Difference between Advertising and Publicity

Advertising and Publicity are two important promotional tools and are used interchangeably, but have differences. Advertising is a kind of promotional tool which the company uses to promote its product and to create a unique image in the eyes of the customers. Publicity is what others say about the product and it does not involve the interference of the company.

What is Advertising?

Advertising is a kind of promotional tool which the company uses to promote its product and to make a unique image in the eyes of the customers so that customers will buy their products over other similar products in the market. Advertising aims at forming a good image of its product in the market which helps them to attract and retain customers. Advertising can be of any type like visual advertisements, hearing advertisements, and reading advertisements.

Key Takeaways from Advertising:

• Advertising is a costly promotional tool, as it includes advertisements on television, newspapers, etc. Advertisements also include promotion by famous celebrities.
• Advertising is basically the commercialization of a product to increase its sale by acquiring customers. The company makes the general public aware of its product and its qualities and tells the public how its product is superior to other products.
• Advertising is in the hand of the company. The general public is just the viewers and listeners of advertisements.

What is Publicity?

Publicity is also a kind of promotional tool but is different from advertising. In publicity, the promotion does not reside in the hand of the company. Publicity is basically what others say about a product, i.e. Public. When a customer tells another potential customer about the product, this is known as Publicity. Publicity does not involve the company or its representatives. Publicity of the product can also include the drawbacks and negative points regarding the particular products and services.

Key Takeaways from Publicity:

• Publicity is always free of cost as it is in the hand of the public and not the company.
• Publicity focuses more on awareness rather than sugarcoating the facilities provided by the product and/or services.
• The credibility of products and/or services in publicity is more, as it does not involve a company that can easily manipulate the information.

Difference between Advertising and Publicity

Basis	Advertising	Publicity
Meaning	The promotional activity of generation of advertisements for products and services in order to promote them is called Advertising.	The activity which includes providing information about any product or service by any individual or entity is called Publicity.
Cost	Advertising involves cost.	Publicity is free of cost.
Involvement	Advertising includes promotion by the company and its representatives.	Publicity does not include the company or its representatives but the public and other entities.
Control by company	Advertising is in the hand of the company.	Publicity is not in the hand of the company.
Credibility	Credibility of product in advertising is less as it can be easily manipulated by the company.	Credibility of the product in publicity is comparatively more.
Focus	Advertising focuses on the target audience.	Publicity focuses on awareness.
Types of Message	The message conveyed is always positive.	It may be positive or negative.