Public relations and marketing often get lumped together, and it’s easy to see why. They both promote a brand or organization and bring people’s attention to something. So while they’re certainly part of the same toolkit, they’re two different tools within the toolbox. 

PR and marketing work hand in hand because they each have their own role to play.  Here at Whip Communications, we do a little bit of both, depending on the client, but we generally skew more towards the marketing side of the spectrum. 

PR IN A NUTSHELL

Think of public relations as the art of reputation. (Yes, Taylor Swift is the master of this.) PR professionals build and maintain a strong, (hopefully) positive image with an audience—whether that’s volunteers, community partners, the media, or the broader public.

A public relations manager’s main goal is large-scale: it’s all about creating awareness. The goal is to generate publicity and buzz, usually without paying for ads. (Because advertising is an entirely different job!) A well-placed story in the local news, a viral TikTok video, or an engaging Instagram post can spark just as much attention (if not more) than a paid campaign.

For a celebrity, a PR manager will book press tours (think about how all the celebrities promoting movies happen to be on the Today Show), get magazine covers, and brand endorsements for their clients. 

For a business or a nonprofit, PR looks a little different. It looks like pitching articles to the press about a recent scientific study or inviting members of the media to come to an event that you want to build awareness about.

SO, WHAT ABOUT MARKETING?

Marketing is (generally) more “small scale” than PR because it’s all about driving action, whether that’s donations, event registrations, volunteer sign-ups, or clicks. The focus of marketing is more data-driven: clicks, conversions, and ROI (return on investment).

The tools used in marketing are most often internal (social media, email campaigns, and ads) rather than external (press, media), and their main goal is to motivate people to take action. PR gets people to know who you are; marketing encourages them to do something about it.

If a non-profit is raising awareness about mental health, good marketing could be an ad campaign promoting an informational webinar. Whereas, a strategic PR campaign would revolve around pitching a story to the local newspaper about how your programs are helping a specific community. 

WHY YOU NEED BOTH

I’ll be the first to admit that the lines between PR and marketing can get a little blurry! And that’s okay, because my job is to do whatever works for clients, not to do whatever falls under one specific job description. 

Both PR and marketing share the same big-picture goal: helping your organization grow, reach more people, and make a bigger impact. Just like nutrition and exercise, public relations and marketing depend on each other to see progress. When you blend authentic storytelling with smart promotion, you don’t just get clicks and conversions. You build a community that believes in your mission. And that’s what truly moves the needle through the thread. 

Ready to figure out the right mix of PR and marketing for your organization? 

Let’s talk about what will help you grow! Book a 15 minute discovery call