Understanding advocacy can help brands develop messaging which is aligned with the reasons why consumers recommend them to others. Aligning brand messaging in this way can in turn drive more positive advocacy and help mitigate detraction.

Last week, WaveMetrix revealed how recommendations influence potential customers, showing how important it is to understand advocates. If advocates are impacting the purchase decisions of consumers, what are they saying which convinces them to buy your products, and how can brands align their own messaging with that of advocates? This week's case study shows how brands whose messaging is in tune with advocates receive more positive advocacy than brands where there is a discrepancy between the two.

Comparing advocacy for personal care brands Neutrogena Naturals, Nivea and Jergens Naturals reveals that results are the number one driver of recommendations for all three brands. However, only Neutrogena’s brand communication is in line with advocacy and centres on results. In contrast, brand messaging for Nivea and Jergens Naturals focuses on ingredients, scent and texture as well as results. Analysis shows that Neutrogena's aligned approach generates more results-based advocacy and less detraction than Nivea and Jergens. Understanding advocates and the reasons why they recommend for and against their brand would aid Nivea and Jergens in developing a better aligned strategy.

• Neutrogena Naturals has the highest proportion of positive advocacy driven by results: Positive recommendations based on results account for 42% of Neutrogena advocacy, a higher proportion than both Nivea and Jergens. This suggests that Neutrogena's aligned brand messaging, with a strong focus on results, helps generate more recommendations around the "moisturised", "clean" and "soft" skin achieved by its users
  

• Only 4% of results-based advocacy is negative for Neutrogena: This is a much lower proportion than the 31% for Nivea or the 23% for Jergens Naturals. This suggests that Nivea and Jergens have not lined up their brand communication in a way that resonates with their brand advocates

• Neutrogena Naturals focus much more strongly on results in their brand messaging: Whilst 72% of Neutrogena's messaging is results-focused, Jergens' and Nivea's strategies are much more scattered, with their communications also focusing on ingredients, scent and quality. This suggests that the lack of alignment between brand communication and advocates' concerns can cause negativity in social media