The Distinction between PR and Advertising

Businesses know that there are a lot of ways to market themselves to customers, but they might not always make the distinction between one or two methods, due to their similar approaches. Two such marketing approaches that are often confused for one or the other are advertising and public relations (PR). By distinguishing the two, businesses can better select which approach suits their current marketing needs.

In advertising, a business pays for a spot to advertise on, such as a space on a news publication or a timeslot on television. Public relations, however, relies on the publicity generated through media exposure, also known as editorial. It does this through the use of news, press releases, product-launching events, and more. Whereas advertising allows companies to be creative with how they market their products or services, PR relies solely on how the media presents them and the quality of the story pitched.

Public relations has one distinct advantage over advertising: it does not try too hard to sell itself to customers. When consumers see advertisements, they know they are being sold something, and will take everything they see with a grain of salt. PR advertising, on the other hand, is usually seen as a more genuine depiction of the featured businesses. PR’s form of indirect endorsement is considered a lot more credible than mere advertising, while being subtle enough to entice readers.