School can get expensive, and with work and academics, many students struggle with balancing and prioritizing the different areas of their life, according to Mental Health America.
In 2019, Statistics Canada reported 51 per cent of students aged 15 to 24 years old had a full-time job and 49 per cent had part-time jobs. However, not all student jobs offer flexibility.
With the rise of social media, more students have been turning to brand ambassador programs in order to make some additional income while working flexible hours.
Referral Rock, a marketing platform, defines a brand ambassador as someone who promotes a product that they enjoy.
In light of the first academic year that Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) has had its student brand ambassador program, the Charlatan spoke with student brand ambassadors about their experiences with the industry.
First-ever CUSA student brand ambassador program
CUSA hired 10 student brand ambassadors for the fall semester as part of their new program in September.
According to the position’s job posting, CUSA brand ambassadors answer student questions, relay student feedback to the CUSA vice-president (community engagement), create content on Instagram and TikTok to grow CUSA’s audience, and conduct Instagram livestreams in order to spread CUSA’s messaging to as many students as possible.
To become a CUSA brand ambassador, the job posting says students need to take at least 0.5 credits at Carleton per semester, be aware of sensitive issues such as transphobia, biphobia, and homophobia, sexism, racism, ableism and ageism, have excellent interpersonal skills and be passionate about CUSA’s goals.
Anwesha Anand, a fourth-year communications and media studies student, was a CUSA brand ambassador during the fall 2020 semester. She said she was inspired to apply because she is a strong believer in CUSA’s commitment to enhancing student life.
“[CUSA brand ambassadors] provide several opportunities to students and advocate on behalf of their best interests,” she said.
According to Anand, CUSA brand ambassadors all come from different backgrounds and are there to advocate for other students’ best interests.
She said the fact that she enjoyed the experience leads her to encourage other Carleton students to become brand ambassadors.
“It’s such a cool opportunity and I feel lucky to be a part of the first wave of the virtual CUSA brand ambassador program,” Anand said. “Working with a team of like-minded individuals, but from different and diverse parts of the Carleton community, has been an exciting experience.”
CUSA vice-president (community engagement) Morgan McKeen said she came up with the brand ambassador program during last year’s CUSA elections to provide students with a flexible work option.
McKeen was previously signed under a large brand ambassador agency called T1.
“It was really nice that I can just pick up shifts however I like,” she said.
Adaptation to working online
McKeen said her original idea was to partner with a brand ambassador agency to provide flexible work options on-campus for students. But due to COVID-19, she had to eliminate the possibility of using a brand ambassador agency to re-work the program to be online.
She added she is glad more students are seeing the program’s flexibility.
“I thought it would be really good for more students to be aware of that opportunity because students might be too busy to hold regular shifts,” she said.
Despite moving operations online quickly due to the pandemic, McKeen said the CUSA brand ambassador program has been successful.
“Having the brand ambassadors has already proven to be really helpful, in that we’re able to reach more students than we could have ever before,” she said.
Because the CUSA brand ambassadors are a mix of students from different faculties, years, experiences and cultural backgrounds, McKeen said they have helped amplify CUSA’s voice among the general student population.
“It has definitely helped with our branding and just proving that we are here to serve the students, and the more people that are aware of our services and what we do, the better,” she said.
However, McKeen said there are no numbers available to show the program’s reach.
Becoming an ambassador during a pandemic
CUSA hired a new round of brand ambassadors for the winter 2021 semester, however, there are other ways students can step into the industry.
Zoe Glase, a third-year neuroscience and mental health student, reached out to a brand itself for a position this past summer. She said she is the only brand ambassador based in Ottawa for alcoholic beverage company Blue Lobster.
Glase said she decided to apply since many of her friends were already ambassadors for the company and Blue Lobster is one of her favourite drinks.
“[Blue Lobster is] from the east coast and I’m from P.E.I., so I love drinking them when I’m home,” Glase said.
Due to COVID-19, Glase’s job looks different than it usually would.
“Normally, I’d be able to do a lot more with it, like host parties and do tastings at the LCBO,” Glase said. “All we can really do is anything online or door drops, so I don’t find it time-consuming.”
Glase is given samples of the product from Blue Lobster to give to friends and family who want to try the drink, then she drives to their house and leaves it on their porch for tasting, called a ‘door drop.’
To abide by COVID-19 restrictions, Glase said promoting Blue Lobster via social media as opposed to in-person is the safest resource at her disposal. When she gives some of the product to consumers, she asks them to make stories on Instagram about it.
“I’ve gotten more people to start drinking them and it’s just a lot of fun to see [people enjoying them],” she said.
A labour of love, not wages
While CUSA brand ambassadors are paid a $250 honorarium for their work per term, many other student brand ambassadors do not get paid.
Spencer Barbosa, an 18-year-old student from Caledon, Ont., became a brand ambassador for Knixteen, a brand that makes underwear with a built-in pad as an environmentally friendly alternative to one-time use menstrual products.
Barbosa became an ambassador after spending some time modelling for the company, although the position is unpaid.
“I simply do it because I stan the brand,” Barbosa said. “However, I know some influencers make income from commission codes.”
Glase explained she does not receive a wage for being a brand ambassador at Blue Lobster, but that she is compensated through free products—some of which she gives away and some she keeps.
The last time Glase dropped off products, she said it only took her three to four hours to visit multiple Ottawa locations, but it is something she only has to do once a month.
“It’s like a fun little outing,” she said.
Glase added she believes the partnership is worth it for students because students can save money on alcohol, despite it being an unpaid position.
Barbosa said she also thinks being a brand ambassador is a good job for students, but explained that it is important for ambassadors to only support brands and products they truly love.
“Be real with the internet,” Barbosa said. “If you find a product that you love a lot, you’re going to naturally post a lot for them because you want others to love them the same amount as you, so you don’t actually have to be a brand ambassador—you just choose to.”
As more students look into brand ambassador positions, McKeen encourages students to be cautious about what deals they take.
“Make sure that you understand your value,” McKeen said. “Make sure you check the legitimacy of these brand ambassador programs that some companies offer you.”
Featured graphic by Cara Garneau.
