Marketing vs PR: Overview of Difference and Comparison
A study of marketing and PR can clearly define the difference in a single word, “Scope.” The scope of marketing is based on business to customer relationships. The scope of PR is based on emphasizing the business name, brand and product or service offering. For some businesses, these two differing scopes can overlap or blur, depending on the marketing or PR technique utilized.
Marketing and PR Overlap
In terms of marketing and PR overlap, this occurs most often in business related events like sales conventions and expositions where business name, product or service and buyers (customers) converge. However, marketing is traditionally the operative most closely linked to sales. The conundrum for some businesses is to avoid turning promotions into market that overlap. The link between marketing and PR becomes less perceptible. It’s generally the business owner who decides where the line between these two business segments is drawn.
Marketing as a Highly Refined Art
Marketing has transcended the difficulties of time and has become a highly refined art. The ability to delve deeply into the specified target market and develop marketing techniques that insure high volume sales is constantly evolving. Consider how products and services are marketed at present. Gone are the “in-your-face” style marketing techniques. These have been exchanged for a more subtle, yet powerful, marketing style focused on customer need. Creating customer need is the foundation of current marketing trends.
The Power of PR
PR venues have grown far more expansive and subject to a creative, hi-tech visuals and audio-visuals. The scope of a successful PR campaign can include advertising, social media, business blogs and websites and a virtually limitless venue for product and service commercials and ads. One of the most popular PR campaigns today include direct business owner to target market, televised interviews. The subtle sale of the business owner to a specified target audience allows the kind of open forum style that attracts a greater number of viewers. Social media is also proving to be a groundswell for PR by engaging viewers visually through viral presentations complete with script, actors and music. A single viral presentation can capture the widest audience imaginable.
Marketing vs. PR – Working in Tandem
The scope of marketing is solidly founded in the relationship between seller and buyer. PR is solidly founded upon enhancing trade name and offering. Both work in tandem to achieve business goals.
