"Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for."
PR and advertising help businesses and brands to communicate with new and existing customers. While these two factors share certain similarities, they also have distinct differences and benefits for a company. Learning to distinguish between the two is essential for managing client expectations and setting achievable KPIs.
Paid vs free:
The main measurable difference between the two is that PR results are earned through providing information to journalists, while advertising is about gaining paid advertorial coverage. This means that when PR teams work with reporters and editors to create a positive story about you and your business, it appears in the editorial section of the magazine, newspaper, TV station, or online, rather than the "paid media" section, with advertising messages.
Goals and objectives:
The aim of PR campaigns is to build brand reputation and coverage. This is created through creative campaigns, press releases and product outreach which position brands as industry leaders and build trust from the consumer.
Advertising campaigns are specifically created and placed to generate direct sales for the firm. The primary goal of the campaigns is often to drive sales traffic to a specific new product, rather than to build reputation or brand awareness.
Strategy:
PR focuses on the larger picture and long-term goals. PR professionals aim to provide valuable information to the public about a business and its products, and services. They take advantage of opportunities to work with with the media and produce stories to help their clients establish and retain a customer base. PR teams' work with journalists and editors is ongoing, allowing the public to see repetition of the brand name while reinforcing any brand values and messaging inside the story.
Advertising frequently works with considerably shorter-term goals. Ad copy is usually seasonal and reliant on times when purchasing is at a high. Advertisements can be used as many times as the budget allows, but they will only appear in sections where coverage has been bought.
PR and advertising help businesses and brands to communicate with new and existing customers. While these two factors share certain similarities, they also have distinct differences and benefits for a company. Learning to distinguish between the two is essential for managing client expectations and setting achievable KPIs.
Paid vs free:
The main measurable difference between the two is that PR results are earned through providing information to journalists, while advertising is about gaining paid advertorial coverage. This means that when PR teams work with reporters and editors to create a positive story about you and your business, it appears in the editorial section of the magazine, newspaper, TV station, or online, rather than the "paid media" section, with advertising messages.
Goals and objectives:
The aim of PR campaigns is to build brand reputation and coverage. This is created through creative campaigns, press releases and product outreach which position brands as industry leaders and build trust from the consumer.
Advertising campaigns are specifically created and placed to generate direct sales for the firm. The primary goal of the campaigns is often to drive sales traffic to a specific new product, rather than to build reputation or brand awareness.
Strategy:
PR focuses on the larger picture and long-term goals. PR professionals aim to provide valuable information to the public about a business and its products, and services. They take advantage of opportunities to work with with the media and produce stories to help their clients establish and retain a customer base. PR teams' work with journalists and editors is ongoing, allowing the public to see repetition of the brand name while reinforcing any brand values and messaging inside the story.
Advertising frequently works with considerably shorter-term goals. Ad copy is usually seasonal and reliant on times when purchasing is at a high. Advertisements can be used as many times as the budget allows, but they will only appear in sections where coverage has been bought.