XBIZ World is pleased to present its annual “Execs of the Year" special issue.
A successful enterprise is often known for its leaders who become known as the face of the company. Brand ambassadors are a rare breed of individuals that is gregarious and champion their brand at every turn.
My strategy: Be straightforward, never promise anything I can’t deliver and provide the best service possible. -Karen Campbell, Orbitalpay
Each of the executives we spoke to below has one thing in common — they are among the finalist nominees for Brand Ambassador of the Year in the digital edition of the 2018 XBIZ Exec Awards.
What strategies do you use to champion your brand?
Andrea Fioriniello
ModelCentro
“The Centro family of brands presents unique challenges and advantages. We cover everything a performer might need to succeed, so marketing is about developing and explaining the synergy of what we do. Billing, backend, support, development… we do it all. I also use my nomination quotes to promote our brands. Check out ModelCentro and FanCentro right now!”
Andy Wullmer
SGM/TrafficPartner
“Show your brand worldwide at events. Make a unique design for your brand. Do good parties and free merchandising. Be always on panels and stages. Create a strong team. Have fun with your clients and be a brand by yourself.”
Courtney Rudolph
Adult Friendfinder
“We offer top-quality products that have been leading the adult industry since 1996, so I think the brand champions itself in a lot of ways because it’s just that great. It also helps that I have the backing of a top-notch team with decades of experience in the adult dating and interactive video industry!”
Douglas Richter
Supermen.com
“Everything possible to further the recognition of Supermen.com from wearing branded apparel, sponsoring events, attending festivals and fairs which are in line with the brand audience, to using my personal social media to promote the values of the Supermen.com brand. Additionally, I can be found speaking on panels at various trade shows and key industry events to increase the reach and awareness of what I represent. I believe that to effectively champion a brand one must believe in the product and what it represents for both the partners and consumers we seek to engage with our product. A brand ambassador, in my opinion, must also realize that we do not ‘own’ that brand, rather, the brand we are promoting is a promise to consumers that your product or service will consistently deliver the highest standard of quality your users.”
Ela Darling
Cam4
“I work hard to keep the CAM4VR brand innovative and exciting while presenting myself as an informed, interesting, pioneer of the tech. My name is synonymous with adult VR and I co-created the tech that is the backend of the product, so I work hard to cultivate that identity and to keep informed of developments in the VR space. I do talks at tech conferences as well as adult expos to maintain an intersectional presence for CAM4VR. As a result, I garner some pretty good press because I live in both the tech and adult worlds and I champion our brand as a leader in that cross section.”
Gabor Gaspar
Jasmin
“Direct talk without any sugar coating. Numbers talk for themselves and we don’t have time to waste. Let’s go online first and then we discuss how to make more money together.”
Jeff Wilson
Flirt4Free
“I keep consistent with the Flirt4Free themes, wearing FlirtBlue colors and keeping things fun. I’m active on social media and tradeshows to make sure that we’re top of mind; I try to interact with everyone. I cooperate with other like-minded companies and try to be a good resource to the industry as a whole. Our company also makes sure to throw great events at tradeshows where we think we need to be present.”
Jim Austin
Stripchat
“I believe that the personal touch and open communication are key to being a brand ambassador, that’s why I enjoy being at the shows so much. Interacting live with partners and potential partners is a great way to get things done and strengthen relationships but also come up with new ideas. Many times we’ve come up with great ideas because we were in the same room together, brainstormed and came up with deals that we didn’t think were possible before. Of course, championing your brand doesn’t end at the shows, you have to keep up with everyone while you’re back at the office as well. That is always a challenge and I often have four or five messaging channels going off at the same time. Prioritizing your day plays a big role in being successful and that’s a skill I’m still trying to master.”
Karen Campbell
Orbitalpay
“My strategy: Be straightforward, never promise anything I can’t deliver and provide the best service possible. The knowledge I have acquired and my 19 years of experience certainly help to validate my credibility. It allows me to competently convey the positive benefits of using OrbitalPay to process transactions and keep businesses safe from fraud. Trust is a key component when dealing with an organization’s profits. Representing a company known for its honesty, transparency and spotless reputation makes me proud to be a part of it. I think that is seen in how I approach my responsibilities and how I relate to others in the adult space.”
Remi St-Maur
Trafficstars
“Our brand is very important to us — it’s a promise to our customers of quality, innovation, and trust. It’s crucial that everyone who works for TrafficStars understands and believes in this brand promise. Therefore every TrafficStars employee is a brand champion; which is a responsibility upheld at all conferences and events we attend, with all activity online and in all interactions with clients. In order to do this, it’s essential that we know our product and how it works. We are all experts in the systems and technology we use. More importantly, it’s imperative that we all believe 110 percent in TrafficStars, what it represents and what it means to clients and the industry. Above all, we love what we do — and it’s this passion that really pushes our brand the most.”