Marketing vs. Advertising vs. PR: What’s the Difference?

Marketing vs. Advertising vs. PR

It’s easy to get marketing, advertising, and public relations (PR) mixed up. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they each play distinct roles within a company’s communication strategy. Marketing serves as the overarching strategy, advertising focuses on direct promotion, and PR manages relationships and reputation. Whether you’re a business owner, student, or simply curious, understanding these differences is essential (Kotler and Armstrong, 2018). This article will break down each term with simple definitions and real-world examples to illustrate how each contributes uniquely to brand success.

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What is Marketing?

Marketing encompasses the overall strategy a company uses to communicate its value to customers. It includes everything from market research and product development to branding and customer engagement. Marketing helps identify who the customers are, what they want, and how to keep them engaged long-term (Kotler, 2019).

Example: When Nike positioned itself as a brand for athletes of all skill levels, this wasn’t achieved solely through ads; it came from a broad understanding of customer desires, community building, and brand storytelling. The famous “Just Do It” campaign is just one element of Nike’s comprehensive marketing approach (O’Sullivan and Abela, 2007).

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What is Advertising?

Advertising is a specific component of marketing that promotes a product or service directly to customers. It is typically paid and aims to create awareness or drive immediate action through various media channels, like TV, social media, and print (Belch and Belch, 2018). Advertising is often the most visible aspect of marketing but is only one piece of the puzzle.

Example: Coca-Cola’s holiday commercials featuring polar bears or Santa Claus evoke warmth, nostalgia, and family values, strengthening customer loyalty while driving sales (Moriarty et al., 2020). This is advertising at its finest—creating an emotional connection to boost brand awareness and prompt action.

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What is Public Relations?

Public Relations (PR) manages a brand’s reputation and fosters positive relationships with the public, media, and other stakeholders. Unlike advertising, PR is usually unpaid and focuses on gaining positive media coverage, managing crises, and maintaining a good public image (Wilcox et al., 2015). PR is about building trust and credibility rather than driving sales directly.

Example: Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign was more than an ad; it was a PR movement that aligned Dove’s brand with values of body positivity and self-acceptance. By engaging in conversations about real beauty, Dove strengthened its reputation as a socially responsible brand (Lambiase and Reichert, 2018).

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Key Differences

In summary:

• Marketing is the comprehensive strategy that encompasses all actions a brand takes to attract and retain customers.

• Advertising is a subset of marketing that focuses on direct promotions.

• PR focuses on reputation management and building trust, often without direct promotion.

Marketing serves as the big-picture strategy that informs both advertising and PR efforts. While advertising seeks to generate immediate awareness and drive sales, PR’s goal is to build credibility and foster a positive image (Kitchen and Schultz, 2001).

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How the Comms Club Podcast Will Dive Deeper

At the Comms Club Podcast, we’ll take an in-depth look at each of these fields through the lens of real-world campaigns. From ground-breaking ads to PR triumphs, each episode will provide insights into how brands connect with, persuade, and build lasting relationships with audiences. Whether you’re interested in learning how companies create memorable slogans, manage crises, or build loyalty, the Comms Club Podcast will explore it all.

How do you think marketing, public relations and advertising differ? Or how do you think they are the same?

References

Belch, G.E. and Belch, M.A. (2018) Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Kotler, P. (2019) Principles of Marketing. 17th edn. Boston: Pearson.

Kotler, P. and Armstrong, G. (2018) Marketing: An Introduction. 13th edn. Boston: Pearson.

Kitchen, P.J. and Schultz, D.E. (2001) Raising the Corporate Umbrella: Corporate Communications in the 21st Century. London: Palgrave.

Lambiase, J.J. and Reichert, T. (2018) Sex in Advertising: Perspectives on the Erotic Appeal. 2nd edn. New York: Routledge.

Moriarty, S., Mitchell, N., and Wells, W. (2020) Advertising & IMC: Principles and Practice. 11th edn. London: Pearson.

O'Sullivan, D. and Abela, A.V. (2007) Marketing Performance Measurement Ability and Firm Performance. Journal of Marketing, 71(2), pp.79-93.

Wilcox, D.L., Cameron, G.T., and Reber, B.H. (2015) Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics. 11th edn. Boston: Pearson.