I’ve worked with ambassadors across campaigns, events and PR over the years. When it works, it’s incredibly powerful: the right person, telling the right story, can unlock reach, income and genuine connection. But I’ve also seen how easily it falls flat – a lot of time and energy for very little impact.
In my experience, the issue usually isn’t whether charities are using ambassadors. It’s how those partnerships are set up from the start.
Where things go wrong
On paper, it sounds simple: find someone with a platform, ask them to support your campaign and reach more people. But ambassadors are often brought in too late.
The campaign is already planned, the messaging is signed off, the content is created –and then the ask becomes: “Can you share this?”. At that point, they’re not really part of the campaign, but they’re still expected to deliver results.
They haven’t had the chance to connect with the story or shape the work, yet there’s still an expectation they’ll drive reach, engagement or income. It’s not that ambassadors don’t work – it’s that they’re often expected to carry something they were never fully part of.
What actually makes it work
The biggest shift I’ve seen is treating ambassadors as part of the campaign – not just a channel to distribute it.
That starts with being clear on the role from the start: What do you actually need from this person? Is it storytelling? PR? Fundraising? Access to networks? Without that clarity, expectations quickly become misaligned.
Timing matters too. When ambassadors are brought in earlier, they can help shape the story rather than just share it – and that nearly always leads to stronger campaigns.
It’s also worth thinking beyond social media. It’s often the default ask because it feels ‘easy’, but, depending on what you’re trying to achieve, it’s not always where the real value sits. Some of the strongest ambassador contributions I’ve seen have come through media interviews, events and speaking opportunities, introductions to networks or potential sponsors, or simply bringing a more human voice to the work.
Finally, even experienced ambassadors need context, guidance and a clear brief. Without that, it’s much harder for them to show up in a way that feels confident and on-brand.
Coram Kidscape’s Kilimanjaro campaign
A good example from my support work is Coram Kidscape’s Kilimanjaro campaign.
Ambassadors weren’t brought in at the end – they were central from the start. They didn’t just promote the campaign; they took on the challenge themselves, spoke to the media, brought in their own networks and continued sharing the story long after the climb.
The content felt natural because it came from real experience. The PR was stronger because there was a genuine story behind it. And the fundraising worked harder because people understood the why.
The result? They raised over £120,000 including gift aid – all the more remarkable given at the time they had no in-house fundraising or comms team.
“Many of our ambassadors have experienced bullying in childhood, and taking on the challenge allowed them to realise something important all over again — that something which once felt daunting and out of their control could be overcome. Because of this genuine connection to the challenge, many of our ambassadors brought others along to experience it together, helping the campaign build real momentum.”
Ashley Rolfe, Head of Programmes, Coram Kidscape
Keeping it realistic
Good ambassador work takes time – and if you’re a small team (or a team of one), it can easily become another thing you’re trying to squeeze in alongside everything else.
Doing fewer things well tends to have far more impact than trying to manage several relationships at once. Working closely with one or two ambassadors, building a proper relationship and matching people to the right roles, is usually more effective – and more likely to build long-term commitment.
The question isn’t really how many ambassadors you have, it’s whether you can genuinely support the ones you do have.
Getting it right
Working with ambassadors can be incredibly effective, but it’s rarely a quick win. When it works, it’s because the role is clear, the story is strong, and the partnership has been built into the campaign from the start.
More often than not, it’s not about finding the biggest name. It’s about building the right relationship and giving it the space to actually work.
Quick tips: making ambassador partnerships work
- Be clear on the role from the start: what are they actually there to do?
- Bring them in early: give them the chance to shape the story, not just share it.
- Think beyond just social media: PR, events and networks can often deliver value.
- Connect storytelling to action:make sure there’s a clear link to fundraising or next steps.
- Play to their strengths: match people to the right roles and you’re more likely to build long-term commitment.
- Focus on relationships, not volume:fewer ambassadors, done well, will go further.
- Be realistic about capacity: if you can’t support it well, it won’t land properly.
