There are two very important tools in any marketer’s toolbox that must be understood to be used effectively—the difference between advertising and public relations. While both are effective and have a place in any marketing strategy, there are some unique advantages to each one, depending on your objective.
At JJR Marketing, we provide advertising and public relations services. We create and manage ad campaigns for clients, but we are known for putting “your brand in the media,” and have received awards as one of the fastest-growing public relations firms in the Chicagoland area. So, we have a good handle on which tool you should use and when to use it, depending on your company’s needs.
Going in, however, you need to understand the differences between advertising and public relations.
FIRST, THE SIMILARITIES…
Advertising and public relations are often spoken of in the same sentence because they both have a similar objective—to build a brand and increase sales. Both advertising and public relations are an outreach to a certain audience and can be successfully targeted.
Both provide a presentation of the company brand and present an important message. Both can do it with words and pictures. However, advertisements do it with graphics, images, slogans and content while public relations does it through article placements, press releases, announcements, media alerts and appearances.
So what are the main differences?
DIFFERENCE #1: ADVERTISING IS PAY TO PLAY
Advertising is a paid medium. It is also very controlled. You pay a media outlet a fee and they print, broadcast, or post your advertisement in a specific spot or in a specific way. You pay to play.
With a public relations effort, the media placement itself is typically unpaid. A story about the company is provided to media outlets, bloggers, podcasters, etc., with the hope that they will find it interesting and use it as a news story on their outlet. While we have seen this change somewhat in the industry, media outlets with integrity still do not charge for publication of news stories with quality content.
DIFFERNECE #2: ONLY PUBLIC RELATIONS HAS LEGS.
The exposure of an advertisement usually stops with the ad itself. Very rarely is it shared, or does it move beyond the magazine or website it appeared on. Everyone knows the company paid for the ad and it is up to the person in the audience to respond accordingly. Advertisements are typically very one-sided and tunnel visioned. They are there to sell you something.
Public relations efforts are different. They harness the value of storytelling to release a news story about the company. The story not only touts the company’s brand, but educates the public about something of value about the company, their mission and vision of their industry. Maybe they are celebrating a milestone in the community, or are performing a service for a nonprofit. Their stories are interesting and show a side of the company not seen before. Therefore, every story has potential.
As these news stories are shared, opportunities arise. In other words, public relations news stories have “legs.” We can testify that after releasing news stories for our clients at JJR Marketing, our clients have received calls for additional feature stories in other publications, requests for public appearances/speaking engagements, requests to appear on podcasts, and of course, new business inquiries. Once again, while advertising and public relations share the same goal (brand awareness and new business), the way in which they go about achieving these goals is very different.
DIFFERENCE #3: ONLY PUBLIC RELATIONS ENJOYS THIRD-PARTY ENDORSEMENT
The reason public relations has “legs” and advertising doesn’t can be summed up in three little words: third-party endorsement.
Third-party endorsement is the perception that someone found the corporate news story or company information interesting enough to reprint/repost so it must therefore be worth our time to read. Third-party endorsement gives credence and importance to a news item. It’s the same reason we pay attention to social media posts with an amazing amount of likes and shares. We figure we will like it if others have!
Advertisements, by their nature, just don’t have this power. Everyone who sees an advertisement knows that it is there to fill a paid ad space. It can be a good ad or a bad ad, advertising a reputable or terrible company. There is no way to vet it just from where it appears because again, anyone can place an ad, regardless of its content or quality. However, if your company news release is received, reviewed, and then reprinted or posted by a reputable source, that automatically lends credibility to your story and reflects well on your company. This third-party endorsement works powerfully on a subconscious level.
DIFFERENCE #4: YOU CONTROL ADS; PUBLIC RELATIONS REQUIRES PATIENCE.
One of the reasons advertising is more well known than public relations is that advertising has an immediate, controlled effect. Your ad will appear when and where you want it to appear, as ordered.
Conversely, public relations efforts require more lead time and are bound to a reporter or editor’s schedule. Press releases and news tips must be received by the set deadlines to appear in desired publications or be broadcast at a certain time. Also, the company sending a press release will not have control over when their news will be used. Instead, that determination is made by the news outlet itself.
Also, public relations efforts may not bear fruit immediately, or overtly. For example, a company releasing news may not hear the phone ringing right after the news is published as they would from an ad that blares, “Call today!” However, they may notice a rise in their Google Analytics as readers make their way to their website to investigate the company. They may see an increase in their mailing list. On one occasion, a client of ours was called months after their news release to appear on a podcast. Why did they take so long to call our client? Because the podcast had finished its season and was not in need of scheduling more guests till months later. With public relations, patience is a virtue that reaps good rewards!
So those are the main differences between advertising and public relations. Both have a place within a smart marketing program, depending on the company’s goals, and both can help your business too. If you are looking to start an advertising or public relations program for your company, JJR Marketing can help. Call us today for a discovery conversation and find out how!