When speaking about Marketing and PR I am often asked, ‘So what is the difference between the two?’

Marketing and PR have always been quite difficult concepts for the public to understand – I have even come across Marketing and PR Managers who have trouble distinguishing between the two.

There are conflicting opinions in the definition of Marketing and PR as the two are very closely related. With the growing popularity of digital media, the line is becoming increasingly blurred and the crossover seems even more intertwined than ever.

However, while both Marketing and PR are at their best when used together, there is a difference.

So what are the main differences?

Marketing is about sales. It is the act of raising a profile and promoting a product for sale. Its primary focus is on the customer; to meet customer demand and move goods from producers to distributors and consumers.

PR aims to maintain a positive reputation for a company as a whole and generally kicks in after the main stages of marketing.

PR is there to report or promote a product, ‘The value of PR flows from the ability to tell compelling stories and build relationships.’ Gavin Story, Senior Marketing Executive.

It’s easy to see how the lines become blurred when discussing the differences between Marketing and PR, as ultimately both are there to promote a company and its products. 

Marketing is more proactive and PR is more reactive.

Marketing is the overall process of boosting public awareness of a product and creates the responses that PR can then respond to. 

‘The key difference between marketing and promotion is the fact that promotion is a part of a company’s overall marketing mix. The marketing mix consists of price, product, place and promotion. Thus, marketing exists without promotion but promotion doesn’t exist without marketing.’ Ross Simmonds, Digital Adman

PR occurs at the final stages of the marketing mix as Ross Simmonds explains above. It promotes those marketing methods and focuses on maintaining the reputation of a company in the media through writing press releases; contacting media professionals and informing them of their organisation’s news; speaking about their organisation at public forums; writing business magazines and newsletters, and keeping records of when their company is mentioned in the press.

So which of the two should your business choose?

In many businesses, Marketing and PR have become intertwined and it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.

My advice for businesses is not to get too confused and caught up in defining the differences between Marketing and PR. Instead focus on identifying your business goals and then choose the most effective tools for delivering these objectives. With the rise in popularity of social media use, no doubt a bit of both will be required in your sales plan.

In my opinion, Marketing and PR are both equally important when it comes to promoting your business and should be used to complement one another – rather than used instead of one another.

‘The two shouldn’t be Vs. each other – they should be played as part of the same team!’ Neo PR

In a nutshell, you can’t market without doing a little PR, and you can’t do PR without a little marketing. 

What does this mean for your business?

While it’s important for companies to be able to understand the differences between the two, it doesn’t change the reality that Marketing and PR are as reliant on each other as a business is to its combined success. 

To conclude, PR and Marketing remain for now, two separate functions, however it is important to remember that cooperation and communication between the two is fast becoming essential to overall business success.

Elizabeth Hough, White PR and Marketing, Creative Director

For further information about your PR and marketing contact us today, White PR and Marketing, info@whiteprandmarketing.co.uk, elizabeth@whiteprandmarketing.co.uk, 07739109465.