The Differences Between PR and Marketing

By Yuki Gu, Account Supervisor

Have you ever felt like you are doing the job of a marketer when your title is PR?  What’s the difference?

 We were taught in PR classes that PR saves money and marketing makes the money. But, what does that mean? Are PR professionals the same as marketers nowadays?

 The short answer is that marketing is focused on promoting a specific product, service or idea; and increasing sales, while public relations is focused on maintaining a positive reputation for a company or person.

The long answer is we have different target audiences, focus, skills and measurements of success.  Here is a deeper look into how these two sectors differ:

Target Audiences:

PR:   All stakeholders, media and the general public

Marketing: Current and potential consumers

Primary Focus:

PR:   Managing messaging and communication channels to maintain a

positive brand awareness and building relationships

Marketing: Conducting advertising and other marketing initiatives that

will result in increased sales

Skills:

PR:    Changing minds. Messages can be more influential when

received through PR channels that are more credible than ads

Marketing: Selling. Advertising and other forms of direct marketing

skills to increase sales

Measuring for Success:

PR:   Gain positive media exposures and influencing a positive change

in the brand

Marketing: Measured by increases in sales

  It is inevitable that PR and marketers are going to work together for companies or organizations. Learning what both of them are doing and learning from each other serves better for the stakeholders and the public.

 Now, what does this mean for businesses? Is it important to distinguish and articulate between PR and marketing? With new technology and new platforms popping up to enhance communication between business and audiences, the two functions have become more complex and more distinctly separate from their roles. Let’s not forget their main purpose is to help businesses connect and attract the audiences. That said, the two functions should work together to focus on identifying the most effective tools for delivering their objectives instead of getting caught up on the differences to find the most effective communication strategy.

 The Takeaway

As consumers and stakeholders demands higher transparency in communications, both departments are vital to achieving a company’s long and short-term goals.