Ambassadors and 'Faces'

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dilysb

At the Start
Joined
May 2, 2003
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Hove
From today's Telegraph: 'First, Jodie Kidd became a 'style ambassador' for Glorious Goodwood. Now, her sister, Jemma Kidd, is to become an ambassador for Newbury racecourse'. Over the past few years, we have had numerous 'faces' and ambassadors for courses and meetings. Is there any point?
 
On a similar subject I did enjoy Bruce Millington's piece on Frankie and McCririck in Thursday's Post. They are hte true ambassadors for the sport and I'm enjoying the latter's presence on our screens more these days because he's not on all the time.
 
I've no idea what their 'ambassador' roles involve - didn't see a hair of Ms Kidd on Wednesday or today - I'd have thought she should've been presenting prizes or schmoozing round the parade ring chatting gaily with trainers, but she wasn't. She has been twirling about in variously-aged gear in Goodwood House to promote their Vintage Day and the sale of 'vintage' clothing which they're going to launch, so I suppose she's really just a promoter, or part of the selling package. I wouldn't have thought that she was needed, to be honest - there are plenty of nice-looking female jockettes who could've done the same thing, and made the promoting more relevant, rather than by a retired model (even if she has ridden in a few charidee races).
 
McCririck might be a fool and a self publicist...but he is nothing but passionate about the sport which is more than many put forward as the "faces" of our sport are.
 
Get him quietly to himself and he's fine - the show for the camera is a lot of pantomime, and he knows it. Plenty of time for him and Jason Weaver off-air - ATR has used the winner's suite at Brighton most meetings due to the big Whitehawk transmitter buggering-up their signal, and it's given me a chance to see a different side to the camera personas. They're full of fun, good humour, very interesting insights and some nice gossip at times, too.
 
I remember the "Face Of Epsom" Hayley Turner refusing to give an interview on Derby Day (a Derby Day she was not riding on) to RUK!
 
I guess if there are 'ambassadors'' etc they're probably aimed at attracting people who aren't already interested or involved with racing so could be why some of them seem odd choices to those of us who do follow it. Whether it actually works or not is another matter. Having received a promotional card for Royal Ascot this year featuring a load of 'celebs' and some racing folk dresses up to the nines really didn't inspire me to buy tickets.
 
I think you're right that that's the thinking behind it, Imagine, although, like you, I'd probably only be a bit cynical and figure that the celebs weren't real racing fans, just people who hire themselves out for any kind of promotional work, including ads for cars, insurance, and toiletries!
 
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