Unlocking the power of Your people: Employee advocacy vs. brand ambassadors

By John Callaghan — Employer Brand Strategist, AMS Employer Brand Advisory

Employee advocacy has been around for longer than you might think—long before social media was even a glimmer in anyone’s eye. Imagine the early days when employees chatted to friends, cousins, and the occasional barista about how cool their company was. Fast forward a bit, and we had companies recognising this as untapped gold. Employees bring out that word-of-mouth magic, pulling followers in with a dose of authenticity. In a recent report Clearview stated employee posts can get up to 8x more engagement than regular company posts.

Today, employer brand advocacy has split into two major, slightly confusing paths: brand ambassadorships and employee advocacy. Both sound similar—after all, both involve employees waving the company flag—but they’re actually quite different.

The Dynamic Duo: Brand Ambassadorships & Employee Advocacy

Brand ambassadorships are about selecting a few charismatic employees to represent the brand as official champions. They’re the face of the company and can be used in a number of ways such as across social media, speaking gigs, and campaigns. Ambassadors are often trained to deliver polished content that aligns with the company’s message. This doesn’t mean you only choose employees who look like they belong on the front cover of Vogue or Men’s Health. Authenticity matters, but ambassadorship is more of a formal relationship between company and employee and they can actively play a role in both marketing and HR strategies.

Employee advocacy, is a broader, more democratic approach. Every employee can participate by sharing company news and stories on their personal social media profiles. The content is less scripted, more authentic, and relies on personal connections to create trust. Think of it as indie filmmaking versus Hollywood blockbusters. Employee advocates can reach their own networks with more personal posts, creating that “friend-of-a-friend” trust.

Brand Ambassadors vs. Employee Advocacy: The Choice

So how do you choose between these two? Or do you need both? Good question. Here’s a couple of things to consider:

1) Budget: Employee advocacy is budget-friendly. It’s driven by employees sharing authentic content with minimal investment. Ambassadorships require more resources, like training, content creation, and often paid media to go with it.

2) Control: Want polished, on-brand messaging? Brand ambassadors are your stars. This doesn’t mean your ambassadors are pushed through hair and make-up for every social post. They need to remain authentic but the content can be highly directed behind the scenes. Employee advocacy is more informal and the output is often harder to control. They will need tighter restrictions and not just be let loose on social media with nothing more than a permissions slip and the company’s logo.

3) Audience Reach: Employee advocacy can reach an extensive network with more voices, but it’s typically organic reach so all depends on the number of engaged employees you actually have. Brand ambassadors offer depth and consistency, and are often accompanied with a paid media campaign, allowing them to strategically reach markets and locations organic activity can’t get to. 

For a balanced approach, organisations often find a combination works best: a few star players backed by an enthusiastic cast.

What can it look like in practice?

IBM’s “IBM Voices” program empowered employees to share their stories, resulting in increased job applications and social engagement. Adobe’s advocacy program created genuine brand love among employees and applicants. At AMS, we helped MSD build a creative brand ambassadorship program called “MSD’s Got Talent,” which found engaged employees who became powerful brand ambassadors, reaching millions across EMEA.

In Conclusion: Pick Your Players

No matter which route you choose, using your employees to promote your brand adds credibility, authenticity, and a touch of that “genuine” touch we all look for. It’s about showing potential hires that your company is more than just a logo—it’s a place where real, engaged people work. And that might just be your best recruiting asset.

Not sure where to start? Speak to the experts. We all know what makes a good movie, but actually making a good movie is something entirely different and easy to get wrong. If you want to know more, then speak to the Employer Brand Advisory team at AMS.