Can YOU Spot the Difference?

Posted by Alex on Aug 30, 2011 in Blog Post | 0 comments

To the average bear, advertising, marketing, and PR are typically considered one in the same.  If you are currently thinking to yourself, “I thought they were one in the same?” then consider this your lucky day because breensmith has come up with some easy tips to help you remember the difference between advertising and PR. Thus, helping you become smarter than the average bear.

1. In advertising, the company pays for the space, therefore the advertiser knows exactly when/where the ad will air, where as in PR, the focus is to get free publicity & media exposure for the company, it’s products and/or services.
2. Not that we’re biased or anything, but the good thing about advertising is that advertisers get creative freedom when creating ads because they pay for the space they use. In addition to that, advertisers can determine how long an ad will run and where. In PR, there is no control over how the media presents your information, nor do they even have to cover your event or publish your press release. Bottom line, if you want it done right, do it yourself.
3. The consumers also play an intricate part in discerning between advertising and PR. When a consumer sees an advertisement they are aware of the fact that they are being enticed to buy a product/service, whereas with PR the consumer views a third party article differently than an ad because it isn’t paid for by advertising dollars so it is seen as move of an endorsement.
4. Last, but not least, the writing style is another component that serves as a distinguishing factor. Advertisers use “buzz words” to motivate people to buy their product and as a public relations expert, you’re strictly writing in a no-nonsense news format. The media will disregard any blatant commercial advertising messages in communications.

We hope you have found this useful and are now a little more versed on the differences between advertising and PR agencies. Leave a comment below if you would like to add more tips and help everyone become smarter than the average bear. Thanks!

-L. McGill