Public Relations distinguished from advertising

Public Relations distinguished from advertising

Definition of Advertising

1) “Advertising is communicating with and influencing someone to do something- usually to buy a product or service- and often something to think” about?

2) According to the Encyclopedia Britannica “Advertisement as a form of paid announcement intended to promote the sale of commodity or service, to advance an idea or to bring about some other effect, desired by the advertiser.”

3) The America Marketing Association has defined advertisement as “ any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or service by an identified sponsor” In others words, advertisement is the paid use of any channel of communication – radio, television , film , press etc. to identify, explain or to urge the use of adoption of a product, service or idea.

We shall take an example of advertising and analyses the various elements in it.

A brand of premium soap

Objectives of Advertising

n     To sell the brand to the target consumers.

n     To achieve repeat purchase

n     To achieve specified and targeted sales of the brand and profit for the company.

n     To capture a hare in the market

Message Communication: (What?)

The message in advertising is about the brand (Product or service). It creates awareness in the brand, puts across the plus points and special benefits to the user, and helps create brand loyalty. It is based on the consumer’s needs and motivation, on the one hand and competition in the market on the other hand.

Target Group: (To whom?)

1)     Women (or families/ household) from the higher income groups in urban areas.

2)     Modern, sophisticated and concerned on their own (or families) personal hygiene and complexion/ skin.

3)     To have purchasing power and want to buy/use products which are superior and premium quality.

Communication Media: (How?)

 

1 The Press- special women’s magazines, general magazines, newspapers

2 The television- the national network

3 The Cinema- in target markets

4 The radio- covering target markets

In other words, this is to be done through the mass media.

Timing of Activity: (When?)

Generally, all the year round, or in strategic bursts. The timing also depends on resources available and market situations, viz, user ship of the product by the target consumer.

Development of Message: (Where?)

The diffusion of the advertising message to any specific areas is related to the existing and potential markets for the brand. This is based on experience or market research. This is also directly linked with the company’s sales and market share objectives. Also the resources available to target the message in a specific geographical area and the desired in-depth coverage in terms of the brand within the company’s overall activities. The key deciding factor is the “potential of the market”

Public Relations

We shall analyze how the Public Relations expertise in a factory may help in solving a crisis (a strike).

Objectives of PR

n     To resolve difference through communication and facilitate negotiation between the management and the workers.

n     To bring the strike to an end.

Message Communication: (What?)

The message in such a public Relations situation is one that builds mutual confidence between the workers and the management. It projects that it is in the interest and benefit of both the worker’s demand and the management’s offer must be clearly understood in developing the message and a meeting point should kept in sight for the desired result  One needs remember that we dealing with human beings and not machines. This attitude will help greatly in evolving good and effective relations.

Target Group: (To whom?)

n     Workers

n     Union leaders

n     Others employees (including the management)

n     Outsiders (the customers, the suppliers, the press etc)

Communication Media: (How?)

n     Personal meetings- between the union leaders and the management representatives

n     Exchange of letters and facts with regards to the issue

n     Notice on notice boards

n     House journal

n     News sheets, posters and banners

n     Video magazines

n     Press releases (If the situation demands communication to the external target groups as well.)

Timing of Activity: (When?)

In the case of a strike at the factory, the communication exercise must begin as soon as it happens. It must be continued right through the negotiations and even for the period after the strike is over to retain /maintain the confidence of the parties concerned, other employees and the external target groups.

The right response at the right time with proper Public Relations is crucial in case of strike, and in the case of any Public Relations activity.

Development of Message: (Where?)

The PR message must match the objectives defined and the media in which it is going to be projected, especially in its tone of voice, words, and facts and figures. The Public Relations persons have to work in coordination with the labour office, the management and also with aggrieved worker.

The Public Relations effort has to be a multi- faced one to make an impact. It must make use of all the media possible in cohesive and planned manners, because the issue of the strike is very delicate and can have far- reaching consequences, if not handled well and even if handled well.

The Public Relations effort, whatever it may be, must open and honest in every respect and help to bridge the communication gap among various sections with in the organization as also between the organization and other external publics.

Advertising vs. Public Relations 

These two industries are very different even though they're commonly confused as being one and the same. The following ten properties just scratch the surface of the many differences between advertising and public relations.

1. Paid Space or Free Coverage

·         Advertising:
The Company pays for ad space. You know (Company) exactly when that ad will air or be published.

·         Public Relations:
Your job 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.

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 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.

4. Wise Consumers

·         Advertising:
Consumers know when they're reading an advertisement they're trying to be sold a product or service.

"The consumer understands that we have paid to present our selling message to him or her, and unfortunately, the consumer often views our selling message very guardedly," Paul Flowers, president of Dallas-based Flowers & Partners, Inc., said. "After all, they know we are trying to sell them."

·         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.

"Where we can generate some sort of third-party 'endorsement' by independent media sources, we can create great credibility for our clients' products or services," Flowers said.

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.

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 like Media Director Barry Lowenthal does, 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 such as Account Executive Trey Sullivan 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.

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.