real’ and transparent is important for connecting with your audience, it’s still important to choose your words carefully. The message is just as important as how it’s delivered and that also means putting your best foot forward. The ability to speak plainly, be honest and demonstrate care for your brand and audience goes a long way towards developing trust and earning their respect.
  • Are they consistent? Be sure to choose spokespeople or influencers with consideration and vet them closely. Do they conduct themselves professionally, both on their digital presence and in real life? Good spokespeople are reliable, able to stay calm even under pressure and respond with appropriate language and sentiment. They should have a consistent personality and an ability to be engaging and confident, yet relatable.

Check out some of the great work we’ve done with some of Canada’s most respected brands, or contact us to find out how we can help with yours!

Content Development

Effective, creative content is at the core of what we do. From B2B and B2C, our expertise spans article writing and storytelling, editorial planning, key messaging, video production and more. And we help ensure that your content gets seen. We amplify your brand’s story through an integrated, custom content strategy across digital, print, social and broadcast channels. We maximize owned, earned and paid media to amplify your message, making sure it gets in front of the right audience to drive the results you want.

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Corporate Communications

An integral part of any business, your brand reputation and corporate communication sets the tone with the public, your clients, employees and stakeholders – and we make sure you get the tone right. BlueSky helps you understand what matters to your audiences – both external and internal – and develops meaningful programs that resonate. We help clients with crisis and issues management, employee and executive communications, community relations and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Whether it’s a workplace fundraiser event, an annual report, infographics, HR video or speechwriting, we help you share your message with relevant stakeholders.

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Social Media

Social media demands an always on, two-way communication, transparency, and authentic interaction. More importantly, it demands strategy. We’ve managed social communities, developed social media guidelines and created engaging, impactful content, whether a short Instagram caption or long-form executive-published posts on LinkedIn. Through social listening tools and insights, we can make sure you’re talking about what matters most to your audience, and that your online and traditional PR efforts are integrated seamlessly and effectively.

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Public Affairs & Advocacy

Our in-depth experience providing integrated government relations, public affairs and strategic communications tailored to your needs helps our clients navigate the public policy process in order to successfully achieve central objectives. We work with you to better position your priorities within the current political landscape to ensure you’re able to gain the ear of key decision-makers and reach your goals.

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Influencer Marketing

When it comes to social influencers it’s not about who has the biggest audience, but about engagement, trust and authentic connection. We leverage valued relationships with nano- to celebrity-level creators, working collaboratively to ensure they deliver quality content that resonates with your target audience and is on-point with your brand messaging. Our winning formula requires a thoughtful approach that combines the right people, the right content and the right distribution to maximize engagement and drive impact at scale. You’ll see the results in our campaign evaluations – supported by numbers that exceed industry average performance.

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Media Relations & Media Training

In an environment that is increasingly pay-to-play, earned media remains the holy grail of coverage for brand credibility. Over the years we’ve developed solid relationships with traditional and online media, and we know the elements of success for securing interest from trusted journalists at top-notch publications. We excel at crafting tailored, compelling stories that help keep your brand top-of-mind across print, broadcast and digital channels. You’ll see the results through our media measurement and reporting and assess your share of voice (SOV) among competitors.

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