What Makes a Great Brand Ambassador? David Sikora of Crystal Head Vodka

Editor’s note: After a bit of a break, we are continuing our series on brand ambassadors. David Sikora has been in the industry for almost 20 years and is proud to be an advocate for LGBT rights.

How long have you been a brand ambassador and where are you based?

I have been working as a brand ambassador for Crystal Head Vodka about 5 years. My home base is Chicago, although I cover about half of the U.S. in my role.

What attracted you to the industry?

I came from the bar world, working every barback to general manager and opening my own bars a few years ago. I have always worked in and loved the F&B industry.

How and when did you get started as a brand ambassador?

I started in March 2017 and had a wide network of contacts. A supplier reached out to me and suggested the role. I fell in love with the job as soon as I read the job description. It helped that I was already inundated in the bar and club world and previously worked with liquor reps, distributors, and suppliers.

What is most challenging about being a brand ambassador?

You really have to eat, sleep and live the brand all the time. As a brand ambassador, you are always on and always representing the brand in a positive light.

What are the qualifications for being a great brand ambassador?

Passion for the brand is the most important part. You must be behind the brand and really believe in the company's mission statement and culture. A brand ambassador is really a relationships manager, so you should be great with people. Organization and networking are key, too.

When do you think a brand needs an ambassador?

When the product is unfamiliar or new but also when you have a lot of competing brands, a brand ambassador must make their brand shine beyond competitors. Crystal Head Vodka has a lot of information and a great story that needs to be told on an intimate level. Brands with an interesting story should have an ambassador to tell that story.

What does your job entail?

As a brand ambassador, I wear a lot of hats: vodka samplings, putting together events, sponsoring events, creating POS that fits with the brand, sharing market insight with the brand team from the field, social media representation, training sales teams, media requests, sales, marketing, operations, and communication to team members are all things a brand ambassador may do in a single day.

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about brand ambassadors?

The job title "brand ambassador" is different for every brand and many brands use ambassadors only to cover live events or samplings. A brand ambassador can be a mid or senior-level employee or a contracted part-time worker. A brand ambassador role is not the same for every company or brand.

What do you like best about being a brand ambassador?

I really love the places the brand takes me and the events that we put on. As a vodka brand ambassador, we tend to have a lot of fun and meet many interesting people. It certainly helps that I am a vodka drinker and love my brand – Crystal Head Vodka.

What trends to do you see right now in the cocktail/spirits world?

I am seeing people spend more money on higher level brands because people are drinking more at home. Instead of paying $17 for a craft cocktail, they are buying high end spirits and creating cocktails at home which they can enjoy for less money and for longer. Long live the At Home bartender!

Are you responsible for sales, education or PR? Or some combination?

I do a little bit of everything in my role. Usually, these things all go hand in hand and are closely related. My favorite is educating others on the brand. I even have some input into innovation and brand strategy, which makes me feel more important in my role.

Why did you choose this brand to represent?

Honestly, the brand chose me, but there isn't another vodka brand I would represent. Crystal Head Vodka is creative, luxurious, and socially responsible. Who wouldn't want to work for someone like that?!

Is there something surprising about the brand that most people don’t know?

Many people know that Dan Aykroyd is the creator of the brand, but the other creator is a famous landscape and portrait artist named John Alexander. John designed the bottle and has paintings hanging in the Dallas Museum of Art. We truly are Vodka For The Creative Spirit!

What’s your favorite cocktail recipe?

My new favorite cocktail is called a Valoma. It is a play on a Paloma but made with our vodka made from agave, Crystal Head Onyx.