So You Think PR, Marketing, & Advertising Are All the Same?!

Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work in PR, marketing, and advertising and while they are related, the three are also distinct. Below are simple definitions as you think about each channel.

Public Relations (PR) can be defined as an opportunity (which is typically unpaid) to share a brand’s message or point of view with its audience (customers, clients, partners) or the public. This usually involves planning and implementing strategic ways to communicate a desired message and providing the public with tools (press releases, press kits, photos, bios, product samples, etc.), which help them understand the brand’s image or what the company or product is about.

Marketing is an activity that a brand engages in to communicate to its audience and society that its product or service brings value to customers. Through different processes (research, planning, promotions, etc.), marketers identify their customers, find ways to keep their customers smiling, and they work diligently to retain their customers.

Advertising is used to communicate to an audience that they need to take a specific action or believe in a specific brand or company. Companies pay for their messages to be shared via media channels (print, digital, radio, etc.), in an effort to persuade their audience to begin or continue to use its products or services.

Which tool have you used for your brand?