Public Relations vs. Advertising
July 1, 2009

Public relations and the use of advertising are often misunderstood, generating unanswered questions for companies attempting to raise awareness among potential clients. So what are the differences between public relations and advertising? It all depends on what you're trying to accomplish. Let's break it down...

Your Message

When considering using either method, you must define your target audience, image and compelling difference in the market place. We'll deal with target market here: whom are you trying to reach? Once you've set your sights down range, you must figure out how to engage and interact with that target (i.e. where should you advertise/begin a PR campaign?). Now you've come to a fork in the road ... which route do you take? Do you venture down the higher cost/immediate impact street or do you take the lower cost/slow and steady impact road?

You're probably thinking, "I want immediate results," so advertising is the way to go, right? But what's the shelf life of an advertisement and, more importantly, how quickly will the high advertising costs eat up your marketing budget? A well-thought-out ad campaign of sufficient frequency will most likely show some immediate returns, but over time, the impact will fade.

The Impact

No matter how interesting your advertisement is...advertising is considered a self-serving form of communication that lacks credibility. In short, anyone can buy visibility, but not everyone can buy credibility. But when your story is told – either in the news media, in a blog, or by word-of-mouth – you've gained the holy grail of marketing: the third party endorsement!

That's where PR comes in. A public relations campaign helps you establish credibility, long-term relationships, and third party endorsements. A successful PR campaign yields new relationships with potential clients and referral sources, translating into less advertising costs.

We're not saying advertising is the devil; of course, it isn't. Targeted advertising combined with a strategic PR campaign enables you to hit your marketing target every time.