One of Many Tools

Advertising is just one of many tools in the marketing toolbox. It is very important and expensive and therefore it’s critical that the marketer get the most out of it.

Advertising and public relations operate very differently because we control the message in advertising. A good public relations person can cajole a journalist into doing a story but can’t be certain the outcome will be exactly how he or she wants it to be. In advertising we have total control: It is a product we can craft and that gives us the opportunity to craft it the way we wish.

Public relations can be highly effective, however, because most people find a positive story about a product or service in the press much more believable because it is a third-party endorsement. There is much to be said for an effective public relations campaign. Direct, interactive and guerilla marketing can also be significant tools under the right circumstance.