Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Advertising is a subset of marketing.

Marketing is every public exposure of your business. Your letterhead, your signage, the way you answer the phone.

Advertising is the call to action.

Marketing comes first. Before you plunk a dollar down on advertising, you have your logo in place, the store is open (or planned to open).

1. Which serves what purpose?
Advertising involves using media to promote your product/service.
Marketing involves developing and implementing plans to meet/exceed your corporate goals (advertising being one tool that could be used).

2. Which is a sub-set of the other?
I agree with CarolBlaha - advertising is a subset of marketing. Marketing encompasses way more than marketing. Looking at the 4-Ps (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion), advertising is just a part of the Promotion P.

3. Which came first?
Carol answered which should come first when you are setting it up, but I think your question was which came fist (like the old chicken and egg question). I have no clue about the history of marketing, but think that could be an interesting read.

Hi Phil,

Thanks for your support. I see them as equally important subsets of the business and client (or customer) relationship and bonding process.

Advertising makes the announcements and shares the glad tidings.

Marketing sends out the invites, lays on the food and drink, greets the guests, makes sure everyone has a swell time,
and sends out the handwritten thank you cards.

Kind Regards,

—Gary B.

Marketing came first and is first. To me, it is the "umbrella" or the center of the wheel.

You've got to have an umbrella before you can use it.

Advertising is under that umbrella, a spoke on the wheel. Those spokes are the action elements that "market" your product, service, store, etc.

Advertising can be signage, print, web, social.

Under marketing, as the "umbrella" then, would also fall stuff like logo/image and sales efforts, etc.

Let's not forget the issue of problem and solution.

Without a problem ... an itch, an ache, a need, a want, a desire ... there's no real need for a solution.

The problem can be the rain or the sun. The umbrella staves them both off ... though with differing results.

Reminds me of the fable of the North Wind and the Sun.

Marketing and Marketing Communication are different things. Marketing Communication (including Advertising) is just one part of Marketing.

Marketing involves: (1) Understanding the consumer and customer at a deep level -- needs, habits, practices, beliefs, values, attitudes, awareness, etc.; (2) ensuring that the brand/product offering truly delivers against the consumers' needs; (3) communicating the offering and positioning benefit to the consumer; and (4) ensuring that the product is available when/where the consumer wants it, at a price that s/he is willing to pay. The objective is generally to maximize long-term profit.

So Advertising is one part -- albeit a very visible part -- of Marketing Communication, and Marketing Communication is one part -- albeit a very visible part -- of Marketing. To not include such elements as Pricing Strategy, Product Development, Sales, Distribution or Positioning would be to strip Marketing of most of its limbs. All that's left is Marketing Communication for something that probably will fail anyway (if it doesn't have the other things).

Marketing Communication -- and Advertising -- are just one of the many ribs in that umbrella.

Which came first -

The following references indicate that "advertising" appeared first followed by "marketing"

The earliest publication I found in the literature that had the term 'advertising' in its title (book or article):

[Greeley, Horace (1850), “The Philosophy of Advertising,” Hunt’s Merchants Magazine, Vol. 23, pp. 580-583]

The first USA marketing textbook published with the word 'marketing' in its title was in 1914:

[Butler, Ralph S., H. DeBower and J. G. Jones (1914), Marketing Methods and Salesmanship, NY: Alexander Hamilton Institute]

source: https://www.marketingpower.com/Community/ARC/Pages/Additional/History/Liter...
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Which is a sub-set of the other -

Along with the above experts, I think of "marketing" as an umbrella term for all activities that lead to sales and branding (in the minds of customers). I have also thought of marketing as a term for everything that contributes to the revenue side of the business equation, although I realize this might be a tad too broad to be practical as a definition.

Additionally, I think that product concept development and design are primary, and often overlooked, elements of marketing, e.g. the original iPod.

Good post Phil.

Steve

One of the first things you learn at Procter & Gamble is that great advertising is a colossal waste of money if you don't deliver a great product. So Marketing starts with great product.

And to build a great product requires that you really understand what consumers want and need. It's more than just "clean clothes." It's fragrance, easy-to-understand usage instructions, appealing appearance, the right amount of suds, bleach (or not), stain-removal (or not), packaging that makes it easy to use/understand the product, positive self-image (for the consumer), and a bunch of other things.

So Marketing has to get into all of that BEFORE Marketing Communications starts to create advertising or publicity of any kind. When you think of it this way, advertising becomes just one element of the communication process -- not nearly on the same scope as Marketing as a discipline.

Separately, notice that the skill set for a great marketer is somewhat different than that for an advertising creative. Marketers need to be keen analysts, able to glean insights from complex data sets. Advertising creatives need to be able to come up with words and pictures that will resonate with the target audience. Very different skills. (Yes, I know this is over-simplified. But you get the idea.)

I think effective marketing starts with a product that offers a great solution to a pressing problem.

The more value that the promise (and the delivery) of the product delivers through its use AND through its messaging, the more effective the marketing and the more powerful the embedding of the brand.

When you are talking about the "itch" the pain-- let me expand. Sometimes people don't know they are in pain-- and it's marketing to show them they are.

Marketing doesnt start with a product that offers a solution. Marketing creates the solution. Marketing creates the need for the solution.

We don't just buy for pressing problems. After marketing exposes the issue, the problem can become pressing. If it does, marketing is doing its job. Once the wound is exposed-- you want it to fester. Buy new gizmo, and the wound heals. It is marketing's job to educate you and show you that you are in pain and of need.

There was marketing before there was the word. Caveman A was a great hunter but Caveman B grew wonderful grain. So A went to B to trade. And told C, who also sucked at farming and also went to B. B was established as a great farmer and enhanced his life by word of mouth advertising.

I have been following JC Penney and their attempt at revamping The new CEO is from Apple and wants to incorporate some of those ideas. He started by eliminating sales-- which took out the urgency. It also took out the whole psychology of buying-- the hunt of the sale. It was a disaster. He blamed marketing for not getting the message out.

Apple is on a pedestal and doesn't need sales -- but JCP does. JCP has gone back to sales. And started to create stores within stores, upscaling the concept. Marketing is doing a very good job of getting that out. I've seen the prototypes and would love to experience one-- the design of the stores is part of the marketing plan. BUt will they lose the base biz as they transform? And where is the pain-- why do I need JCP vs Macy's? Wrong message IMO. Time will tell. As of right now, sales continue to slide. The store isn't a JCP, its more like a Dillards or Macy's-- still a crowded field. If this CEO fails, he will continue to blame it on marketing.

Which is probably- no news to anyone............

It's all good. Perception becomes reality ... marketing fans the flames, otherwise we'd all be out of a job.