Our company name is TDG Marketing...but we also offer advertising services. So, what is the difference between the two? Marketing and advertising may seem like synonyms but they actually refer to two different things. While both have the same goal—to get your message across to your target audience, advertising is a single strategy under the marketing umbrella. Think of marketing like a pizza...advertising is just one of the slices. Still confused? Let’s take a deeper dive to understand the difference:
What is marketing?
We could give you the ‘Webster’s definition’ but in simple terms, it’s just the process of trying to sell your goods or services. Pretty much any action you take to promote your brand is marketing. This can include advertising, but also encompasses any other promotional endeavours you take to get the word out about what you have to offer (ever hand out flyers as a kid, yup THAT is marketing). All advertising is paid for. Your marketing strategy likely contains many paid components, but there are also many organic or free marketing avenues you can take advantage of as well. Think about social media; Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn for example. When you post about your business on these platforms, you are marketing your company.
Anything you do to promote your products, services, or brand will fall under the term “marketing”. From email and digital marketing to product development and brand management, your marketing strategy should always be consistent no matter what avenue it takes. That’s called brand consistency. Another lesson for another day.
So what is advertising then?
The answer is right in the name. Advertising is really anything to do with...ads. There is a lot more to it, but the simple answer is advertising always involves paying to send a specific message on a given platform. Think about placing an ad in the newspaper, or getting a half page spread in a trade publication. Both of these are examples of advertising. What about a commercial? That’s a different type of ad! If you pay to reach your consumers on any specific medium, you can call that advertising.
So when you take that social media post and put a dollar amount behind a “boost”, it goes from marketing to advertising. That blog post you wrote and hosted on your website is marketing, but the article you paid to run in your community magazine is advertising. Starting to get the picture now?
At TDG Marketing, we can help you find the advertising opportunities that are worth paying for, as part of your marketing plan. From traditional advertising such as newspaper, radio, and tv ads to mobile and online advertising, or even retail or billboard placements, we can help you reach your consumer with a consistent message that converts to sales.
Sound good? Reach out for a free one-hour consultation through our website (you can participate from the comfort of your home through zoom...the benefits of working with a virtual agency)! Just make sure you have a coffee ready. What we have learned in our many years of marketing and advertising is coffee is key to creating something great.