There are still quite a few people who ask me about advertising and public relations; these two industries are very different even though they're commonly confused as being one and the same. Of course each can work on its own or they can go hand in hand as part of a campaign.
So let’s have a look at them and why they are so different.
1. Paid Space or Free Coverage
• Advertising:
The company pays for ad space. You know exactly when that ad will air or be published.
• Public Relations:
The aim is to get free publicity for the company. From news conferences to press releases, you're focused on getting free media exposure for the company and its products/services.
2. Creative Control Vs. No Control
• Advertising:
Since you're paying for the space, you have creative control on what goes into that ad.
• Public Relations:
You have no control over how the media presents your information, if they decide to use your info at all. They're not obligated to cover your event or publish your press release just because you sent something to them. If you sent the company logo or a photo along with the press release they might not be published.
3. Shelf Life
• Advertising:
Since you pay for the space, you can run your ads over and over for as long as your budget allows. An ad generally has a longer shelf life than one press release.
• Public Relations:
You only submit a press release about a new product or service once. You only submit a press release about a news conference once. The PR exposure you receive is only circulated once. An editor won't publish your same press release three or four times in their magazine or paper.
4. Wise Consumers
• Advertising:
Consumers know when they're reading an advertisement they're trying to be sold a product or service.
• Public Relations:
When someone reads a third-party article written about your product or views coverage of your event on TV, they're seeing something you didn't pay for with ad dollars and view it differently than they do paid advertising.
5. Creativity or a Nose for News
• Advertising:
In advertising, you get to exercise your creativity in creating new ad campaigns and materials.
• Public Relations:
In public relations, you have to have a nose for news and be able to generate buzz through that news. You exercise your creativity, to an extent, in the way you search for new news to release to the media. Creativity is essential to results in PR.
6. In-House or Out on the Town
• Advertising:
If you're working at an ad agency, your main contacts are your co-workers and the agency's clients. If you buy and plan ad space on behalf of the client then you'll also interact with media sales people.
• Public Relations:
You interact with the media and develop a relationship with them. Your contact is not limited to in-house communications. You're in constant touch with your contacts at the print publications and broadcast media.
7. Target Audience or Hooked Editor
• Advertising:
You're looking for your target audience and advertising accordingly. You wouldn't advertise a women's TV network in a male-oriented sports magazine.
• Public Relations:
You must have an angle and hook editors to get them to use info for an article, to run a press release or to cover your event.
8. Limited or Unlimited Contact
• Advertising:
Some industry pros have contact with the clients. Others like copywriters or graphic designers in the agency may not meet with the client at all.
• Public Relations:
In public relations, you are very visible to the media. PR pros aren't always called on for the good news.
If there was an accident at your company, you may have to give a statement or on-camera interview to journalists. You may represent your company as a spokesperson at an event. Or you may work within community relations to show your company is actively involved in good work and is committed to the city and its citizens.
9. Special Events
• Advertising:
If your company sponsors an event, you wouldn't want to take out an ad giving yourself a pat on the back for being such a great company. This is where your PR department steps in.
• Public Relations:
If you're sponsoring an event, you can send out a press release and the media might pick it up. They may publish the information or cover the event, it can be pre or post event.
10. Writing Style
• Advertising:
Buy this product! Act now! Call today! These are all things you can say in an advertisement. You want to use those buzz words to motivate people to buy your product.
• Public Relations:
You're strictly writing in a no-nonsense news format. Any blatant commercial messages in your communications are disregarded by the media.
Here is an example of what was done some time ago for the Environment Society of Oman (please visit their new website as it is really informative) and its anti plastic bag campaign:
Ad:
Press releases:
Feel free to contact me at any time for any questions. And remember....avoid using platic.
hi, i m Edoardo! i think your blog is nice and interesting because it s very simple to understand it! and i saw that you re one of the few people who answer in a fast way! that is very useful for me... i have a coulple of questions: why do the companies in oman choose to spend a lot of money just by advertisement? i saw on the newspapers that only few of them prefere a collaboration with p.r. agencies. what do you think about advertisement on internet? could it be stronger than the newspapers in the future? i know it depends about the kind of activity or business but as you know, there is a huge kind of different people on internet that could be a target..thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Edoardo, welcome to the blog. Advertising is very important of course but it is not the only way to communicate something to the general public or a specific segment. In Oman we definitely lack of originality and creativity in terms of marketing activities and probably printed and outdoor advertising is the easiest way to go for most companies. But do all companies get the ROI? Surely not. (only the printed press is laughing).
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to internet advertising we are seeing more and more presence of Omani companies in big portals such as Yahoo, Google, etc., but only the major ones can afford it and only for them it is really worth it. Internet advertising is still much unexploited in Oman and will surely increase in the years to come and, in my opinion, it will become bigger than printed advertising as it is already happening in the western world.
Hope I’ve been clear and answered your questions. Feel free to contact me at anytime and keep checking the blog.
yes.
ReplyDelete