The Real Difference Between PR and Advertising PDF

**[The Real Difference Between PR And Advertising]** By **Robert Wynne** There's an old saying:  \"Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for.\" This is a great ice breaker for entrepreneurs and PR practitioners who need to explain public relations.  It's also a good starting...

**[The Real Difference Between PR And Advertising]** By **Robert Wynne** There's an old saying:  \"Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for.\" This is a great ice breaker for entrepreneurs and PR practitioners who need to explain public relations.  It's also a good starting point for the general public.  While there are dozens of good articles on this topic most people -- even professionals who should know better- still don't know the difference between advertising and public relations. As a marketing employee of an Asian-based sporting goods company recently wrote me, "We don't need public relations right now, we are happy with our advertising agency in San Francisco." Advertising is paid media, public relations is earned media.  This means you convince reporters or editors to write a positive story about you or your client, your candidate, brand or issue.  It appears in the editorial section of the magazine, newspaper, TV station or website, rather than the "paid media" section where advertising messages appear.  So your story has more credibility because it was independently verified by a trusted third party, rather than purchased. 670px-times\_square\_newsstand Newstands in New York (Photo credit: Wikipedia) "The idea is the believibility of an article versus an advertisement, says [[Michael Levine]](http://lcopublicity.com/), a well- known publicist and author of the book, *Guerilla P.R. *"Depending on how you measure and monitor, an article it is between 10 times and 100 times more valuable than an advertisement." A recent study from 2014 by Nielsen commissioned by inPowered on the role of content in the consumer decision-making process concluded that PR is almost 90% more effective than advertising: "On average, expert content lifted familiarity 88 percent more than branded content..." but I think that's low.  With advertising, you tell people how great you are.  With publicity, others sing your praises.  Which do you think is more effective?  Here's a summary of the differences: **Forbes Daily: Join over 1 million Forbes Daily subscribers and get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day's news in your inbox every weekday.** Sign Up By signing up, you agree to receive this newsletter, other updates about Forbes and its affiliates' offerings, our [[Terms of Service]](https://www.forbes.com/terms-and-conditions) (including resolving disputes on an individual basis via arbitration), and you acknowledge our [[Privacy Statement]](https://www.forbes.com/privacy). Forbes is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google [[Privacy Policy]](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [[Terms of Service]](https://policies.google.com/terms) apply.  Steve Cody of Inc. magazine notes "Countless studies report that, next to word-of-mouth advice from friends and family, editorial commentary (usually generated by your friendly, behind-the-scenes PR practitioner) carries far more weight than advertising." "It\'s not difficult to understand why," Cody says. "Advertising continues to embrace an antiquated, top-down, inside-out way of communicating. It reflects senior management\'s view on what a consumer or business-to-business buyer should think is important. PR, on the other hand, depends upon listening to the conversation and understanding the who, what, when, where, why and how of engaging in the discussion. Public relations executives excel in storytelling and, typically, present a perceived problem (i.e. childhood obesity) and their client\'s unique solution (i.e. a new type of fitness equipment designed by, and for, pre-teens)." Crosby Noricks, writing for the [[Independent Fashion Bloggers]](http://heartifb.com/2013/10/23/the-difference-between-pr-marketing-and-advertising/) writes: "Implied third-party endorsement by an editor can carry more credibility among potential customers. For example, let's imagine a young, professional woman flipping through Lucky Magazine.  A full-page advertisement from Diane von Furstenburg featuring a wine-colored wrap dress may have less impact on her than if a fashion editor lists the dress as her 'fall must-have, noting the flattering shape. The idea here is that the editor is a fashionable, industry expert, and as such that editor weilds a greater influence on our young professional friend, flipping through the magazine for a dress she to her job interview next week." The best analogy for public relations, Levine says, is gift wrapping, "If I went to visit a woman today and gave her a gift in a Tiffany box, it would have higher perceived value than if I just gave it to her plain.  Because she and you and I live in a culture where we gift wrap everything, our politicians, TV stars and even our toilet paper. Almost every article you read or see in the media is "gift-wrapped" or originates from a public relations agency.  Think about it:  A new smart phone.  An attack from a Congressman criticizing the President.  The latest report on glaciers melting in Antarctica.   None of these stories appear out of nowhere and end up in front you of and millions of other consumers.  All of these stories were written, tested, practiced and formulated by publicists, staffers, speech writers or corporate experts before being sent to reporters who processed the information, rejected some assertions, accepted others, then decided to produce a news product. Most reporters work at their desks.  With newspaper and magazine readership plummeting, and cable TV news viewers decreasing due to the Internet, there are a lot less journalists working today than 20 years ago.  So instead of "beating the bushes" by calling sources, visiting government agencies and factories and investigating stories the old-fashioned way, many journalists rely upon sources at tech companies, government agencies, industry spokesman or citizen groups to feed them information.  Reporters need to churn out stories quicker than ever, and many don't have budgets or time to travel. All sources have agendas, some good, some bad.  Look at the Keystone XL Pipeline.  Proponents claim it will add 30,000 permanent jobs, restore America's energy independence, and construction poses no danger to the environment.  