Most people are familiar with the term ‘spokesmodel’ but still aren’t sure about hiring them. We hope to give you some insight on the topic in the following article.
You would not have to take an economics 101 class to know that consumer perception of a product, brand or service could be the difference between success and failure of a business.
The concept of spokesmodels might not be the most important client converter out there, but its proven success in advertising supersedes relevance.
Spokesmodels have the ability to garner your customer’s confidence in your brand. The concept has been passed down from the founding fathers of marketing and advertising. There is simply no attaching a price tag to what the right spokesmodel can do to your business.
Science backs up the use of spokesmodels to influence a brand’s success. Studies in the halo effect, consumer trends and perceptions provide the basis for the use of spokesmodels.
So, exactly what makes a spokesmodel? Does one have to be famous to be a spokesmodel? What sets spokesmodels apart from other models?
Read along and find out
Who is a spokesmodel?
Picture the Marlboro Man who was the face of the cigarette company for over 30 years.
The Marlboro Man appeared in products’ packages, magazines, billboards and almost every advertisement media in existence at the time. More often than not, spokesmodels become the face of the brand they are representing. Up until recently, spokesmodels were just stunningly attractive people chosen by companies to improve the brand’s visibility and popularity. Times changed.
The media industry grew. What was TV in the 80’s and 90’s totally changed? The world became a global village. The internet transformed the modeling industry.
The advertisement and marketing industry also changed. As competition in almost every other industry grew, so did the need to improve brand visibility. To read more about what is a spokesmodel visit this article.
What does a spokesmodel do?
There was a gap to be filled. Companies had the need to combine beauty with influence for advertisement purposes. Representing a brand went beyond having attractive faces on a product’s package, thus the rise of spokesmodels as we know them today.
The need to keep bad publicity and press at bay also came into play.
Today, spokesmodels are not just professional models. They could be famous men and women we see every day on magazine covers, social media pages of multinational brands, averts, and billboards.
They could also be just normal people who seem superficial or superhuman. Someone who is chosen to be the public figure or representative of a product or service’s consumer relationship needs.
How to Identify the Perfect Spokesmodel
Eloquence
Granted, not everyone can oh so eloquently deliver a speech to a crowd. Spokesmodels do that and so much more. Their ability to make a crowd listen is inbuilt. It comes naturally. Combining that with actual training gives you a powerful spokesperson. You will need a person who does not melt down while communicating to the masses. A good spokesperson does that seamlessly.
Relatable to customers
A brand representative has to relate to the product they are representing. This is because customers have options. They choose the product or service they can actually relate to at some level. If a model is advertising a slimming tea, for example, they have to have physical attributes of a trimmed up person. The same case applies for a model doing a gym commercial. The model has to be built for customers to relate to the product or service.
Believable
For customers to invest in the product a spokesmodel is selling, they have to prove the authenticity of the product, before customers follow suit. The body language has to be authentic. If Burger King’s spokesmodel says it’s the best burger, they have to look the part, while doing the commercial for example.
Credibility
While choosing a spokesmodel, you have to go for the one with the highest public approval rating. The public has to trust that if they invest in the product they will get their money’s worth out of it. The brand’s representative has to win the customers over. This extends all the way to their life choices. You would not have Ellen DeGeneres in a steak commercial; everyone knows she’s vegan!
Professionalism
A spokesmodel is a public figure representing your product. While choosing sportspeople to endorse their products, companies go for the less controversial, more acceptable to the public kind of people. The ability to listen and do exactly what YOU as the product owner wants gives you the freedom to portray to your customers exactly what you want. A professional and disciplined spokesmodel will represent you to the best of your desires.
Absoluteness
When Tiger Woods lost all of his endorsements, it’s not because he suddenly became bad at golf. It’s simply because he could not accurately represent the interests of the products he was representing. Spokesmodels have unquestionable character. They go their way to maintain a
What else can a spokesmodel do for you apart from the obvious?
It’s already a fact that a model can increase your product’s sales through advertisement, endorsement and everything in between. The best spokesmodels in the business have a little extra to offer. If you are lucky enough to have one, here’s what they can add to the jar.
Speak on your behalf
Highly skilled and reputable spokesmodels have a certain rare level of trust with the market that is not easily broken. When your public relation situation requires a revamp, you can result to a spokesmodel. You can regain public trust in a product by having a credible spokesmodel represent the product. Companies have been doing since time immemorial.
Raise your product’s standards
Say you are an upcoming phone manufacturing company with a need to raise your product’s profile. Even the biggest billboard in the world will make customers change the perception that it’s cooler than an iPhone. However, if you use a highly influential public figure to appear in the phone’s commercial, chances are your product’s standards will rise. European footballers cum models have perfected this art.
Kill negative hype
The media loves news-churning reporting. It’s what makes good television. We have seen big companies fail due to corporate scandals, owing to bad publicity and the press. Sometimes the news is legitimate, sometimes it’s outright hogwash. What happens when some word out there is threatening the life of your business? Get someone credible and trustworthy to say otherwise. This is the work of spokesmodels. The right representative can blow some life back into your business.
Parting shot
At the end of the day, the best spokesmodel should be able to represent your company’s brand, image and culture the best way possible. A good spokesmodel goes the extra mile to learn about the company’s culture and philosophy. You can have the most famous personality backing your brand but if they do not understand the company’s culture, tradition and everything in between, you might as well hire a minimum wage mascot.
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