Being a brand ambassador sounds like fun, right?
Gabriel Cardarella has been a North American Ambassador for Dewar’s Scotch Whisky for the past 11 years. Gabriel gave us a little insight into what exactly being a brand ambassador is. Is it worth it? How did he come into the position? What does he like about it? Let’s take a look.
Talk to us about your brand ambassador position—how did you come to work for Dewar’s?
Dewar’s found me, believe it or not. I was tour managing a band – probably in the middle of South Carolina somewhere, eating boiled peanuts in some gas station parking lot with a bandana around my head, when a recruiter called and asked how I’d like to travel the world and talk about whisky for a living. I remember thinking, “quick someone tase me this isn’t real.” Turns out it was very real. Few short weeks after that, I was off to my first of what would be many trips to Scotland, and over the years, I’ve had the chance to learn what makes Scotch and Dewar’s so special. Dewar’s has an incredible story, which makes the liquid so much more enjoyable. raconteur for the brand, and I have to believe it’s because my life isn’t disrupted by routine, but mostly because I love.
What are some of your favorite things about working as a brand ambassador?
Dewar’s has an incredible story, which makes the liquid so much more enjoyable. I’m a whisky expert, but with an authentic brand like Dewar’s, I’m also a raconteur for the brand. Sure, my life isn’t disrupted by routine (which I love), but I firmly believe that good whisky becomes great when you’re sharing it with awesome people over great stories.
Gabriel Cardarella
What should bartenders know about following this same career path?
For starts, know that being successful in the matters of having plants, pets, or a girlfriend/boyfriend will be very big challenges; Be in love with travel. The way I look at things is if I’m 80 and there’s a stack of paper and a pen in front of me, and if I were to fill those pages with the story of my life, would people after I want to read on. A life and a career as a whisky ambassador have been much more than my job, it’s been my lifestyle. Make serving the brand your lifestyle, and don’t serve one that doesn’t meet you there. Your passion will be reflected in your job, you will inspire, motivate, set a high bar for the lucky individual who takes the helm after you, and they’ll all read on.
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
I’m most proud when the folks I train or introduce to the brand are excited about Dewar’. I’m proud that our team at Dewar’s allows me to serve the brand as myself, but lately, I’m most proud of our Master Blender, Stephanie Macleod. In a role typically dominated by males, Stephanie has risen as not just a leader of women in the industry, but as a leader in Scotch. Recently she became the first master blender to win Master Blender of the year two years in a row but is also the first woman to do it. Her innovation is producing some of the most interesting (and awarded) spirits in the world, and I’m honored to be a part of the team that gets to brag on her behalf.
What would you wish to accomplish as an ambassador for the brand?
I would like to leave behind a legacy that sets a standard for how to be an ambassador for a brand. I want the person that follows me to be passionate, hungry, agile, friendly, and inspired so that when I am sipping on my Dewar’s while writing my book about my life, I can see and feel their passion which I embody for the Dewar’s Brand.
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Source: Mixology News