Opponents counter that once the pipeline is built, only 34 jobs will be created, most of the benefits go to the supplier, Canada, and the main customer, China, while construction over a critical aquifer could endanger the drinking water of millions of Americans. Or check out the fawning coverage of every single [[Apple]](https://www.forbes.com/companies/apple/) product the past decade.  It is well-known inside the media that [[Steve Jobs]](http://www.forbes.com/steve-jobs/) personally called many important journalists and alternately charmed and bullied them.  The brand remains incredibly valuable today thanks to his PR efforts which continue to add value years after his death. Public relations is like plutonium.  It can be used for good or evil, depending on your viewpoint.  Take Edward Bernays, a saucy fellow widely believed to be the father of PR. In his obituary, the New York Times reported "Mr. Bernays was one of the first people to expand what had been a narrow concept of press agentry, or working to influence government policy, into a far more ambitious \-- and controversial \-- realm of seeking to influence and change public opinion and behavior." The nephew of Sigmund Freud, Bernays understood human nature and the psychology of motivation like few people on earth.  A few of his innovations he pioneered that are widely used today include: - - - - Another huge difference between the two methods is price.  A former client purchased one full-page ad in a popular weekly newsmagazine that cost him \$125,000.  He expected a wave of phone calls, viral media and multiple conversations about the ad.  Instead, he got zero.  In contrast, getting quoted in the New York Times, Forbes and Reuters resulted in national speaking invitations, calls from new and existing clients, and solid credibility.Obviously, not everyone can afford \$125,000, but advertising can be expensive when you figure the cost of the space or time plus the creative designs and production costs.  And most advertisements need to be repeated several times before the consumer can be influenced. With the advent of social media, a great story in a magazine, TV or newspaper can last a long time with emails, posts, re-posts and tweets.  Of course, you can always post something clever about denture cream or the coolest new taco chips on your [[Facebook]](http://www.forbes.com/facebook-ipo/), but don't expect a lot of "likes."  Or influence. Robert Wynne [**[Robert Wynne]**](https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwynne/) I'm a public relations professional based in Manhattan Beach, California with a specialty in higher education. I write about public relations and marketing with targeted advice on how to\... Read More - [[Editorial Standards]](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesstaff/article/forbes-editorial-values-and-standards/) - [[Forbes Accolades]](https://www.parsintl.com/publications/forbes/) [[Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/)[Entrepreneurs](https://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/old/)] 8 Key Attributes Of People Who Achieve Real Innovation [**[Martin Zwilling]**](https://www.forbes.com/sites/martinzwilling/) Contributor *Martin Zwilling is the Arizona-based founder of Startup Professionals* Jan 23, 2025,12:54pm EST - - -  People using VR glasses and laptop in modern office getty Based on my business consulting experience, I've often wondered why innovation in mature companies most often seems to come from acquiring outside entrepreneurial efforts, rather than nurturing a culture of innovation internally. I'm now convinced mature companies put more value on repeatability with minimal change, so they seek and nurture employees who don't innovate. Times have changed. In this age of rapid market evolution and global competition, an owner's ability to stay competitive has become more innovation-people-based, with the leadership to quickly react with solutions as challenges occurs. Your task today is to recognize and nurture team members who have the right capabilities and mindset to make needed changes happen. Here are my high priority recommendations, based on working with many entrepreneurs, that you need to recognize and nurture team members who have the innate capabilities and mindset you need to keep your business competitive today and tomorrow, no matter how big the challenge: 1. **Seek a track record of generating impactful ideas and solutions.** Look for people who are not loners, communicate well with peers and leaders, and are not afraid to raise issues and advocate for change. They need to show an independent spirit and an image of hard work, tackling challenging issues, and a record of success in things they do. 2. **Find people driven to find real answers to personal challenges. **Most of us are easily discouraged by tough problems, and content to work around them with conventional tools. Innovators are the ones who are energized by challenges, start by searching for the root cause, and never give up until they find a solution, even if unconventional. MORE FOR YOU **Samsung's Android 15 Update---Bad News For Galaxy S24 Owners** **Samsung Reveals 'Game-Changer' Blood Glucose Monitoring To Outdo Apple Watch** **The Best Spy Thriller On Netflix Just Returned With A Fantastic New Season** 3. **Show an ability to integrate disparate elements into a solution. **To the rest of us, it may appear that these people are a storehouse of random disconnected ideas. Yet, somehow they are always able to make connections that seem to make sense. Many of the solutions offered may not work, but failures are not a deterrent to these innovators. 4. **These always ask "why" rather than work around a problem. **They tackle every challenge with passion rather than accept the consequences as a given. If you know someone who gets excited and passionate about their problem solving efforts, reward them for every step forward, and provide feedback and encouragement to keep moving. symbol 00:01 03:36 Read More 5. **Willing to take risks and tolerate many pivots and failures. **To an innovator, risks are exciting and energizing, and failures are looked at as learning experiences. They embrace change and ambiguity, are comfortable thinking outside the box, and love to debate the value of their innovation with team members and investors. 6. **Never afraid to ignore how "things have always been done."** These people are always looking for new and more efficient ways to do things, so may be seen as troublemakers in conventional organizations. They are happiest and most productive in roles that involve blazing new trails or keeping up with new technologies and cultures. 