Do you see PR vs advertising from the same angle? If you do, you are wrong! Many believe that PR and advertising are the same. In reality, they have distinct goals and approaches.
Before working for a PR agency, I too had a misconception. I used to think PR and advertising were synonymous. Now the myth is busted.
If you want to understand the subtle differences between these two marketing tools, continue reading this blog. It also conveys the two terms and how they can work together to achieve a holistic marketing goal.
Definition of Public Relations (PR)
Definition of PR
Public Relations is a way to promote an individual or business to the public. The key goal is to circulate news and events about a company, build its image, and maintain a positive reputation.
Public Relations is earned media. That means publicity gained through free strategic communication instead of paid promotions. YouGov, an international body for online research data analytics, published a report that says 90 percent of customers believe earned media is a more credible source of information than paid media. You tend to trust third-party information about a brand more than what the brand tells you, right? The same logic applies to PR.
Often, PR initiatives include media coverage, such as press releases and articles. Customer testimonials, social media shares, podcast brand mentions, and crisis management also fall under the earned media category. Platforms used are newspapers, online news, and social media.
Definition of Advertising
Definition of Advertising
Are you irritated seeing all those obnoxious ads that crop up when binge-watching? Well, we can’t do much about them. After all, advertising is a crucial part of marketing efforts. Let me put it in simple words. Advertisements are paid messages that businesses use to capture public attention and persuade them to become customers.
Advertisement is a paid form of marketing communication. Since it is sponsored, advertisers can control their ads from all possible angles. If you are an advertiser, then everything —from content to design to selection of channels to target specific demographics to the timing of placements and how long the ad will run—will come under your control.
Ads can be placed everywhere – from newspapers, radio, TV, Billboards to modern-day social media platforms
Key Differences Between PR and Advertising
Now that we have a brief introduction to both PR and advertising, let’s discuss their differences in detail.
Purpose
Purpose – PR Vs Advertising
The goal of advertising is to promote the products and services of a company through creative messages to attract the public attention. This leads to growth in sales and in turn the profit.
On the other side, the real motive behind PR is to build a positive image around a brand among the public. PR focuses on establishing a relationship of trust between the brand and common people. In simple logic, if trust is instilled in the public then the brand grows in sales.
You must have seen companies nowadays launch social initiatives like Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR). These are PR campaigns designed to showcase how committed the company is to social causes. This improves the public perspective of the company.
You also have observed your favorite stars promoting a product on TV commercials. These are examples of advertising campaigns aiming to gain public attention and boost sales.
Credibility and Trust
Credibility and Trust – PR Vs Advertising
The key focus of Public Relations is to raise the trust and acceptability of a brand in the minds of people. Hence, earned media – the alternate name of PR. Here public trust in a brand is earned through third-party channels like new outlets, articles written by journalists, and endorsements by influencers. PR or earned media is unpaid strategic communication.
Conversely, advertising is paid media. Here brand promotion is done in exchange for money. Naturally, it is less credible in the eyes of customers compared to earned media like PR.
Control Dynamics
Control Dynamics – PR vs Advertising
Advertisers enjoy full control over their ads. The reason is that advertisement is a sponsored medium of communication. So business owners can keep everything in their hands—content, target audience, preferred channels, timing, duration, you name it. There is assurance of placement of these ads irrespective of whether the platform is newspapers, TV/radio, or social media.
On the contrary, PR messages are broadcast through journalists, influencers, or word of mouth, so brands have little control over this. The placement of PR messages like press releases and articles is not guaranteed.
Target audience
Target Audience – PR vs Advertising
PR campaigns target a broader, more diverse audience, which includes the public, other stakeholders, and the media.
In contrast, advertising is focused on increasing sales and hence targets potential consumers.
Measuring Success
Measuring Success – PR vs Advertising
PR and advertising have distinct metrics to gauge efficacy. The higher the conversion rate and return on investment (ROI) of your ad campaign, the more effective it is. That means profit optimization is the ultimate motive here.
In PR, success is often measured by media coverage, sentiment analysis, and improved trust and credibility.
Timeframe
Timeframe – PR vs Advertising
Advertisements are placed to quickly capture the public’s attention. Thus, it can give immediate results.
However, PR’s effectiveness becomes obvious over time. You see, you can’t build brand images on short notice! Once a deep connection is built between a brand and people PR gives dividends in terms of increased customer loyalty and advocacy.
How PR and Advertising Can Work Together
1. Building Brand Equity Through PR
Mixing PR with Ads for Brand Equity
Every organization relies heavily on brand value, which PR creates. Therefore, the right advertising tactics for a company should be to make ads that successfully portray brand value and message to the public. Your ads will be more effective if you add a bit of PR to them.
2. Amplifying Thought Leadership with Advertising
Ads to boost thought leadership
Thought leadership content crafted by industry insiders and subject matter experts is frequently released as part of public relations initiatives. These PR pieces can be combined with advertising to boost promotion and distribution. For example, including appealing banner advertising or infographics in a thought-provoking case study increases its chances of reaching a larger audience.
3. Balancing Immediate Impact with Lasting Relationships
Balancing short and long-term bond
The key goal of advertising is to attract instant public attention. This no-doubt leads to an immediate bond between brands and the public. But this relationship should be maintained and harnessed too. This is where PR steps in. There is no alternative to Public Relations if you want to establish and sustain a healthy and trustful relationship between brands and common people.
This example fits wonderfully here. Famous beauty brand Dove launched a campaign in support of Kids Online Safety Acts(KOSA) partnering with Common Sense Media and Parents Together Action. This campaign was in line with Dove’s brand value of promoting body positivity and self-esteem reinforcing trust in their customer base.
Key Takeaways: PR vs. Advertising
So it is quite evident that PR and advertising have distinct perspectives. While advertising focuses on drawing immediate public attention, PR seeks to develop a positive brand image and foster long-term relations. Despite differences, PR and advertising can work together to achieve bigger marketing goals. In today’s competitive business scenario, the ideal marketing strategy should be to strike the right balance between PR and advertising to ensure both credibility and visibility.
Explore the differences between PR and advertising. Learn how they build brand trust, boost visibility, and achieve cohesive marketing goals.
