Marketing vs PR, what’s the difference and why should you care?
Here’s a question I get asked a lot by clients:
“What’s the difference between PR and marketing – aren’t they the same thing?”
It’s a fair question. Both are about visibility. Both aim to build awareness. And both involve words like brand, content, and audience being thrown around with enthusiasm (and sometimes confusion).
But while they may look similar on the surface, the difference between marketing and PR matters especially if you’re a business trying to build trust, scale credibility, or cut through in a noisy market.
So, let’s break it down.
PR builds trust. Marketing drives sales.
If I had to sum it up in one sentence, it would be this:
Marketing is about what you say about yourself.
PR is about what other people say about you.
Marketing is a business function that’s focused on promoting your products or services to drive a specific action – think clicks, sign-ups, conversions. It’s typically measurable, paid, and designed to nudge someone towards a decision.
PR, on the other hand, is about your reputation. It’s the credibility layer. It’s about building a consistent, trustworthy presence that earns attention over time. And while it might not always be immediately measurable in sales, it often influences the decision long before someone is ready to buy.
A good PR strategy won’t just complement your marketing efforts – it will elevate them.
Here’s a real-life example
Let’s say you’re a fund manager launching a new investment product.
Your marketing team might create a slick landing page, write the copy, design a few paid ads, and launch a webinar.
Your PR team? They’ll be briefing journalists, pitching an expert op-ed on long-term investment trends, lining up a podcast interview, and placing a piece in the AFR that positions your CIO as a thought leader.
The result? Someone clicks your ad not because they saw it once – but because they’ve read about you in credible media, heard you speak on a podcast, and started to trust what you have to say.
Marketing creates awareness. PR creates trust.
So, do I need both?
In most cases – yes.
Marketing and PR are most powerful when they work together. Think of it like this:
Marketing is your megaphone.
PR is your reputation.
You can have the biggest megaphone in the world, but if people don’t trust the voice behind it, they won’t listen. On the flip side, you could be doing amazing things but if no one knows about it, you’re the best-kept secret.
The sweet spot is where your paid efforts (marketing) and earned efforts (PR) are aligned. Where the story you’re telling is consistent across every touchpoint – whether someone hears about you in a boardroom, a podcast, or a LinkedIn scroll at 11pm.
But doesn’t PR take longer?
Yes. And that’s a good thing.
PR is a long game. It’s not about instant clicks. It’s about building a presence that outlasts the campaign cycle.
In 2025, we’re more sceptical than ever. People know when they’re being sold to. And that’s where PR becomes your edge. Because credibility can’t be bought – it has to be earned.
PR helps you become the voice people recognise before they need your product. It’s the reassuring touchpoint when they’re comparing options. It’s the reason they forward your article to a colleague and say, “These are the people we should be working with.”
Where should you start?
If you’re thinking about this for your business, ask yourself:
Are we saying something meaningful or just adding to the noise?
Do our marketing efforts have the credibility to back them up?
Are we showing up in the right rooms, conversations, and platforms?
At ABC PR, we often work alongside internal marketing teams or agencies. We’re not here to replace them. Our role is to bring an additional layer of depth and strategy to how your brand is seen, heard, and trusted.
Because in a world of fleeting attention spans and endless content, trust is the real currency.
So the next time someone asks you what the difference is between marketing and PR?
You’ll know the answer. And more importantly, you’ll know why it matters.
Ready to tell your story?
Contact Us to start your journey.