Interview by Christa Currey
Christa Currey: What does an Amazon Student Brand Ambassador do?
Valerie Bennett: My partner, marketing junior Deonna Gandy, and I will promote the Amazon brand on campus—particularly Amazon Student. Amazon Student is similar to Amazon Prime, but students can join at a discounted rate, and the deals are geared specifically toward students.
CC: What was the application process like?
VB: Students from colleges all over the county applied. There were over 33 students just from WVU who interviewed for the Amazon Brand Ambassador Program, but only two were chosen. The application process was unique because we had to create a marketing strategy to promote an event. My idea was to use guerrilla marketing approaches, such as placing the iconic Amazon boxes around campus, similar to a scavenger hunt. Each box would include fun facts and information about Amazon Student as well as freebies. I’m also a very hands-on person so I suggested interactive pop-up stations including Kindles and laptops so that people can experience Amazon music and movies.
CC: Where did you get the ideas for your application submission?
VB: I pulled a lot of my campaign ideas from my public relations and marketing class, my advertising research class and my media buying class. Because of those classes, I was able to look at it as a realistic campaign.
CC: What was it like to visit the Amazon headquarters?
VB: We got to walk through their offices and see how they work—it’s very laid back. You have to be self-motivated to work there because the training is fast and to the point. Then it’s up to each individual to find a mentor within Amazon. I’m definitely a self-starter so I like the idea of having the freedom to find your own mentor.
CC: What was the training for the Ambassador Program like?
VB: * There were 108 students from 54 colleges and universities across the country that participated in the training, and it was very intense. We started at 7:45 a.m. and didn’t finish until 6:30 p.m. It was a mixture of getting to know Amazon – the back story of it – and learning about the company’s plans for the future. They gave each of the brand ambassadors a Kindle Fire HDX, so the training experience was very hands-on and interactive.
CC:* What will you do with your training now that you’re back on campus?
VB: This is the first year that students from WVU have participated in the Amazon Student Brand Ambassador Program, so my partner and I are paving the way by building connections and understanding our boundaries. Amazon gave us a goal of putting on two to three small events each month and one large event by May. We have a campus manager located in Seattle who will approve our campaign ideas, but basically it’s up to us to plan, promote and implement the events. After we have an event, Amazon will monitor our Twitter account and our referrals to Amazon Student to measure our success.
CC: How have you benefitted from this experience so far?
VB: I have definitely gained more experience and a better understanding of brand management, which is a field of interest for me after graduation. It has really helped me prepare for life after graduation in May because I got to sit in on brand specific training for a large company. This experience has also given me a confidence boost. Now I won’t be hesitant to apply for jobs at larger, well-known corporations.