Here at Escapade, we have the honour of being both a consumer PR agency AND a marketing agency. This means we have mastered these industries for our clients individually and together.
As the newest member of the team, it has been important for me to understand the key differences between consumer PR and marketing, and how they are both needed for a business to thrive.
So, let’s start with their definitions to see how they differ!
Consumer PR
As AdRoll explains, Consumer PR (which stands for Public Relations) “is the way a business communicates with the public- whether that’s getting their message out to employees, customers, or key stakeholders via the media.”
Consumer PR is for the long term. It is about maintaining a positive reputation of the business by leading with authentic and compelling stories that help consumers feel more connected with your brand. It is also about making important connections with the media and influencers to ensure your brand’s message is heard on a wider basis.
Typical jobs for a consumer PR agency could be:
- Writing a press release about an upcoming product launch.
- Building relationships with the media and influencers.
- Contacting media outlets to inform them of clients’ news.
- Keeping records of when their client was mentioned in the press.
- Managing and updating companies’ messaging.
Marketing
As reported by determ, “Marketing…focuses directly on the market, demand, and product. Its main goal is to promote the company, and as a result, increase sales”.
It is about retaining customers and attracting new ones to keep the business financially thriving by maintaining customer loyalty and trust in the products or services a business provides.
Typical jobs for a marketing agency could be:
- Creating advertising campaigns for product launches.
- Carrying out industry research to help drive marketing campaigns.
- Managing the company’s social media profiles.
- Securing traditional and digital advertising placements.
Why should they work together?
For businesses to be successful it is important for both the consumer PR department and the marketing department to work as a team as much as possible. This is because a company should have one mission statement that all their work ties back to- an overall vision.
Even though each team might have different goals, by being aligned on a mission statement audiences can expect a consistent brand message across all channels, making them more likely to purchase a product or service. As reported by AdRoll, “Customers are more apt to sing a brand’s praises and spurn organic word-of-mouth if they have a clear understanding of their brand values.”
Summary
Here at Escapade, we have the best of both worlds as a consumer PR agency and a marketing agency. Our blend of experts in both industries know just how important it is to engage with customers across the most relevant communications platforms, using the right language and tactics. Joining the team as an apprentice has meant it has been important for me to distinguish the objectives of both parts of the business individually first, so I then know how they can work together for the better!
Want to read more about the world of consumer PR and Marketing? Check out Escapade’s blog posts on 5 Marketing and Consumer PR Strategies from the Barbie Film and Mastering Crisis Management in Food and Drink PR!
In need of a consumer PR agency? Click through to our Contact page, we would love to hear from you!
Sources
https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-difference-between-marketing-and-pr
https://www.meltwater.com/en/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-marketing-and-pr
https://www.determ.com/blog/pr-vs-marketing/
Blog Cover Photo: Flash Vector/istockphoto.com
