Selecting a Brand Ambassador for Your Company
Selecting a brand ambassador for your company is a major decision - high cost, celebrity risk, and poor fit. Onsurity, an employee benefits company, has done a great job of picking brand ambassadors. Learn more about their approach.
Rahul Mathur
Now: Building @Insurance_Dekho Earlier: Founder @VerakInsurance (YC W21; acquired) Hiring for Eng, Marketing, Sales & Ops roles
-
Selecting a brand ambassador for your company is a major decision - high cost, celebrity risk (e.g. Tiger Woods & Rolex) & poor fit
— Rahul Mathur (@Rahul_J_Mathur) March 22, 2023
One Indian startup which has done a great job of picking brand ambassadors is Onsurity (an employee benefits company). More details below: -
Both brand ambassadors - Anil Kumble & Ankur Warikoo are a perfect match for their 2 separate buyer personas:
— Rahul Mathur (@Rahul_J_Mathur) March 22, 2023
Let's start by understanding Onsurity's business:
- They sell employee benefits plans to companies; usually bought by the owner / CFO / Head of HR / procurement manager. -
- Broadly, Onsurity targets 2 types of businesses:
— Rahul Mathur (@Rahul_J_Mathur) March 22, 2023
(a) Startup / IT / ITeS companies 🖥️
(b) Mid Market / Medium size SMEs (e.g. a chemicals factory) 🏭
The main problem in selling any insurance is overcoming trust issues - this is where Onsurity's brand ambassador's help. -
In Onsurity's ads - you will notice
— Rahul Mathur (@Rahul_J_Mathur) March 22, 2023
(1) Ankur Warikoo is used to connect with Startup / IT owners
- His video ads feel real; speaks about his own experience
- Given Ankur's influence, almost EVERY startup / IT firm owner would recognize him 🎥
- Bingo, trust problem solved -
(2) Anil Kumble is used to connect with Mid Market/SME owners
— Rahul Mathur (@Rahul_J_Mathur) March 22, 2023
- This buyers persona is naturally a bit older (late 30s) and therefore has seen Anil Kumble take a legendary 10 wicket haul🏏
- Trust problem solved here too -
Summary: Warikoo helps Onsurity build recall amongst younger / online Startup & IT firm owners; Anil Kumble builds rapport with older / offline Mid Market & SME owner persona.
— Rahul Mathur (@Rahul_J_Mathur) March 22, 2023
Smart move to have different ambassadors for different buyer personas. Rare to see this executed well.