How is PR different than advertising? Which works better?
PR and advertising reach audiences in different ways yet neither works better than the other. As consumers, we know that a paid advertisement is a company talking about itself. A good ad can be very successful. PR is other people – highly influential people – talking about your company. Whether it’s a review of a new product or service, a company profile, an event, a sponsorship or a trade story, the third person credibility produced by public relations carries much more weight than an ad. Advertising enjoys one significant advantage: every element of the message is controlled by the company that creates and pays for it. PR trades that control for credibility. Your ads and PR efforts should reinforce the same strategies, so potential consumers are getting the same message from several sources. PR can achieve editorial exposure in more publications than would be affordable for advertising. A well-organized strategic public relations campaign should be one of the most cost-effective expe