7. **Always positive that they can achieve buy-in on a goal.** Innovative people are always convinced that their solutions will be seen solving an important challenge for the rest of us. To this end, they may be a bit shortsighted on the global view of their solutions, but since they never give up on their perspective, people are converted and results happen. 8. **Anxious to enlist supportive partners to sell their solution. **True innovators enjoy the challenge of soliciting support for their innovation and recognize the need to proceed through implementation and marketing. They solicit partners with complementary skills and access to required platforms and customers to accomplish acceptance and success. An overall challenge while integrating the right people into your teams is providing a safe and nurturing environment for people with the right attributes, from the lowest level of the organization all the way to the top. You must demonstrate a new focus on people leadership, rather than just process and product. This requires new levels of communication, collaboration and mentoring. Every entrepreneur knows that innovation is the key to success in a startup. It's up to you to adopt that same mentality for your mature business and maintain a team culture for long-term viability and success today. *Follow me on [[Twitter]](https://www.twitter.com/StartupPro). Check out my [[website]](https://www.startupprofessionals.com/). *  [**[Martin Zwilling]**](https://www.forbes.com/sites/martinzwilling/) Martin Zwilling is the founder and CEO of Startup Professionals, a company that provides services to startup founders and small business owners. He has a 40-year track record of \... Read More - [[Editorial Standards]](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesstaff/article/forbes-editorial-values-and-standards/) - [[Forbes Accolades]](https://www.parsintl.com/publications/forbes/) [[Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/)[Entrepreneurs](https://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/old/)] 7 Marketing Strategies That Win With Today's Customers [**[Martin Zwilling]**](https://www.forbes.com/sites/martinzwilling/) Contributor *Martin Zwilling is the Arizona-based founder of Startup Professionals* Jan 19, 2025,03:07pm EST - - - Augmented reality marketing. Hand holding smart phone use AR application to check information Augmented reality marketing. Hand holding smart phone use AR application to check information getty Over my years of experience mentoring entrepreneurs and small business owners, I have noticed that customers are paying less and less attention to traditional outbound marketing channels, in favor of more participative initiatives, including interactive social media events and sharing feedback with friends and peers. You need to capitalize on this trend to get advocates today. I believe this is being driven by instant worldwide communication via the Internet, and a growing sense of longing to be part of a special community, or even an influencer to enhance your value to others. Examples of this new type of marketing include Nike's "Just Do It" campaign to share personal fitness journeys, and Lego Ideas, allowing fans to submit their own Lego set designs. Some marketing experts see this trend as an evolution from changing your marketing role from searching or hunting for new customers, to farming the ones who already see and like what you have to offer. In any case, here are my recommendations for practical ways to get you started in this new direction: 1. **Create a business purpose storyline and showcase it. **Highlight your product or service with a customer-relatable story, preferably around a higher cause, such as saving the environment or helping the disadvantaged. This allows customers to remember your brand and encourage advocacy to their community of followers and friends. 2. **Launch multiple experiments to learn what works.** Take advantage of the wide range of marketing alternatives, including social media, direct contact, and traditional channels, to see quickly what gets traction, and follow up to learn from failures. Potential customer advocates are quick to provide feedback via smartphone and new technologies today. MORE FOR YOU **Samsung's Android 15 Update---Bad News For Galaxy S24 Owners** **Today's NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Friday, January 24th** **Heidi Montag Sues Los Angeles And City Utility Department After Home Is Destroyed By Palisades Fire, Report Says** 3. **Establish goals that you are willing to share with all.** You need to break the old-fashioned customer assumption that all your focus is on financial results and killing competitors. These goals will help create a sense of trust and collaboration in your initiatives, as well as provide feedback on your progress or need for pivots along the way. 4. **Lead with a minimum viable product (MVP) and iterate.** Long development cycles for marketing initiatives seeking perfection only risk being overrun by competitors, and don't keep up with current customer demand for innovative change. Reserve a portion of your marketing budget for incremental updates as you learn from early customer feedback.  00:02 03:36 Read More 5. **Nurture partnerships with complementary providers.** With today's culture, marketing blends of products that benefit your brand is well worth the investment and encourages advocacy for the combined solution. Seek marketing agencies that can get you access to the right partners and can help you put together innovative multi-vendor solutions. 6. **Engage innovative agencies willing to share risks. **Traditional marketing agencies typically recommend low-risk marketing programs and tend to charge extra for any pivots and failures. In this new customer environment, you need to try more innovative programs, so embrace more risk and anticipate some failure to complete your learning. 7. **Incent customers to provide feedback quickly and often.** Use smartphone technology and terminals at checkout to become advocates as part of every transaction. Use discounts and rewards to get their attention while they are in the mood. Follow up as required to keep their attention and facilitate messages to friends and family. Without these initiatives, I often see great products get little or no traction with expensive traditional marketing. These days, big marketing budgets without the right focus don't guarantee the results you need. It is time to ask your customers to participate, try some experiments, and measure the results. Make your investment in customer relationships, and reap the rewards.