The terms advertising, marketing and public relations are often confused and used interchangeable. Sure, they all fall under the umbrella of communications and branding, but they each serve a very unique purpose.

Most importantly, they build upon one another. Dumping all of your budget into just advertising or just public relations is putting all your eggs in one basket. You need a comprehensive communications strategy to get the most out of your efforts! No matter where you are in your branding process, it’s worth getting familiar with these three distinct terms and learning how they work together.

Why you need advertising

Simply put, advertising is paid placement. You purchase the air time or ad space and it’s guaranteed to run how you want it, where you when and when you want it. There’s a huge value in that! You completely control the message and can narrowly focus on your target audience.

Why you need marketing

Marketing is what prepares your goods or service for the marketplace. You need to understand what motivates your target audience. From the design and color of your logo and packaging to your tagline and website, marketing is an essential part of business development.

Why you need public relations

One of the most valuable outcomes of public relations is earned (i.e. free) media coverage. While advertising allows you to pay for specific placement, public relations can gain media coverage essentially for free; however you don’t have as much control over the message or placement. Through tactics like press releases, pitches, press conferences and letters to the editor, a business can gain exposure and build credibility.

The value in using all three

Advertising, marketing and public relations are so interwoven with one another that they cannot (and should not) exist in their own silos. They need to share the same overarching goals and produce a consistent message.

The benefit of using all three to grow your brand is that you increase the opportunities to reach your target audience. Some people are motivated by an advertisement, others are motivated by a newspaper article and still others are drawn to a product’s packaging and placement. The need to focus on all three areas doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Working with a full service media company can help you build a strategy for every spoke on the wheel and ensure your resources are being used efficiently and effectively!

Do you still need a little explaining as to how advertising and public relations are different? Listen to Cammi and Stephanie explain in our Mid-Atlantic Media Hub Media Minute!

How have you personally experienced the power of advertising, marketing and public relations working together to grow your brand? Share your thoughts by commenting below!