The Wendt Agency is a full-service communications company. We work in partnership with our clients to create and implement strategic outreach efforts to meet their goals. That can mean selling a specific product, building brand awareness for a company, promoting a service to a niche target audience, creating a logo, putting together an event, and more. It’s exciting and creative work and we love what we do! But so many times we get questions about the different services we offer and what they are. Aren’t many of these just the same thing with different names?
Not really. While a lot of people will use the following terms to mean the same thing, they really each are about a different part of the outreach effort. What do these terms typically mean?
- This is a broader concept than either of the other two. Marketing involves creating a deep understanding of a company, its products or services, the needs of the potential customers and how those connect. It aims at establishing a long-term relationship between a company and its customers.
- You can think of advertising as a very big part of marketing. This is the tactical element. You know what your product is and what consumer needs it meets. Now, you need to get that information out to them in an efficient and effective way. Will you run radio ads? Facebook posts? OTT/CTV spots? Maybe – different audiences can be reached in different ways, but advertising is how you reach them.
PUBLIC RELATIONS:
- Public relations (PR) is also a component of a company’s overall brand strategy but, unlike advertising, it is focused on creating and maintaining an overall positive reputation for a company or brand. PR is less focused on sales and more focused on image. It also tends to use more organic outreach and less paid. PR tactics can include: press releases, kickoff events, blog content, articles, speaking engagements, and more.
All three of these can, and should, be working together. Connecting them all ensures your company has a unified brand message. Everything you say and do about your company ‘fits’ with everything else. Your imagery connects, your tone of voice is the same, your values and priorities are consistent. Your company lives its brand and is authentic in its communications with customers.
Overall, this really isn’t about any of these tactics being in competition with each other. It’s about them working together as a fully integrated outreach effort where each one plays its part to create success.
