What is the difference between Marketing and PR? 

There are many studies that debate this topic. Essentially I see Marketing as the umbrella term for the process of a brand researching & identifying a buyer’s needs, interests & wants, designing & developing a product or service to solve it, setting a price to sell it at & taking it to market with an impactful communications strategy & campaign that engages & excites the desired target audience to buy. PR is intrinsically linked to this and is part of the communications strategy however some say it is a separate role. There are a number of similarities & differences to consider

The Audience: 
Marketing aims to reach past, current and potential customers, whereas PR aims to build positive relationships with anyone who has an interest in the organisation or brand. This is therefore a broader audience that includes customers, press, employees & shareholders.

The goals: 
The primary goal of  marketing is to drive sales of a product or service however building loyalty with customers & the visibility of the company brand is part of that task. Whereas PR is about selling the brand & managing its reputation through positively managing communications between a brand and its diverse audience groups.

Measuring Success: 
Marketing is generally perceived as a cost or a business investment. PR is often classified as free exposure for increasing a brand’s reputation & success. In larger organisations Brand perception & reputation is measured holistically through surveys where the work of both PR & Marketing can be seen to contribute to success. Ultimately it is more difficult to measure perception, engagement & beliefs, a primary measure of the success of PR compared to a tangible sales figure.

Timeframes: 
The results of Marketing activities can be tracked in a relatively short time frame with tangible sales success or at the very least a level of interest that commences the sales cycle, whereas the benefits of sustained PR activity will be seen over a longer period of time & companies need to see this as an ongoing investment for future success.