Brand Ambassadors promote advertising on campus

When companies hire students to market their products on campus, it seems to be the textbook example of a successful merger of corporate America and academia. Companies reach a large audience for relatively cheap, and students make money while expanding their resumes. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has several of these so called "brand ambassadors."

Students are hired, often as interns, to canvas the campus, spreading awareness for big name brands.

"Companies like MTV, Sun Drop and Verizon Wireless, among others, recognize the power of word of mouth," said Laura Bundrick, vice president of University Relations for South Carolina-based Campus Entertainment. "Students get their information from peers, and by utilizing college students companies see a return on their investment."

Campus Entertainment acts as a liaison between students and companies on more than 900 college campuses around the country. They pay students, on average, $125 a week, although it depends on what product they're representing.

Lauren Andrews, a sophomore advertising and public relations major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, made $1,000 during her six-week internship with Sun Drop.

Andrews worked with Lauren Goodell, a sophomore marketing major, to distribute 15 cases of Sun Drop a week at various events. According to Goodell, they did events outside of the Nebraska Union and sponsored various greek events to distribute the soda each week.

But Andrews' and Goodell's experience is also an example of the possible problems in the seemingly perfect merger between companies and universities.

Sun Drop is a Dr. Pepper/Snapple product, and UNL is a Pepsi-sponsored campus.

According to Kelly Bartling, news director for University Communications, handing out Sun Drop would be in violation of the university's "pouring rights" agreement with Pepsi.

Andrews and Goodell were surprised to learn they had violated the agreement because they found the internship on Husker Hire Link.

"I was never asked to stop by university officials," Goodell said. "A few actually took Sun Drop and thanked me for it. I was not aware of the university policy until recently, after our campaign was over."

The line between what's acceptable on campus and what's not isn't always clear.

"We don't endorse or assist vendors in soliciting on campus," Bartling said. "To raise awareness is one thing, to sell a product is another. A gray area would be using a brand ambassador to raise awareness."

And it is the gray area companies depend upon.

Erin Carey said she was hired by Verizon Wireless to "create awareness" for the company, and the senior advertising and public relations major enjoyed "bringing the brand to life." Carey said she believes having brand ambassadors around campus can be a good thing.

"I think having brand ambassadors can be a positive experience if they don't heckle students," Carey said. "We weren't trying to sell phones. I think it can be a good thing until it's taken to a level of trying to sell things, then it becomes something bad."

Perhaps the greatest example of students bringing a brand to life is the TOMS representatives at UNL. Toms currently has 16 students working to spread its message, and all of them receive no compensation of any kind.

Instead, they said their reward comes from knowing they're helping others.

"I'm really passionate about what they do and how they help people for all the right reasons," said Chelsea Stromer, a sophomore journalism major.

TOMS is a shoe company that gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair sold.

The group at UNL brings the most attention to TOMS when they participate in a "One Day Without Shoes" campaign every April.

"Obviously TOMS makes a profit, but you have to remember it's for a good cause," said Laura Yeramysheva, a junior psychology major. She started working for TOMS after she saw several students walking barefoot around campus during last year's campaign.

Students who wish to work for TOMS have to apply through the company's website, but Yeramysheva said the company just wants to make sure the people representing them are passionate about the message and mission of TOMS.

Bartling said the use of brand ambassadors is nothing new, she remembers first seeing them around campus five or six years ago, although she acknowledges it could have been going on longer.

According to Bartling, the university is taking a "wait and see basis" approach to monitoring these brand ambassadors. For now, companies and students will continue to enjoy the mutually beneficial relationship.

emilynitcher@

DailyNebraskan.com