In today’s day and age, brands that want to reach Gen Z audiences must find creative ways to honor their interest in authentic, community-building social media spaces and content, rather than carefully crafted corporate speak (Carter, 2024). There are multiple examples of brands hosting ambassador programs, specifically for college students, that generated success and reach among multiple audiences. If I were guiding a brand in building an ambassador program to target Gen Z audiences, I would suggest they examine and draw inspiration from the strategies and tactics used in the following cases.
#AerieREAL Ambassadors & the American Eagle Influencer Program
Aerie, a women’s apparel brand, launched the #AerieREAL campaign to encourage and empower women to love their real selves (Youth Marketing, Connection, n.d.). Aerie created the #AerieREAL College Ambassadors program in 2017 to expand the campaign’s reach to female college students, who are a key customer and audience segment for the brand and its self-love and empowerment message. Aerie reported over 1.9 million impressions from ambassador-created content on Instagram, and the success of the college ambassador program led Aerie to expand its reach and exclusivity beyond college students.
Aerie’s parent company, American Eagle, also has an ambassador program that is inclusive to those who are not college students. The requirements for the American Eagle Influencer Program are living in the U.S., being 18 years old or older and having at least 1,000 followers on at least one social platform (Ferrazzano, 2026). The company’s VP of Marketing, Media, Performance and Engagement stated that the strategy is to scale the programming into a more ongoing, relationship-driven community, rather than one-off influencer deals.
College Athlete Ambassadors
Some brands are more selective the types of ambassadors they want to represent their brand. For Example, brands such as Gatorade and the clothing company Southern Tide seek college athletes to promote their products and brands, not only to their school communities but also to their public social media followings. When brands seek ambassadors who fit more specific criteria, they have a better idea of the types of audiences the content may reach, as opposed to when they are as selective about their ambassadors. Brands must decide which case best aligns with their goals and means.
References
Carter, M. (2024, February 14). Generational marketing: How to unlock sales for every age. BRK Global Marketing. https://brkmarketing.com/generational-marketing-how-to-unlock-sales-for-every-age/
Ferrazzano, L. (2026, February). American Eagle creator program: How AE is winning Gen Z with community. SocialLadder. https://socialladderapp.com/blog/american-eagle-creator-program/
Fields, M. (2025, April 13). Best ambassador programs for college sports teams & athletes. BrandChamp. https://brandchamp.io/blog/best-ambassador-programs-college-sports-teams-athletes/
Southern Tide. (n.d.). ST ambassadors. Southern Tide. https://southerntide.com/pages/st-ambassadors
Youth Marketing Connection. (n.d.). Aerie student ambassador programs. YouthMarketing.com. https://youthmarketing.com/case-study/aerie-student-ambassadors/