Advertising vs. Marketing

It is very common for people to mix up advertising with marketing and vice versa. Some people do not understand the difference between the two areas at all. Before beginning post grad, I often confused the two. Knowing the difference between them will help you determine which path you should take in terms of programs and colleges, job opportunities and companies.

Let's break them down.

Advertising
is a paid and public message from an identifiable sponsor.

• The company's message. 
• The firm's product/service is presented or promoted to existing and potential customers. 
• Getting the word out about what you are offering. 
• Finding the right medium such as TV, radio, print, digital etc. within your budget. 

With the outbreak of social media, there is an abundance of sources we use in advertising. Here we communicate the product to the desired audience to build brand awareness, brand loyalty and consumer engagement.

Marketing
is the systematic planning behind the campaign.

• The company's strategy. 
• Implements and controls business activities to bring buyers and sellers together for a mutually beneficial exchange. 
• Finding the right products or services that will appeal to the correct demographic. 

This term is broad and covers a variety of disciplines. In general, marketing is all about knowing your customer and understanding their needs and wants. Marketing develops the product, price and distribution. It focuses on the people who will buy these products.

Advertising and marketing are connected and work together to deliver the brand's message to the right consumers at the best time. To better understand this, think of marketing as a pie (Lake). Advertising would be a slice of that pie because advertising is a sub-area of marketing. However, there are other slices (areas) of marketing that need to work together to effectively sell the message to the right audience. These areas include but are not limited to media planning, marketing research, PR, distribution, sales, etc.

Marketing encompasses so many areas, you should be aware of all the opportunities available in the industry. Do your research and learn about each sub areas of marketing before making any decisions.

Resources:

Genow, Jacqui. "Marketing vs. Advertising vs. Branding." J. Genow Marketing, 26 May 2016. Web. 25 Jan. 2017. http://jgenowmarketing.com/marketing-vs-advertising-vs-branding/ 

Lake, Laura. "Key Differences Between Marketing and Advertising." What's The Difference Between Marketing and Advertising? The Balance, 25 July 2016. Web. 25 Jan. 2017. https://www.thebalance.com/marketing-vs-advertising-what-s-the-difference-2294825

Lovering, Nancy. "What Is the Difference Between Marketing and Advertising?" Small Business. Small Business - Chron, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2017. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/difference-between-marketing-advertising-25047.html

Sumner, Lee. "Marketing vs. Advertising." Ideba Marketing, 26 Apr. 2016. Web. 25 Jan. 2017. http://idebamarketing.com/marketing-vs-advertising/