# Promotion Tactic Comparisons The Influencer vs. Brand Advocate Infographic is a Lesson in PR By Courtney Scharf | Published 2012-07-17 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/influencer-vs-brand-advocate References: [visual.ly](http://visual.ly/influencers-vs-brand-advocates) & [convinceandconvert](http://www.convinceandconvert.com/) This Influencer vs. Brand Advocate infographic makes sense of a changing [public relations landscape](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/prboost). Comparing typically paid endorsements to those who genuinely appreciate a product, this is a helpful guide for those looking to develop a strong following for a given product or brand. Proving that quality and popularity can't really be bought, this chart points out the strengths of a brand advocate and how much more effective this type of endorsement tends to be. Holding a stronger influence on buyers for a longer period of time, the winner in this debate is clearly stated and proven. Though [brand advocates](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sharekitt) are more difficult to control and gain than influencers, this is a call to companies to focus on gaining a grassroots following for their products instead of [celebrity endorsements](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tomcat). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.8/10 - Popularity: 82% | Activity: 84% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [Retail](https://www.trendhunter.com/retail) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Changing PR Landscape:** Identifies the shift in public relations and the need to adapt to changing consumer preferences. - **Brand Advocate Endorsements:** Highlights the effectiveness of brand advocate endorsements compared to paid influencers. - **Grassroots Following:** Encourages companies to focus on building a genuine and loyal following instead of relying on celebrity endorsements. ### Where This Applies - **Public Relations:** Opportunity for PR firms to develop strategies that prioritize brand advocates. - **Social Media Marketing:** Social media marketers can leverage the power of brand advocates in their campaigns. - **Influencer Marketing:** Opportunity to rethink the effectiveness of paid endorsements and explore alternative strategies involving brand advocates. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Influencer-Focused Ad Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pearpop.md) - [Customer-Starring Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/og-influencers.md) - [Integrated Influencer Marketing Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/influencer-marketing-platforms.md) - [Discovery-Based Influencer Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brandpilot-ai.md) - [Authenticated Product Review Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/product-review-app.md) - [Influencer-Driven Consumer Insight Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Brilli.md) - [Charitable Influencer-Targeting Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/thrift-it-back.md) - [Influencer Campaign Managers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tracefluence.md) - [Influencer Analytic Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/creatorspend.md)