Communications/Broadcasting

Advertising and public relations are two very different types of communication that businesses can use to promote their brand and increase sales. Although they share some similarities, there are some significant differences as well. The most important difference to understand is that, while advertising is paid media, public relations is not. Advertising often involves an expenditure of money to place the advertisement, such as a television or print ad, or pay for the distribution of promotional materials. With public relations, the company does not have to pay for the process. Public relations relies on building relationships and providing information to the public and media outlets which can then be shared with their audiences. The goals of public relations and advertising are also quite different. Advertising typically focuses on increasing sales and profits, while public relations focuses on increasing a company’s visibility with the public and media. It is a more subtle form of marketing and it focuses on creating a positive image for the company and its products or services. Two of the most influential pioneers in the field of public relations and advertising were Ivy Ledbetter Lee and Edward Bernays. Lee developed the “public relations counsel” approach that focused on openly and honestly sharing information with the media to maintain good relationships with them. He believed in communicating the truth so that the public’s confidence was earned rather than paid for in an advertisement. Bernays is widely credited with helping to popularize the concepts of consumer targeting and psychological advertising