The House of Angostura’s Global Brand Ambassador Daniyel Jones has, to say the least, an iconic personality who will always leave a good impression. And for someone who has been extensively travelling around the globe for 8y already, it’s already an immense achievement. Many (me included) will come to him for some wisdom about work and inevitably about life in general because everything is connected.
When you meet him, you can sense the true hospitality coming from the heart and running through his veins, how he listens, how he understands and how he interacts. His drinks are not bad either. Wait a min… He looks too good to be true!!! So what’s the catch here? There is no catch! Daniyel is as genuine as you can get, whether he’s spreading some Angostura Love all over the world or walking his dog, Aiko, in the streets of Paris. And today, he honours us with some ‘swizzled’ wisdom!
In 2013 I started my journey as a Global Brand Ambassador for the House of Angostura. Along the way I was thought with every Masterclass, Bar show and interaction made with Bartenders around the world the significance of continued learning. For centuries the Bartender was the unofficial Brand Ambassador. Brands were lavish with their treatments to bartenders in an attempt to build loyalty and indirectly the advocacy of their brands when bartenders were engaged with guests at bars. Today the role has weaved its protocol into the fibers of the bar industry creating an established professional role as Brand Ambassador. And the duty of a Brand Ambassador embodies a few main characteristics.
1. Creative Growth
As a bartender the step to a Brand Ambassador takes on a new version of creativity as it now focuses on the advocacy of the brand represented and not the kaleidoscope of multiple brands. This requires the understanding of your strengths a bartender; are you fashioned like a historian great with product knowledge or skilled at entertaining guests with fun dialogue or maybe great at efficiency in quickly turning over cocktails on a busy night or achieved the dynamism at exceling them all. When your strengths are acknowledged you can further use it to create your unique style of ambassadorship with the notion that it will evolve over time, but it’s a great start.
2. Ability to Sell
How good are you at selling the cocktails on your menu or the featured brand of the month at your bar? Every conversation is an opportunity to sell your brand. Being tactful, emotionally invested in the conversation and most importantly with responsible alcohol consumption, builds a desire, appreciation and entices your guests to enjoy your brand long after the interaction.
3. Public Speaking
The image of Brand Ambassador’s hosting masterclasses is as alluring as it is challenging for the Brand Ambassador. Every audience differs. From large groups to one on one interviews. A scripted story helps the narrative but an emotional connection drives it home. Anecdotes are a great way of making such a connection.
4. Travelling is Work.
The glamorous incentive of traveling as a Brand Ambassador negates the mention of such travels not fashioned to that of an actual tourist. The moment you arrive its action! These trips are expense investments meant to generate sales through brand positioning or direct orders. Visiting a few prominent landmarks and sites are sometimes achieved but not in the luxury as a tourist. Yet it is only a disclaimer as the beauty of visiting multiple bars has its unique perks one not scheduled in the average tour guide.
5. Aim for Balance
Balance is needed to perfect cocktails and should also be applied to daily life. As Brand Ambassadors the combination of frequent travels, numerous bar visits, reports/administrative workload can easily create disharmony with personal relationships, family life and health. I am advocate for a healthy body (launching a new project soon #healthybodyhealthymind) with the belief that for the body to be healthy the mind is required to be the same. This synergy with much needed discipline results in the feel good, look good vigor that incites motivation.
In closing, what is really takes to be a Brand Ambassador is a dedicated passion for hospitality, an ambition for excellence and in my case a true love for Angostura ;))
