1+1+x=Marketing?

I have been interning at The Nouveau Image for about two months now. As I mentioned in my last post it has been a very interesting, and awarding experience. This experience, however, has allowed me to explore something that I have not been able to experience in the classroom. What am I talking  about you ask; I am talking about the difference between Public Relations (PR) and Advertising.

I am an Advertising major with a focus in account management. From my academic experience advertising is the art of persuading a consumer to purchase a product and/or service. In advertising we take a product and/or service and with the use of qualitative and quantitative research, creative wording and art, correct placement (billboard, television, etc), and the perfect target audience, we are able to convince consumers that this is a product that they need. We are able to convince consumers to purchase by playing on their emotions. Many times we are selling a feeling. Our primary purpose is to get people to purchase/consume/utilize our product and/or service. Advertising is what generates so much revenue in the United States and throughout the world

Working at the Nouveau Image is quite different. Many of the things that I learn here are Public Relations based. There is some knowledge of advertising that is required, but it is mostly PR. PR seems to be developing and/or maintaining a positive image for a business and/or an individual in order to keep consumers wanting more. In public relations they put out positive press about a business or individual. In public relations they will promote events that will put the business and/or individual in a positive light. When something negative is said about a business or individual they know how to persuade an audience to think differently.

Though advertising and public relations are quite different they work hand in hand with one another, which I have been able to see from interning here at The Nouveau Image. I will give an example; one of The Nouveau Image’s clients was being featured on the NBC 10 Show. An advertiser would put an ad on the NBC 10 channel mentioning that the client would be featured on the NBC 10 Show that day. A person in public relations will make sure that they client is represented in the best light when they are on the NBC 10 Show.

Both Advertising and PR are very interesting. I hope to continue to delve into the art of both, and continue to learn as much as I can while I am interning at The Nouveau Image.

Here’s a GREAT link to show the difference between PR and Advertising.

Band at the NBC 10 Show