There is a long-standing and silent debate happening in the marketing world. The debate is about the difference between marketing and advertising.
If you were to ask ten different professionals what the difference between these two is, you’d receive ten different answers. Answers would range from “there is no difference between the two” to “marketing is the act of meeting the needs of your customers, and advertising is placing your imaging and messaging in high-visibility places.”
At Legacy Retail, we consider these concepts similar but different. To learn more, we invite you to keep reading.
Marketing
The best way to explain the difference would be to look at a simple marketing campaign for an eCommerce business. Let’s say you’re an eCommerce vendor that sells high-end scented candles on Amazon. Your first order of business is to let your target audience know you exist and that your candles are preferable to other brands. At this stage, you’ll want to utilize various channels and assets (PPC, billboards, commercials, etc.) to gain exposure.
So, marketing is letting your target audience know you exist and piquing their interest in your product.
Advertising
Once you’ve piqued your audience’s interest, they’ll be directed to your Amazon product page. You should now urge them to buy using multiple tactics: a carousel containing many high-quality photos with brief but informative copy; a title that distills your product’s main features and benefits into a short, clear, and descriptive sentence; multiple positive reviews; a price markdown (if you’re running a sale), your return policy, and so on. When you get all these details right, you will likely see an increase in regular sales.
So, advertising is the full presentation of your product’s features, benefits, and all other relevant details on your chosen eCommerce platform.
Marketing and advertising are the same because they share an ultimate goal: for your target audience to purchase a product. Still, they’re different because marketing makes them interested, and advertising sits down with them and convinces them exactly why they should buy from you. Marketing makes them say, “Ooh,” and advertising makes them say, “This is a smart purchase.”
Debate settled.
If you’re an eCommerce vendor and have questions or need assistance with marketing and advertising, reach out to Legacy Retail by clicking here. We’re here to help you win!
