Marketing vs. Advertising

Marketing is the overall strategy and process of identifying customer needs and creating value for them.
→ It includes everything from product research, pricing, promotion, distribution, and relationship management.

Advertising is one component of marketing — it’s the act of promoting a product, service, or brand through paid messages (TV, online ads, billboards, etc.).

Scope

• Marketing = Big picture
  Research, branding, product design, pricing, sales strategy, customer experience, and communication.

• Advertising = Just one tool
  → Focused on creating awareness and persuading audiences through media channels.

3. Goal

• Marketing aims to build long-term customer relationships and ensure business growth.
• Advertising aims to influence behavior quickly — usually to drive sales or brand recognition.

4. Example

If you’re launching a new fishing boat brand:



• Marketing: You’d research what offshore anglers value (speed, range, safety), price the boats competitively, develop a brand identity, plan promotions, and choose sales channels.

• Advertising: You’d create targeted campaigns — e.g., YouTube videos showing the boat in action, social media ads, and magazine spreads.