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| Author | Topic: Marketing Versus Public Relations - Yes, There is a Difference |
Anonymous
Anonymous Poster
From Internet Network:
49.36.183.x
| posted: 11/19/2021 at 1:48:22 AM ET
Recently, a colleague of mine told a story about how management at his organization had arbitrarily decided to change the title of his department from "Public Relations Department" to "Marketing Communications Department." Surprised? You should be, but not just because they changed the department title on a whim.
What's surprising here is that management failed to realize that marketing and public relations are really two very distinct management functions, each ultimately having a significant effect on the organization as a whole. It's an all-too common mistake in today's business environment, and an easy one to make. Both are very similar in structure: they work to identify audiences, segment those audiences and set objectives. The purpose of public relations is not, however, to promote goods or services to increase sales, as marketing does.
This isn't to say that public relations and marketing don't work together. In fact, to achieve organizational goals, organizations should make use of both functions. Each makes its own special, but complimentary, contributions to building and maintaining the relationships necessary for an organization to thrive.
The Differentiating Factor Marketing always aims at an exchange, usually one that involves money. It is the management function that identifies needs and wants (consumer demand), offers products and services to satisfy those demands and causes some kind of transaction that delivers those products and services in exchange for something of value. It's the exchange between two parties bit that distinguishes this function from PR.
It's All Relative. Of course, public relations may, and should, assist in this process, but does so in a different way. Effective PR assists the overall marketing effort by maintaining relationships through gauging awareness, attitude, mitigating crises, controlling damage, enhancing opinions or through other specific objectives not directly linked to sales.
The Whole Picture. Organizationally, marketing is usually a line management function, the first level of management, with supervisory or team responsibility for individuals and tasks. Line management operates in real-time and works closely with the workforce to contribute to the goals of the organization. Public Relations, on the other hand, is a staff management function and one that provides counsel and other services to support line functions.
Not All PR Practitioners Are Spin Doctors. I know that when I said "enhancing opinions" you thought "Ah-ha! They really are only letting us hear what they want us to hear." The fact is that most PR professionals subscribe to a code of ethics, one that truly values and promotes honesty. What true PR professionals do is work at establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and its audiences, those folks on which the success or failure of the organization depends.
twenty7inc
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