Many people think that Public Relations (PR) and advertising are two alternative methods of communicating with customers and the public. This is why, a brand engaged in advertising does not need to utilize PR for communicating its brand message.
This isn’t true.
While advertising is a paid medium for promoting the brand, PR is about creating important strategic relationships with the public.
Here are some differences between PR and advertising that businesses should understand:
Earned media vs. Paid Media
Although PR isn’t entirely earned media, it’s something closest to it. PR agencies create strategies through which a brand can gain publicity and get positive attention on various media channels. This is a very effective way to get organic reach and band awareness.
Advertising on the other hand is entirely paid and isn’t reliant on the publicity that is given on the media.
Control Over the Message
In advertising, brands have total control over the message they want to send out—the content, tone, medium, etc.
When it comes to PR however, brands have no control over how a certain message is going out into the world.
All a PR agency can do is provide a journalist with an idea; the journalist has entire control over how that idea is executed on a particular platform. But that doesn’t mean that brands are completely helpless.
PR agencies also offer media training to the brands so that they can learn how to control interviews and utilize particular platforms in order to send out positive brand messages.
Coverage Duration
When it comes to PR, the duration of the coverage is another thing that brands have no control over. A similar message can be sent to multiple media channels for better coverage, but it is entirely up to the medium for how long a certain message is displayed or talked about.
With advertising however, brands can get have message float around for any duration, as long as they have the budget for it.
Credibility
Advertisement is something that a brand pays for, making it less credible.
PR is another story altogether. Journalists are considered unbiased third-parties, which is why their endorsements come across as more credible. This is true is some ways, even when a PR agency is involved.
Relevancy to the Target Audience
When a brand wants to convey a message to a particular target audience, advertising is the best medium. Data-driven digital marketing campaigns have made significant strides in reaching specific audiences, who are most likely to be potential customers.
PR isn’t as effective in reaching relevant audiences; however, this doesn’t mean that PR is no good when it comes to reaching relevant audiences.
A tweet by a celebrity or blog post on a particular business forum can go a long way in connecting with the right audience. In some cases, PR proves to be an even more effective when relevance combines with credibility.
We are one of the leading ethnic marketing and PR agency in New York today. With over 14 years of experience in the field, we have helped numerous brands in connecting with culturally diverse audiences.
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