Photo by Kaitlyn Wynn

How to Utilize Spokespeople

Hello all! Today I want to talk about spokespeople- when and how to utilize them. This tactic can be a great asset to any PR campaign if executed well. Spokespeople can give your brand a face. They have been utilized in PR for years and, especially with the rise of social media, can help build brand credibility.

There are three main types of spokespeople- organizational, celebrities and influencers. In this post, we will look at the characteristics of each so you can best determine which one is the right fit for your brand. But before we jump in, I want talk briefly about why these individuals can be helpful for a campaign.

According to Strategic Planning for Public Relations, there are three branches to effective communication- credibility, charisma and control. Using a credible spokesperson can influence others because of his or her expertise, status and/or honesty. Personal charm, or charisma, can be beneficial because of their likability and attractiveness. They can also potentially relate to the target audience on a different level. Finally, control utilizes power, authority and scrutiny to communicate with a certain target audience.

Organizational Spokespeople

Organizational spokespeople usually really capitalize on the credibility factor. Maybe you use the CEO who knows the company inside and out and is responsible for the success of this company. Maybe you choose a scientist who can back-up certain claims with facts to strengthen the appeal. Obviously, it depends on what goals your campaign is setting out to accomplish- but if credibility is something your campaign is really tied to, you may consider using an organizational spokesperson.

Celebrity Spokespeople

Celebrities have been called upon to be the face of a brand or product for years. Think about Zendaya endorsing Covergirl in 2016. Adding a celebrity to your campaign not only appeals to that individual's target audience, but it helps bring a new level of credibility and trust to your company for product. If Zendaya is using Covergirl, I definitely want to try it! This can also strengthen the overall brand by partnering with a celebrity that shares the same values as your company. Zendaya has built a brand of being a beautiful, smart, strong and fun women who is philanthropic and trustworthy. Partnering with Zendaya can help tie your company with her values. 

Photo from Twitter, @COVERGIRL

While the Covergirl campaign is a great example, your organization does not have to use someone as world-renown as Zendaya- especially if you're a local organization. My capstone class is doing a campaign for Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City. Having Zendaya be the spokesperson would be pretty unpractical and probably would not generate the intended affect. Instead, if we decided to use a celebrity spokesperson, we may pick a local celebrity who is well-known and central to the OKC community.

Influencers

The textbook mentioned above mainly focuses on the two types of spokespeople listed above. However, in this day of ever-changing technology and the rise of social media, it is important to consider how an influencer can impact your brand.

Influencers are individuals with significant social media followings that can influence public opinion. You can find them all over every platform all the time. What sets these individuals apart is that they appeal to the every-day person. They have a level of trust with their followers that has rarely been seen before.

References

Gaynor, E. (2016, January 21). Zendaya just announced that she's The new face of Covergirl. Teen Vogue. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.teenvogue.com/story/zendaya-covergirl-announcement-january-2016 

Smith, R. D. (2020). Strategic Planning for Public Relations (6th ed.). Taylor & Francis. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781000201468