Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Sport brand ambassadors' experiences in sponsored user-generated branding programs

Sport brand ambassadors' experiences in sponsored user-generated branding programs The purpose of this study was to develop an initial understanding of sport brand ambassador participants' experiences in sponsored user generated branding (UGB) programs to assist sport organizations in developing the most mutually beneficial brand ambassador programs possible.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were held with six individuals who serve as brand ambassadors for various sport brands. Data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis.FindingsParticipants were intrinsically motivated to serve in brand ambassador roles. Their experiences were impacted by whether their personal expectations were met, perceived relationship with the brand, perceived value to the brand, and perceived amount of work involved. They reported the best aspects of participation were a sense of community and free products and/or discounts. The most challenging aspects included not wanting to come across as a marketer, self-inflicted pressure to perform a certain way for the brand, pressure to purchase products, and lack of clear communication from the brand.Research limitations/implicationsAs this study was qualitative, the findings are unique to the participants and the brands they represent. Therefore, the findings may be used to guide other research and brands but are not generalizable.Practical implicationsSport brands wishing to employ sponsored UGB strategies such as brand ambassador programs must set clear expectations for ambassadors, communicate regularly, and develop a sense of community with and among ambassadors.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the limited sport management research on sponsored UGB and offers theoretical and practical implications in the areas of sport marketing and branding. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal Emerald Publishing

Sport brand ambassadors' experiences in sponsored user-generated branding programs

Download PDF
20 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/emerald-publishing/sport-brand-ambassadors-experiences-in-sponsored-user-generated-06hAaWiprv
Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
2042-678X
DOI
10.1108/sbm-08-2019-0065
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop an initial understanding of sport brand ambassador participants' experiences in sponsored user generated branding (UGB) programs to assist sport organizations in developing the most mutually beneficial brand ambassador programs possible.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were held with six individuals who serve as brand ambassadors for various sport brands. Data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis.FindingsParticipants were intrinsically motivated to serve in brand ambassador roles. Their experiences were impacted by whether their personal expectations were met, perceived relationship with the brand, perceived value to the brand, and perceived amount of work involved. They reported the best aspects of participation were a sense of community and free products and/or discounts. The most challenging aspects included not wanting to come across as a marketer, self-inflicted pressure to perform a certain way for the brand, pressure to purchase products, and lack of clear communication from the brand.Research limitations/implicationsAs this study was qualitative, the findings are unique to the participants and the brands they represent. Therefore, the findings may be used to guide other research and brands but are not generalizable.Practical implicationsSport brands wishing to employ sponsored UGB strategies such as brand ambassador programs must set clear expectations for ambassadors, communicate regularly, and develop a sense of community with and among ambassadors.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the limited sport management research on sponsored UGB and offers theoretical and practical implications in the areas of sport marketing and branding.

Journal

Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal – Emerald Publishing

Published: Sep 16, 2020

Keywords: Sport marketing; Marketing; Branding; Brand ambassador; Sponsored UGB; User generated branding

References

  • Ambassador networks and place branding
    Andersson, M.; Ekman, P.
  • 9 questions for a successful brand ambassador program
    Aranguiz, A.
  • Human resource management's role in internal branding: an opportunity for cross-functional brand message synergy
    Aurand, T.W.; Gorchels, L.; Bishop, T.R.
  • Using thematic analysis in psychology
    Braun, V.; Clarke, V.
  • A call for ‘user-generated branding’
    Burmann, C.
  • Sports influencer marketing is taking off – here's the play-by-play
    Carufel, R.
  • Brand ambassador program blueprint
    Crabb, K.
  • eWOM and the importance of capturing consumer attention within social media
    Daugherty, T.; Hoffman, E.
  • Marketing through Instagram influencers: the impact of number of followers and product divergence on brand attitude
    De Veirman, M.; Cauberghe, V.; Hudders, L.
  • Branding in the digital age: you're spending your money in all the wrong places
    Edelman, D.C.
  • User-generated branding via social media: an examination of six running brands
    Geurin, A.N.; Burch, L.M.
  • Developing an understanding of brand associations in team sport: empirical evidence from consumers of professional sport
    Gladden, J.M.; Funk, D.C.
  • Managing North American major professional sport teams in the new millennium: a focus on building brand equity
    Gladden, J.M.; Irwin, R.L.; Sutton, W.A.
  • E-branding vs. traditional branding
    Grzesiak, M.
  • Toward a history of sport branding
    Hardy, S.; Norman, B.; Sceery, S.
  • Combatting challenges to establishing trustworthiness in qualitative research
    Kornbluh, M.
  • Rigor in qualitative research: the assessment of trustworthiness
    Krefting, L.
  • Yes, your disgruntled employees are brand ambassadors, too
    Miller, J.
  • Vigilante marketing and consumer-created communications
    Muniz, A.M.; Schau, H.J.
  • The penguin's window: corporate brands from an open-source perspective
    Pitt, L.F.; Watson, R.T.; Berthon, P.; Wynn, D.; Zinkhan, G.
  • Citizen brand ambassadors: motivations and perceived effects
    Rehmet, J.; Dinnie, K.
  • Strengthening internal brand equity with brand ambassador programs: development and testing of a success factor model
    Schmidt, H.J.; Baumgarth, C.
  • Celebrity vs. influencer endorsements in advertising: the role of identification, credibility, and product-endorser fit
    Schouten, A.P.; Janssen, L.; Verspaget, M.
  • The elements every successful brand ambassador program needs #semrushchat
    Shindell, B.
  • Individuals and groups in social psychology
    Tajfel, H.
  • What are brand ambassadors and why are they important?
    Urbaniak, M.
  • ‘That's not my job’: exploring the employee perspective in the development of brand ambassadors
    Xiong, L.; King, C.; Piehler, R.