The Difference Between Marketing, Advertising, and PR

Marketing, advertising, and public relations are often mistaken for one another. Just like a classic Scooby-Doo mystery, we’re pulling back the mask to reveal what’s really behind them. And we would’ve gotten away with it too… if Ric hadn’t hopped into the Mystery Machine to solve the case, to uncover the truth behind each.
Is marketing setting the overall strategy? Is advertising delivering the message? Or is PR shaping public perception? The lines may be blurry, but by the end, you’ll know exactly how each plays a role in business success.
💡 What you’ll learn:

- Why businesses often confuse the three and how to use each effectively
- How to tell if your business needs marketing, advertising, or PR (or all three!)
- Real-world examples of how each plays a role in brand success

Sutherland Weston Marketing Communications, Maine's Premier Marketing and Public Relations Company, presents The Briefcase—quick, insightful conversations delivering actionable tips for business & marketing success.

Got questions for our team? Connect with us at SutherlandWeston.com!

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
I accepted the invitation tospeak, and when I asked, what
do you want me to talk about?
He said, oh, marketing,advertising, public relations.
It's all the same.
And I said, this is a job forScooby and the Mystery Inc. Gang.
This is The Briefcase from SutherlandWeston Marketing Communications.
Quick conversations from everydayobservations, delivering practical

(00:21):
marketing ideas you can carry with you.
I'm Ric Tyler, one of SutherlandWeston's audio video idea engineers.
A couple years back, a friendasked if I would come speak to a
civic organization in Bucksport.
And when I asked, what doyou want me to talk about?
He said, oh, marketing, advertising,public relations, it's all the same.

(00:42):
And I said, this is a job forScooby and the Mystery Inc.
Gang,
where,
and here's how I use the HannahBarbar cartoon to explain the.
Differences among the three.
Maybe we can help him solve this mystery.
Freddy wants Daphne to go on a datewith him to the malt shop scenario one

(01:04):
Freddy walks up to Daphne and says, Hey,dph, wanna go dancing at the malt shop?
That is advertising adirect offer seeking a sale.
Not too tough to find an exampleof this in our world with an online
or over the air commercial offeringa special deal on chocolate syrup.
Chocolate syrup, nothingthat's samples of crude oil.

(01:25):
Oil in a gold mine.
Hey, this mystery isreally getting mysterious.
Scenario two, Freddie buys a newand stylish orange Ascot noting that
Daphne's favorite color is orange.
It's groovy.
That is marketing.
Making yourself or your productsor services look more attractive
to potential customers.

(01:45):
A real life example of this might be apizzeria sharing images of their deep
dish signature pie on social media.
Give me liberty.
Or give me pizza pie Scenario three.
Freddy bribes Scooby with Scoobysnacks to sit in the middle of
the road while Shaggy drives themystery machine right toward Scooby

(02:07):
Freddy.
At the last moment, swoops into the road,scoops up Scooby and places the Great
Dane safely on the other side of the road.
As Daphne watches, he's caught him.
That is a rather odd example ofpublic relations doing things to
inspire a positive perception ofyourself within your community.
A more common example of this mightbe the mom and pop shop offering

(02:30):
something for the booster club raffleto support the little league team.
Truth be told, I got some strange looks.
As I left the speaking engagement, yes,I might have gotten away with it too.
It wasn't for these blastedkids and their dogs.
A few days after the event, I got anemail from a business person in Bucksport
who said, thanks for the explanation.

(02:51):
They said they had a betterunderstanding of marketing, public
relations and advertising, andthey were now rethinking their
strategies for growing their business.
You have been listening to.
The Briefcase from Sutherland WestonMarketing Communications got a question
for the Sutherland Weston team.
Email us at sutherland weston dot com.