My Year As A Brand Ambassador

Years ago, when I began this blog and seriously concentrated my Instagram on style content, I dreamed of someday being big enough that I would be able to collaborate with a major brand to promote clothing that I loved. I knew it would take a LOT of work to grow my followers to the point where any brand really noticed my existence. I wanted to remain true to my own “brand” and honest, while getting the chance to do something influential on a big scale. After a while, I began to think it wouldn’t really happen because I just didn’t have the follower count. But this year, somehow, that dream became a reality.

In February, I was contacted by Ivy City Co., a size-inclusive dress brand, if I was interested in collaborating with them as a brand ambassador. The deal was that I would be gifted a dress of my choice each month, and a generous discount for all my purchases, in exchange for quality promotional content. There would be monthly ambassador directives, along with promotion codes I could share with my followers, and contests between the brand ambassadors. I felt absolutely honored to be chosen and fully committed to representing the brand with my whole heart.

Through my work as an Ivy City Brand Ambassador, I found a community of strong and encouraging women to belong to. The company’s founders, the Ivy employees, and the other ambassadors created a safe space to celebrate each other’s creativity and beauty. I loved chatting with the group and following other women who had the same passion for beautiful, everyday fashion that I did. The contests were fun and the group truly championed each other’s efforts. I even won one of the contests, creating a GRWM (Get Ready With Me) video from a teacher’s perspective.

In reality, I am just an average looking, very Plus-Sized teacher, in her mid-forties from the Midwest. But in an Ivy City Co. dress, I feel like a beautiful, powerful princess, ready to take on the world. Through my time as a brand ambassador, I was able to build a closet full of lovely dresses, built for every occasion. I can’t tell you how amazing it felt to walk into a room and have people compliment me. I was proud to tell them all about Ivy City Co. Over the last year, I have had many people message me and tell me that they found something to fulfill their own dress dreams through my content. That made me feel amazing… my voice was not insignificant.

As a brand ambassador, I was given sneak peeks into upcoming collections. It was really fun to be in on the secrets of what was next for the company. The look books were a great way to start dreaming up content for my page. I loved getting emails from Amber, my point of contact at the company, and being given information on how I could champion the brand further.

I was even invited to attend the very first Ivy City Co. runway show as a brand ambassador. Nestled in the mountains outside Salt Lake City, the runway show featured their Holiday 2023 collection. The experience was an absolute dream come true! I was able to connect, in person, with the influencers I had built a relationship with online. It was surreal and wonderful to have complete strangers recognize me for my content! The night really felt important to me as a content creator. I felt like all of the effort I had put in, and the money I had spent over the years to create an Instagram presence, was finally paying off.

But, like all good things, the moment didn’t last. Unfortunately, I got word in November that the company was scaling back their ambassador program, and would no longer be working with small influencers. They want to focus their energies on creators with large follower counts and more polished looking content. The company keeps growing bigger and bigger and just doesn’t need the grass roots help from the little guys. From a business perspective, I ABSOLUTELY get it. I really do. Large influencers equal more views and large sales. Still, it stings more than a little. It feels like being broken up with by someone you really cared about and never saw it coming.

This past year, working as an Ivy City Co. ambassador was truly an honor I will always be grateful for. Though it didn’t last, it really felt like my content was important and my voice as a Plus-Sized, middle aged influencer really mattered. I grew my follower count and learned a lot about how to promote the brands I care about. I learned how to create quality content and made connections with other creators that I hope last. And, ironically, the fashion show was a mountaintop experience I will remember for the rest of my life.

Thank you, Ivy City Co., for seeing me and giving me the chance to be something I never really thought I would be. Thank you for the dresses and the coaching that I will take with me now that the professional relationship is over. Thank you for believing that my content and my voice had worth. I will continue to love and support the brand on my own. I hope that because of my efforts, you will reach out to collaborate again in the future. Till then…