Is PR A Marketing Tool or Vice Versa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Is PR A Marketing Tool or Vice Versa - Essay Example The old product-driven marketing concepts have given way to the consumer-oriented approach because of increasing economic competition. For this reason, companies have been forced to adopt a marketing mix to sell their products or services. In this strategic mix, specific marketing tools often overlap and one method may take the function of another, such that marketing is used as a PR tool instead of the other way around. For example, it is not unusual to see a PR man distributing his company’s promotional materials during a luncheon or seminar he arranges for the benefit of the firm. This is sales promotion, a distinct marketing function, being squeezed into a distinct PR activity, in which case marketing is effectively used as a PR tool. In its purest sense, public relations is confined to media relations, internal communications, community relations, public affairs and government relations, financial relations, emergency or crisis relations, and integrated marketing communications (Hendrix, 2001). PR uses media, a potent marketing tool, and the press release is its standard tool for promotion. The first requirement is to learn how to use media and build a working relationship with media practitioners (Smith). The end goal of doing interviews or sending out a press release is to raise a company’s, its expertise and products or the high quality of its personnel. These are more or less the same objectives of marketing set by Kotler (1980), which are: 1) to create direct sales, 2) to build the brand or company’s image, 3) to communicate specific messages, and 4) to counter negative publicity or competitor’s activity.