Differences Between Marketing And Advertising

Differences Between Marketing And Advertising: Marketing and Advertising are two terms which are synonymous, but not conterminous; meaning that there are both very similar to each other, but cannot be used in place of another because they are totally different words. However, most people are yet to realize the wealth of differences which exists between Marketing and Advertising, even me was on the same pedestal for a while and I’m writing this Article for you all reading to also learn and know the differences between Marketing and Advertising.

Even though using the terms Marketing and Advertising interchangeably is understandable, especially with the advent of technological advancement wherein Copywriting has become a sort after skill, companies are now advertising their products on all social media platforms and Digital Marketers and influencers are effectively doing their work, it is quite difficult to differentiate between Marketing and Advertising as they seem to be the same and similar in operation, but like I said earlier there are quite some differences between them and in this Article I shall consider these differences as well as the meaning of both terms.

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Table of Contents

What is Marketing?

Marketing is basically the process of presenting, advertising, and selling a product in the best possible way. Marketing includes all the activities you do in order to promote your product, that’s why Marketing is often defined as the promotional process of bringing your products to the right marketplace for the right people at the right price.

Differences Between Marketing And Advertising

According to American Marketing Association, Marketing is the activity and processes for creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging products and offering services which has value for customers, clients, parties and the society at large.

There are two major kinds of Marketing which are: Business to Business (B2B) Marketing and Business to Consumer (B2c) marketing.

a. Business to Business Marketing is a marketing strategy which is employed by a business brand to target and sell their products to another business brand either for use in their production of goods or for use in general business operation, or for resale to other consumers.

b. Business to Consumer Marketing is the Marketing strategy a company employs to market and promote it’s products to consumers or tailored towards gaining new customers.

Both B2b and B2c Marketing strategy involves the 4p’s of Marketing which are: Product (What you sell), Price (how much you charge for what you sell; it is usually tailored according to what customers are prepared to pay for your product), Place (where Customers can buy your product), and Promotion (which includes the Marketing strategies employed go promote your product and gain more customers). These are the basic marketing strategies and it has to be married with either of the various types of marketing.

Similarities between advertising and marketing

Types of Marketing

1. Digital Marketing: This means promoting your product digitally through Computer and Smartphone on Platforms such as Websites, emails, Search engine, blogs, YouTube and the likes.

2. Global Marketing: This kind of Marketing involves reaching out to Customers at a Local, Regional, National and International level.

3. Social Media Marketing: Social Media Marketing is the marketing of a product using social media platforms to promote the product as well as gain and retain customers.

4. Offline Marketing: Offline Marketing requires Words of Mouth, Street Campaign, Radio broadcast, Television, Banner and sign posts to promote your product and gain customers.

5. Affiliate Marketing: This sort of Marketing entails a person raking in sale of your product and getting paid a commission for every sale made.

What is Advertising?

Advertising is the process of creating awareness and informing the public about a product or service in order to encourage people to buy the product or to patronize the service. Advertising involves Marketing a Product or Service to a targeted audience through Advertising Campaign, Online Ad’s, Retail advertising, Social media advertising, billboard, sign posts, mobile advertising, Newspaper, Magazine, Directories, Product promotion, Podcast advertising, and the likes which will help create awareness about a Brand and it’s products as well as get new consumers of this product.

Advertising is important as it helps a brand gain customers, helps to educate these customers on the nature of the product of the brand, makes these customers feel that the products are superior to others available at the Market, publicize the product to potential customers, attract new customers, retain existing customers, and improve Customers perception of your product.

I trust you now understand the respective meaning of Marketing and Advertising? What then are the differences which exist between them?

Differences Between Marketing And Advertising

1. Marketing is all the activities involved in promoting your goods and services. These activities include: Product Research, Product development, Product marketing, pricing, Marketing strategy, sale strategy, Advertising, and Public relations. However, Advertising is only a part of the marketing process. It is just one component of Marketing a product of service so as to inform the public and create public attention about a product.

2. From the foregoing, we can see that Marketing involves a Product, Price, place, people, promotion, and process. Whereas, Advertising only involves the promotion of a product.

3. Marketing is tailored at creating a market for your product, gaining customers, and building a strong brand reputation, but Advertising is tailored at just making the public know about your product and Service.

4. Not all Marketing is Advertising, while on the other hand all Advertising is Marketing.

5. Advertising particularly Social Media advertising is usually paid for as all ad’s online are paid ad’s, while Social Media marketing is usually unpaid for. For instance, a Brand which has a Social Media page doesn’t need to pay to post it’s product on their page, but if it wants to make other people other than it’s followers or a targeted Public audience to know about it’s product, then the brand will indulge in paid online ad’s, sponsored posts, promoted posts, paid advertising on Television or Radio, or mounting Billboard at strategic places.

6. Marketing is usually a long term process as it helps you build a Market for your product. Thus, it is a continuous and never ending process, whereas Advertising is a short term arrangement tailored at grabbing the attention of the public about your product and capturing new customers. Advertising therefore usually has faster results unlike Marketing.

7. Marketing is strategic in nature as you must have a definite plan aimed at achieving your Marketing goals, however Advertising is tactical in nature as it employs tactics which will help you to reach your target audience and to sell your product to this target audience.

8. Marketing is key to developing your brand, product and services, while Advertising on the other hand is just a key to creating awareness about your brand, product, or services.

9. Marketing prepares a Product for the Marketplace, whereas Advertising prepares a product for it’s target audience.

10. Marketing involves the study and research on Consumer behaviour and preference, while Advertising involves creativity, designs, customer analysis, and tactics got convincing customers in using a product.

11. Marketing is majorly tailored at product development, acquisition of new customers, and retaining existing customers, while Advertising is tailored attracting buyers of your product, informing the public about your product, compelling them to purchase your product through ad, informing your existing customers about the continued existence of your product and encouraging them to make more purchases.

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It is important to note that both Marketing and Advertising work hand in glove in ensuring the success of a product in the market. So therefore, there cannot be an effective marketing without advertising and likewise all Advertising is Marketing so therefore Advertising cannot exist without Marketing, and Marketing cannot survive without Advertising.

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.