The terms marketing and advertising are often used interchangeably — even by people in these industries. This may lead people to believe that they’re synonymous, but there are actually significant distinctions between the two. 

While both relate to connecting with your target audience, they typically carry different connotations. When people think of advertising, they often think of billboard advertising, TV commercials, YouTube ads, social media ads, Mad Men… the list goes on. But marketing can be a little less tangible. 

We’ve created this marketing vs. advertising guide to break everything down into simple terms. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What is marketing?
• What is advertising?
• Big difference between marketing and advertising
• Types of marketing
• Types of advertising
• Job differences between marketers and advertisers

What is Marketing?

Marketing is the sweeping strategy that involves researching, creating, promoting, and selling products or services. It is the process of identifying and understanding customer needs and desires, then developing products or services that satisfy those needs. 

Marketing is not just about selling; it’s about creating value for the customer and building long-term relationships.

Marketing Components

When it comes to the different components of marketing, you may hear the phrase “Marketing Mix.” Coined by advertising professor Neil H. Bordon, Marketing Mix involves 4 P’s that are essential to marketing a product: Production, Price, Place, and Promotion. A few other P’s have been identified since Bordon conceptualized the mix including: people, process, and physical evidence. 

Here are some primary marketing components:

• Market Research: Gathering and analyzing data about the market, competitors, and customers.
• Product Development: Creating or refining products or services based on market needs.
• Branding: Establishing a brand identity that resonates with the target audience.
• Pricing Strategy: Determining the optimal price point for products or services.
• Distribution Channels: Selecting the best channels to deliver products or services to customers.
• Customer Engagement: Building and maintaining relationships with customers through various channels.
• Marketing Strategy: Where and when to launch a product and campaign.
• Product Launch Plan: The process of adding a new product to the market. The promotion strategy to coordinate all paid and organic marketing campaigns aimed at creating product awareness, and ensuring a successful product launch.

Marketing is both a science and an art. You should know the right things to offer, the right things to say, when to say them, who to say them to, etc. Check out our blog post on how to create a marketing plan for a deeper dive.

What is Advertising?

Advertising is a subset of marketing that involves the paid promotion of products, services, or ideas to a target audience to encourage sales quickly. It is one of the tools used within the broader marketing strategy to create awareness, generate interest, and drive sales. Advertising is often what people think of first when they hear the term “marketing,” but it’s just one piece of the puzzle — one that drives sales.

Advertising can take many forms, including TV commercials, online ads, billboards, print ads, radio spots, and more. The primary goal of advertising is to communicate a message to a large audience, encouraging them to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or engaging with a website (e.g., filling out a form).

Advertising Components

• Creative Design: Crafting the visual and textual elements of the ad.
• Media Planning: Selecting the right platforms and times to run the ad as well as determining the target geography.
• Targeting: Defining the audience and their location that the ad will reach.
• Budgeting: Allocating funds for the ad campaign.
• Performance Tracking: Measuring the effectiveness of the ad through metrics like impressions, clicks, and conversions for ROI and KPIs.
• Optimization: During campaign, adjusting according to higher and lower performing media tactics to ensure a better campaign performance.

The Big Difference Between Marketing vs. Advertising

While marketing and advertising are closely related, the key difference lies in their scope and purpose. 

Marketing is an overarching strategy that encompasses everything from market research to customer service, with the goal of creating value and fostering long-term customer relationships. 

Advertising, on the other hand, is a specific tactic used within that broader strategy to communicate with potential customers and promote a product or service. Both have the ultimate goal to increase sales.

In other words, marketing is the plan, and advertising is how to execute that plan. Without marketing, advertising would lack direction and purpose — and it would fail to achieve the desired outcome of increased sales and enhanced brand identity. Marketing sets the stage for advertising by identifying the target audience, understanding their needs, and determining the best way to reach them.

Types of Marketing

Marketing can be divided into various types, each with its unique focus and methods. Here are some of the most common types of marketing:

1. Content Marketing: Creating and distributing valuable content to attract and engage a target audience.
2. Search Engine Marketing: Using SEO (search engine optimization) tactics to enhance a website’s rankings for relevant searches and overall performance on search engines.
3. Influencer Marketing: Partnering with influential individuals to promote products or services to their audience.
4. Brand Marketing: Building and maintaining a strong brand identity that resonates with customers.
5. Event Marketing: Promoting products or services through events, such as trade shows, conferences, and webinars.
6. Email Marketing: Sending targeted emails to nurture leads and drive sales.
7. Social Media Marketing: Leveraging social media platforms to reach and engage with your audience.

Types of Advertising

Advertising also comes in many forms, each designed to reach a specific audience in a particular way. Here are some of the most common types of advertising. Keep in mind that this is not a comprehensive list:

1. Outdoor Advertising: Billboards, bus ads, street furniture ads, and other outdoor signage.
2. Display Advertising: Banner ads, pop-ups, and other visual ads on websites and apps.
3. Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC): Paid ads that appear on search engine results pages.
4. Streaming Video: Video across streaming TV apps, YouTube, Spotify, Pandora, etc.
5. Social Media Advertising: Sponsored posts and ads on social media platforms like Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
6. Television and Cable Advertising: Commercials broadcasted on TV networks — can be bought by market or nationally.
7. Radio Advertising: Audio ads played on radio stations and live endorsements.
8. Print Advertising: Ads in newspapers, magazines, and other printed materials.

Job Differences Between Marketers and Advertisers

Although marketing and advertising professionals often work closely together, their roles and responsibilities differ. If you were to do a side-by-side comparison of marketing vs. advertising job descriptions, here are some key elements you might see:

Marketers

• Focus on the overall strategy for promoting a product or service.
• Conduct market research to understand customer needs and preferences.
• Develop pricing strategies and distribution plans.
• Create and manage brand identity.
• Analyze data to measure the effectiveness of marketing efforts and make adjustments as needed.
• Engage with customers through various channels, including social media, email, and events.

Advertisers

• Focus on creating and executing advertising campaigns.
• Design and produce ads that align with the marketing strategy.
• Select media channels for ad placement, such as TV, radio, print, and digital.
• Manage budgets for ad campaigns.
• Optimize campaigns to track, analyze  and adjust tactics to increase the performance of ads to ensure they meet objectives.
• Work with creative teams to develop compelling ad content that aligns with target market and audiences.

Marketing Vs. Advertising: One Can’t Exist Without the Other

When all is said and done, connecting with your target audience and creating a positive customer experience is the lifeblood of any business. Without marketing, people might not know who you are, what you offer, and why you’re the right choice. 

While advertising plays an essential role in the promotion process, it is the element of the broader marketing strategy that drives increased revenue.

By integrating advertising into a well-rounded marketing plan, businesses can build stronger relationships with their customers, create lasting brand value, and increase sales and achieve long-term success.