Before building a 300+ ambassador community, before driving 5X ROI and slashing their CPA in half, UPTIME Energy was just a passionate brand with an overwhelmed team trying to manage everything manually. Product shipping, outreach, content approvals, follow-ups — all of it was happening through spreadsheets and DMs.
“It was way too much. We realized we needed help,” said Eden Kruse, Social Media Manager.
With SocialLadder, UPTIME turned its loyal fanbase into a powerful, self-sustaining growth engine — and when they acquired RISE Brewing Co., they scaled the same playbook to a second brand, without missing a beat.
Why They Chose SocialLadder
When the UPTIME team started exploring ambassador platforms, they were clear on what they didn’t want: something rigid, overly automated, or detached from their community.
They wanted control, connection, and tools that would help them scale with heart.
After comparing options, SocialLadder stood out.
“Just sending out products through SocialLadder has been insanely helpful,” Eden said. “It saved us so much time — and the platform makes it easy to manage everything in one place.”
Within weeks, the UPTIME ambassador program was live — and the results began rolling in.
Growth So Good, They Did It Again
The success of the UPTIME program quickly proved that a structured community strategy powered more than just engagement— it unlocked real business value.
So when the company acquired RISE, another beverage brand with its own loyal audience, the decision was easy:
“It was a no-brainer,” Eden said. “When we brought RISE into the fold, one of our first marketing initiatives was to launch an ambassador program for it as well. We already knew how much UPTIME had benefited from SocialLadder.”
RISE now runs in parallel — with Eden overseeing both programs seamlessly from the same platform.
Two Brands. Hundreds of Ambassadors.
One of the best parts of the story?
While a small team supports high-level planning, Eden runs both programs solo on a day-to-day basis — from outreach to approvals to content management.
With over 300 active ambassadors currently on the platform this is no small feat.
“It takes time and effort,” Eden admits. “But it’s totally doable — I’m the one in the DMs and running everything on SocialLadder, so our ambassadors always know who they’re talking to. It really does feel like a family.”
And they’re not just active — they’re loyal and engaged.
(Design by Lily Brown)
From Awareness to ROI: Results That Matter
UPTIME and RISE aren’t just running a typical ambassador program for optics or buzz. The brands are driving serious value from their community — across paid, organic, and offline marketing.
Over 500% ROI
Using earned media value (EMV) vs. ambassador costs, the program is delivering over 5X return on investment.
Note: Note: ROI here refers to the total value generated (including Earned Media Value and attributed conversions) divided by the cost of assigning challenges to ambassadors. Challenge costs are defined by the brand when creating or assigning each task.
25–50% Lower CPA in Paid Ads
According to Brittany Downey, Marketing Director of the brand, ambassador content performs 20–50% better than traditional creative in paid campaigns — especially on Stories, Reels, and TikTok.
“UGC performs way better than styled photo shoots. It’s more authentic, more engaging, and scales faster.”
28% Higher Engagement + 2–3x Click-Through
Their UGC ads aren’t just efficient — they convert. And that’s translating into impact across sales decks, sell sheets, and local retail efforts.
“We’re even using ambassador content to support our sales team when they talk to retailers,” Brittany explained. “It shows that we have real fans behind our brands.”
Smart UGC Strategy = Less Spend, More Results
Before SocialLadder, the team relied on costly photo shoots and in-house production.
“We rarely do styled photo shoots these days,” Eden explained. “For social, our ambassador content just outperforms. So we save a ton on production — but still get beautiful, seasonal content.”
They now build challenges around marketing needs, trends, and even gaps in content, ensuring they’re constantly fueling both paid and organic strategies.
Scaling With Intention: How They Engage Every Level of Ambassador
One of the most impressive aspects of UPTIME’s strategy is how they’ve managed to inspire both high-volume creators and casual contributors.
“Some ambassadors go all in — every challenge, every photo, every video,” said Eden. “We make sure to reward those folks. But we also value people who just hype us up in comments or share our posts. That’s just as important.”
This mix of engagement types has helped them maintain both scale and authenticity — a rare balance in ambassador marketing.
PR Boxes That Spark Loyalty (and Data)
Every few months, the team ships out exclusive PR boxes to selected ambassadors — not only as a surprise-and-delight moment but also as a strategic touchpoint.
“That one task helped us clean our list and spot who’s still active,” Eden said. “It also made sure the boxes went to the right people — and the response was amazing.”
Ambassadors receiving PR boxes regularly go on to create months of content, driving spikes in reach, mentions, and new applications.
Organic Growth Through Community Momentum
While the team does paid campaigns, organic growth remains a huge focus.
They frequently receive inbound requests to join the program — especially after a PR box drop or influencer-style post goes viral.
“We’ve seen people join just because their friends were ambassadors,” Eden shared. “It’s become this grassroots thing. People want to be part of it.”
(Design by Lauren Pichany)
The program also plays a key role in launching new flavors and expanding into new markets — with ambassadors acting as “mini sales reps” on the ground.
Managing Without Burnout: The Power of One Platform
Despite running two ambassador programs and hundreds of daily interactions, Eden still manages to maintain control, consistency, and creativity — something Eden says would be impossible without the structure and support of SocialLadder.
“Honestly, if we were still doing this manually, it wouldn’t be possible,” Eden said. “Having one place to manage everything — challenges, shipments, approvals, content — it makes a huge difference.”
And the human side hasn’t been lost. In fact, it’s thriving. “I know a lot of our ambassadors by name. We DM. We joke. It really feels like a family.”
Advice to Other Brands Considering an Ambassador Program
When asked what they’d say to other energy drink or CPG brands looking to launch a program, Eden and Brittany were clear:
“Invest in your community. Build real relationships — even with smaller ambassadors,” said Eden. “That authenticity goes a long way.”
“We’ve had ambassadors who are amazing photographers,” added Brittany. “They’re not influencers — but their content looks pro. And they’re loyal. That’s huge.”
The Takeaway
With a lean team and Eden leading most of the daily execution, UPTIME ENERGY and RISE have built a scalable, high-performing ambassador program that:
- Delivers 500%+ ROI
- Cuts CPA by up to 50%
- Drives thousands in earned media value (EMV) monthly
- Fuels both paid and organic growth
- Supports the sales team in retail conversations
- Strengthens community sentiment across both brands
(Design by Alice Lee)
And they’ve done it not by chasing vanity metrics — but by leaning into authenticity, grassroots engagement, and relationship-first community management.
They’re not influencers — they’re real people, loyal customers,” Eden said. “They’re our storytellers. And honestly, they tell our story better than we ever could.”
