Brand Ambassadors can help introduce your products to a whole new audience.

When you source the right talent to represent your brand magic can happen. We used consumer insights to help identify who we should be looking for to represent Backcountry & Creminelli. Our core consumers are Urban Millenial and Gen X consumers from higher income households. The psychographic profile of our consumers told us everything we needed to know to identify the individuals that would help introduce charcuterie-grade snacking to the world.

Choosing the right talent is everything and that’s where most brands make the biggest mistakes. Social media can be a confusing place. Influencers with a larger audience can be appealing at first sight, so how do you choose?

Think of your Ambassador Team as a family, an extension of your brand or coworkers. I won’t call anyone a Brand Ambassador. They have to earn the title and I have to earn their trust. It’s a symbiotic relationship. If you find people that are just doing it for a check, run for the hills.

As the Knight says in Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade…”You must choose, but choose wisely.”

VIET PHAM

Viet is one of the most talented individuals I’ve ever met in my life, a once in a generation talent. He is a beautiful person inside and out. Viet is best known as a Chef. He is a celebrated Chef who became a semifinalist on the second season of the cooking competition Extreme Chef and later won the eleventh season of the Food Network’s Iron Chef America. He is the owner of Pretty Bird, the co-founder of Forage Restaurant, which he opened in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2009. He faced off against Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America and Beat Bobby Flay. Viet beat him both times and is still the only chef to hold this honor.

KALEN THORIEN

Kalen is a bad ass human being. Don’t let her rough exterior fool you, she is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. Kalen is tough, genuine and super talented on skis, a motorcycle and anything else that moves through snow, road, water or desert. At 18, Kalen Thorien moved to Alta, Utah to pursue skiing. With only two years under her belt, the idea of becoming a professional never crossed her mind. But passion drives ability and within a few seasons Kalen broke into the ski industry and became a sponsored athlete. She didn't stop there. Her love for the outdoors evolved into her becoming an explorer, pursuing adventure in all forms from backpacking to canyoneering, packrafting, and more.

AARON BIITTNER

Aaron is a pioneer and a legend in the snowboarding community. This man defined a style that would last for generations, has a bag of tricks that would make a magician feel like a circus clown and is one of the most humble human beings you will ever meet. Aaron has done it all. He has appeared on the cover of magazines, filmed with Mack Dawg, Standard and Videograss and continues to be the champion of Banked Slaloms around the country. Aaron gave Creminelli credibility in action sports and opened up doors for the brand through his appearance on packaging and content trips, as well as his posting of content and sharing products with friends and family. I love this guy like a brother.

Kaitlyn Farrington

Kaitlyn cemented her name at the top of the competitive women's halfpipe list with a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Also an X Games silver and bronze medalist, she has a technical run that includes a corked backside 900 (the best in the game), inverted frontside 720 and a backside 1080, which she was the first female to land in competition. I fostered a relationship with Kaitlyn to have her test and model our 2021/22 Backcountry outerwear, including a snowmobile trip to the Uintas and a shoot at Powder Mountain.

Shaun White

The best to ever do it: Shaun White's 15 X Games gold (13 from Snowboard disciplines, 2 from Skateboard Vert) is an all-time X Games record. Shaun was a freckly teenage wunderkind when he first debuted at X Games 2000 at age 13, before blossomed into an international superstar. He owns 8 X Games Snowboard SuperPipe gold, 5 Slopestyle gold, 11 ESPY awards, and 3 Olympic halfpipe gold medals, among other accolades. Shaun came to the Natural Selection Tour in Jackson Hole with Backcountry as On Air Talent and shot with Bob Plumb, Aaron Biittner and Nils Mindnich.

Russell Winfield

In the late 80s, Russell Winfield’s natural athletic ability, creative POV, and counterculture aesthetic collided when he discovered snowboarding, first riding down the hills at a golf course in upstate New York. By the early 90s, Russell was getting photos, signed on with some sponsors, and then, on a trip to Whistler, he met legendary filmmaker Mack Dawg and filmed his first video part. As the first Black pro snowboarder, Russell blazed a trail that has inspired countless riders to follow his line in the mountains. Russell joined me to shoot our 2021/22 Winter Catalogue and Backcountry outerwear shoot.

KRISTI & MORGAN KEITH

The two sisters launched a website in 2018 - “Blondes Who Eat” - which began as a way to share their food adventures and restaurant recommendations with their friends. It, however, quickly evolved into so much more. Over the past five years, Blondes Who Eat has collaborated with 75+ brands, including local restaurants, national chains, food & beverage companies, hotels, apps, stores and more. They were the first guests to appear on Barstool Sports’ internet show “One Bite” with its founder Dave Portnoy.

AUSTIN LAMOREAUX

Austin is only 22 years old but he carries himself like a seasoned pro. He’s one of the most naturally talented snowboarders and skateboarders I’ve ever met. Austin’s skill and creativity are equally matched, as seen in his first solo film project which premiered at Skullcandy’s Global HQ in Park City, Utah. “Yeller” was one of the most celebrated snowboard films of the 2019 season, with pros like Travis Rice tipping their hat to the young gun.

JENNER TOMASKA

Jenner Tomaska earned two James Beard Award Rising Star nominations. He’s been the Executive Chef at Grant Achatz’s celebrated rotating-concept restaurant, Next. Since opening in 2011 Next has received an unprecedented twelve 4-star reviews from the Chicago Tribune and won a James Beard Award as Best New Restaurant in America. Jenner is creative and motivated when it comes to food. He finds new and interesting ways to combine and present food that knocks people on their asses. Jenner is opening a project in Chicago this fall, so watch out for this guy. He’s going to be doing big things real soon!