Marketing is not Advertising

Or I should say, Marketing is not just Advertising. I’m amazed at how many folks think these terms are interchangable. Call up a company and ask about their marketing plans. Some will tell you, “Well, we’ve got an ad in the paper and in the phone book.” Others will say, “We just launched our newly-redesigned website.” Still others will say, “We don’t really do marketing. Just never thought about it.”

Advertising is reaching an audience through a particular medium. Selling yourself to the masses. That’s advertising, plain and simple. Marketing is a whole different animal. Marketing is wrapped up in brainstorming till you get a creative concept. Then building an entire campaign strategy behind that concept. It’s the idea, mostly. I don’t know how, but someone came up with the “Bow-chicka-wow-wah” for Axe™ Shower Gel. Then came the commercials, radio spots, provocative magazine spreads and the general idea that no matter what, if you shower with this gel, women everywhere will automatically be on you like a pack of lions on a small gazelle. All of it centered around that lust-filled cry that the woman on television uttered. No matter all the different forms of advertising was done, there was a lot of planning and thought put into that campaign. And it paid off.

Too many folks only advertise when they’re having a sale or simply because all of their competitors are. Don’t get me wrong–you should get your name out there–but how much money is wasted on thoughtless advertising instead of invested in a good, well-rounded marketing mission?

Get the idea. Formulate a plan. Reach a certain audience. Surround everything with this great idea you have so that anyone who hears it knows who it means. Your company and the concept become interchangeable. And then advertise.

3 Responses:

1. pradeep:

   nice post

   Jan 30th, 2009 at 9:13am

2. G Web:

   Its become in the minds of many people the same thing. I think the Internet has changed the way people understand the difference. Like PPC is advertised by all the top players as Search Engine Marketing, when it is search engine advertising. Plan vs Attract.

   Mar 19th, 2009 at 2:49pm

3. schuessler:

   advertisments are for marketing. But not the other way.

   Jul 15th, 2009 at 3:35pm

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