Public Relations vs Marketing vs Advertising: What's the difference?

Summary

In this video, AAS, founder of PR Lab, explains the differences between PR, advertising, and marketing in the digital age. PR is focused on building trust through earned media and third-party endorsements, whereas advertising involves paid media with full control over messaging but lower credibility. Marketing serves as the umbrella term, encompassing both PR and advertising, aiming to satisfy customer needs, generate leads, and drive business growth. Each strategy plays a unique role in the customer journey, from awareness to loyalty, with PR focusing on long-term impact and marketing balancing short-term and long-term goals.

Takeaways

• 😀 PR focuses on building trust and influencing the buyer's journey through earned media (third-party endorsements).
• 😀 Advertising relies on paid media, where companies have full control over the message but lower credibility, as audiences know the message is paid for.
• 😀 Marketing is the umbrella term that encompasses both PR and advertising, focusing on satisfying customer needs profitably across multiple media types.
• 😀 PR is primarily a long-term strategy that involves two-way communication and focuses on building relationships with the public and increasing trust.
• 😀 Advertising is more sales-driven and uses highly visual, creative methods, often with emotional appeals, to promote specific products or services.
• 😀 Marketing includes earned, paid, owned (e.g., website), and shared media (e.g., social media), and targets the entire customer journey from awareness to loyalty.
• 😀 PR is measured by the effectiveness of building trust, share of voice, and brand perception rather than direct sales impact.
• 😀 Advertising is typically measured by direct sales impact and brand awareness, offering more control over the message but at a higher cost.
• 😀 The success of PR campaigns is less measurable in terms of direct sales and more focused on top-of-the-funnel metrics like awareness and reputation.
• 😀 Marketing involves understanding the financial impact of strategies, supporting the sales department, and generating loyalty from existing customers.

Q & A

What is the main focus of PR in the digital era?

PR primarily focuses on building trust with stakeholders through earned media, aiming to influence the buyer's journey and perception of a brand.

How does PR differ from advertising in terms of media?

PR uses earned media, meaning it relies on third-party endorsements like journalists or influencers, whereas advertising uses paid media, where the company pays to place its message.

Why is trust a key component in PR?

Trust is crucial in PR because it helps influence perceptions and achieve business goals, such as attracting investors or gaining media attention for a brand.

What role does third-party endorsement play in PR?

Third-party endorsements are central to PR as they lend credibility and trust to the brand's message, which is shared with the audience through media outlets.

How does advertising differ from PR in terms of credibility?

Advertising typically has lower credibility because it is paid for, meaning audiences are aware that the brand has purchased the space to share the message. In contrast, PR benefits from earned media, which tends to have higher credibility.

What is the main goal of advertising compared to PR?

The primary goal of advertising is to drive **direct sales** and raise **brand awareness** through paid media, whereas PR focuses more on building long-term trust and influencing perceptions.

How does advertising measure its success?

Advertising success is typically measured by direct sales impact and brand awareness, with more immediate, tangible metrics compared to PR.

What is the role of marketing in relation to PR and advertising?

Marketing is an umbrella term that encompasses both PR and advertising, as well as other tactics. It focuses on understanding customer needs and aligning a company's strategies to drive profits and customer satisfaction.

What are the differences between paid, earned, and owned media in marketing?

Paid media refers to advertising, where the company pays for space to promote their message. Earned media involves third-party endorsements, and owned media includes channels the company owns, like a website or social media profiles.

Why is marketing considered the umbrella term for both PR and advertising?

Marketing is considered the umbrella term because it covers both PR and advertising strategies, along with other methods like owned and shared media, to meet the broader goal of satisfying customer needs and driving business profits.