The line between public relations (PR) and marketing has become hazy. While strict practitioners can rattle off the theoretical differences, the application of each discipline tends to bleed into the other. At its simplest point, PR centers on the elements of building and maintaining a brand’s image. Marketing leans toward the promotional side with a focus on sales.
Perhaps the easiest way to understand the difference is to consider what a PR professional might do during the course of a day, versus what someone in marketing may hope to accomplish.
Tasks handled by a PR rep could include the following:
- Writing, releasing, and following up on press releases
- Creating company messaging for print and online
- Establishing credentials for company representatives by landing editorial opportunities or booking speaking engagements
- Pitching stories to media or industry journals
- Managing a company’s crisis situations
A person in marketing, on the other hand, would see their day filled up with responsibilities like the following:
- Building and organizing a marketing campaign
- Creating material, such as a website, video, print collateral, or social media strategy to support the marketing campaign
- Finding opportunities to push the campaign material through traditional channels like radio and TV, and non-traditional channels such as social media, blogs, or online advertising – basically, strategies not used often in a particular industry
- Measuring outcomes of the marketing campaign
- Working with sales to leverage marketing materials in their efforts
Is your company looking for ways to further define PR and marketing opportunities? Contact us today to learn more.