How to become a brand model

By Katherine Williams

If there’s one thing that Gen Z embodies, it’s influence. Far more than previous generations, young people today are obsessed with influencers, relying on them for trend insights and shopping recommendations. Most importantly, however, much of Gen Z’s social media and shopping habits are built upon the hope that they could be an influencer too. And in the age of personal branding, it’s a pretty realistic dream. Becoming a brand ambassador or brand model is a popular activity for Gen-Z social media users. Being a brand model is also a great way to take your Instagram or TikTok account to the next level while collaborating with brands you really love and care about. With that in mind, here are some tips for becoming the next brand model.

First, you have to really care about a brand. No company is going to want to collaborate with you or give you discount codes when you aren’t passionate about their mission. Find brands you really love and whose values you admire, and reach out to them about possible ambassador or model positions. Brands want to connect with influencers and users who are authentic.

Becoming a brand model also means you should have a good amount of followers. A few dozen friends isn’t a huge reach, and won’t entice a brand to work with you. Depending on the size of the company you want to model for, they might have specific follower minimums in order to be an ambassador, so definitely look into the company to know what follower goals to set. Studs, a popular Gen Z-focused piercing brand and studio, has an ambassador program that many young Gen-Z women participate in, but you must have at least 1,500 followers in order to qualify. Always know what a brand expects before asking about working with them.

Your online personality should also be very cohesive and focused. Having a specific personal brand that you can market online is key to making yourself attractive to brands looking for models and ambassadors. Stay true to yourself and your aesthetic in order to work with brands that you really want to collaborate with.

Finally, make it clear what values you want to promote. Is it sustainability? Ethical production? Women-owned businesses? Just asking for free products or modeling photos simply because you want them isn’t enough to make a brand collaboration meaningful. Make sure that you’re becoming a model or ambassador for authentic brands in order to maximize your position as their digital spokesperson.

Adolescent Content, a global marketing agency run by Gen Z for Gen Z, can help tailor your marketing strategies to attract your target consumers.