By Ajay Yadav
Marketing, advertising, and branding are all terms that are often used very loosely in the business world. Oftentimes, they’re used interchangeably, implying that they are synonymous to one another. On the contrary though, they refer to completely different tasks for any brand and require different skill sets. Two question still remain— what is the difference between marketing and advertising and how are they separate from branding?
In this blog, we’ll give you our Simplified breakdown of what these terms mean and how to use them accurately for your business vocabulary. So let’s take a look at each of them individually and see how they can be used together to create an effective marketing strategy!
Understanding the terms
1. Marketing
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What’s the main difference between marketing and advertising? Social Media- accounts vs ads!
Imagine yourself as a brand, baring these questions in mind. What do you have to offer to people, and what defines you? Additionally, how would people describe what you mean to them. This is exactly what lies at the heart of marketing.
Another important concept that comes up when you think of marketing, is strategy. This can be best explained as to how you critically analyze and plan how and/or where you want an audience to get to know you. Are you goofy and entertaining, sophisticated and classy, creative and eccentric, or trustworthy and dependable? Define your traits and make them your unique brand voice!
Simplified Definition Marketing (n.)– The process of presenting your brand to an audience
- Building awareness
- Customer interactions
- Personal/Public Relations (PR)
- Understanding your target audience
These are a few of the most common things that the marketing spectrum encompasses. So go ahead, find a suitable platform and tell your story!
2. Advertising
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What’s the main difference between PR and marketing? Ads- awareness through interactions vs promotions!
Advertising, though a subset of marketing, doesn’t necessarily mean the same. It essentially refers to where you show up and how you approach people. The most common examples of advertising can be anywhere from a sponsored post on Instagram to a whole airplane laminated with product placements.
Simplified Definition Advertising (n.)– The way or medium you approach your audience through
- Paid campaigns on social media
- Distributing flyers
- Mascots in public places
- Billboards and posters
- Print ads
The choices may be unlimited, but the key to reaching your ideal audience is to decide on the right platforms.
3. Branding
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What stands right in front of all these domains? Branding – how you look in public.
Now that you know the difference between marketing and advertising, what pops up next in our business dictionary is branding. This magic word opens all doors to customers being able to recognize and pick you over millions of other similar options.
- Brand image
- Consistency
- Design (including colors, logo, and typography)
- Voice and Message
Simplified Definition Branding (n.)- The way you present yourself to an audience base
**The way you execute your branding development process across all your public platforms and audience interactions will determine your brand identity**. So put your best foot forward and shine! jazz hands
How do they work together?
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Keeping the difference between marketing and advertising in mind, customize your branding stages for your target audience!
To conclude, we can assume that the core features of branding can help us innovate an appropriate marketing strategy. And further, your advertising can help you reach out and communicate your ideas!
Simplified Tip: Did you know Simplified offers AI tools for all your branding and advertising needs? Design your social media graphics and use the AI caption generator for effortless captions, ad headlines, and more. Sign up now!
