Advertising and Public Relations ARE NOT the Same.

Remember Sesame Street? It provided entertainment and education. It was fun learning for kids of all ages. In retrospect, it didn’t seem like learning. Each segment of the show was educational. It made learning entertaining while it engaged you. As I think back, I always enjoyed the game they would play called: ‘One of these Things Is NOT Like the Other, One of These Things Is Kind of The Same’.

In this game, they would have 3 objects or “things” and the viewer would have to determine which is similar or “kind of the same” and which was different. It was fun and challenging too. As I grew older the challenges were less and less. As I aged, I realized the importance of that game. Be inquisitive, ask questions and really look at things closely. Study them and learn about those differences, and understand why they are different. What’s the reason for the difference? What’s the usefulness of it and why? Over the years, that’s a skill set that has served me well and still does! When you think about in that way, it makes analysis of critical business needs for business growth and development more meaningful.

As I work with business owners, in the early stages of our work many routinely say to me, “I should not be asking this question” or, “I should know this but…” or, I think I know the answer but…” questions which are related to the business development objectives of their business plan. These objectives relate to their goals of marketing and business development. The questions asked are because they get confused between certain objectives. They often mistake one for the other while not clearly understanding what the purpose is of each objective. Usually, the confusion is between objectives on advertising and on public relations. They question why they have two objectives that yield the same outcome.

Many business owners believe that advertising and public relations are the same thing. They think they play the same role for their business, and if they engage in advertising, they don’t need public relations, and vice versa. This is not unusual for business owners to think that way. They lack clear understanding between the difference of the two as they can and will work together if planned and implemented correctly. They both have a mutual desired outcome; build brand image and communicate with the target demographics. However, they are different methods. Advertising and Public Relations Are NOT the Same.

One of our past blogs written in June: Targeting the Correct Demographics: Why It Matters in Business! focused on knowing and understanding demographics so you can target them correctly. The importance for understanding demographics is related to the type of media and strategy you will use. Demographics are connected to the marketing and business development strategies in your business plan.

In order to determine if Advertising or Public Relations is the best lead strategy for the demographic you have targeted requires a clear understanding of each in definition and in implementation. Both Advertising and Public Relations or PR helps build brands and communicate with target audiences which comes back to the confusion among many business owners about these two strategies for marketing and business development. Advertising and Public Relations Are NOT the Same.

Advertising can be defined as aiming to influence the buying behavior, habits of customers using persuasive communication about your products and/or services. It is the PROCESS of making your product and/or service identifiable in the marketplace using some form of paid media.

Public Relations or PR can be defined as the skill of managing how information about an individual or business is disseminated or communicated to the public. It is free publicity. It is earned media. It is a method used to manage how your demographics see and feel about a person, brand, or business. It is free media coverage as it typically involves a featured story or article.

Advertising and Public Relations are effective marketing strategies when used properly. They compliment each other and reinforce the communication or message about your business and/or products and services. Advertising and Public Relations have the ability to achieve your business goals identified in the business plan. However, they will have different objectives for achievement because they are different strategies. The noted differences are important in order to identify when and how to use them effectively.

Advertising and Public Relations Are NOT the Same. Consider the following differences:

• Paying for Coverage or Free Coverage

Advertising requires your business pays for Ad space or air-time’ and you have a schedule of when they will air or run and what times they will do so.

Public relations are designed to get ‘free publicity’ for your business and/or products and services. These will include news conferences, articles to press releases.

• Creative Content Control vs No Control

Because you are paying for ad space, you have control of
what content goes into the ad, how it looks or sounds when using advertising. You can be as creative as you’d like to engage the audience. You can develop call to action content.

Public Relations does not allow you to have control of the content. The news media retains control of how they will or if they even will publish your information. They retain complete content control. Your creativity is in your ideas the media outlet finds interesting or engaging. Content is strictly written in a news format, no call to action messaging, only who, what, where, when and why.

• Longevity and Targetability

Because you pay for ad space or air time, your ads can run repeatedly for as long as your budget allows. Advertising has longevity over a press release. Also, you can target your demographics, and reach the audience you are seeking.

Public Relations is time limited exposure or coverage of your message and/or event per Press Release or News story. Typically, it is circulated or featured one time
and must be relevant with their publishing requirements. The demographics are broad and not easily targeted unless you get a featured segment that reaches a majority of your desired audience. This is rarely an option unless you have a strong relationship with the news media.

• Savvy Consumers

Consumers are aware they are being ‘advertised to’, they realize they are being asked or persuaded to buy something. Advertising uses urgent messaging communication.

Public Relations is not perceived as an advertisement. Consumers view the information differently than a paid ad since your information has a referral or endorsement, that news media support appears to have some value.

There is an old saying: “IF ADVERTISING IS WHAT YOU PAY FOR, THEN PR IS WHAT YOU PRAY FOR”. Advertising and Public Relations Are NOT the Same.

About the Writer: Becky Blaesing owns Blazing Kiss Media and is passionate about helping business owners grow their business with useful business development strategies. She resides in Ooltewah, TN but works with business owners throughout many states. She also has vast experience and passion working with non-profit organizations.