Hi Y'all
As I've been working on my final report for this unit, I've had the opportunity to reflect on all the work I have completed throughout the year working for the marketing consultancy.
One thing I have realised is that marketing really is more of an umbrella term for a range of activities that span across marketing, PR and advertising. Much of the work I previously considered to be marketing, is in fact PR and advertising.
This would be because marketing can be considered a very proud term for a wide range of activities. Within marketing plan strategies, PR and advertising often feature prominently.
Much of this cross over occures within the marketing consultancy because when a client requests a certain strategy or project, we do not decline on the basis that we do not specialise in that field. Although we may not be as prepared or well equipped for large projects, small to medium businesses often require smaller projects to be carried out, just a developement and ad placement.
Overall I have realised that marketing is not specific, but can be considered a general term that emcompasses a range of projects and strategies to cater to each persons/businesses needs, although specialisation is an optimal business function, consultancies often can afford to turn clients away.
Blog again soon
6 comments:
Hi Georgina,
I totally agree with what you mention. For instance, this the current situation in Mauritius. In most public organisation there is NO PR department. The basic definition of PR if im not wrong is about the relationship between a company's and its various publics. Many firms not only in Mauritius, do have their PR dept attached to a different department.
Emtel which is a mobile telephony seervice provider has its pr dept attached to its sales dept !
Cheers !
Yes I agree too. I am in my last couple of day at the WAFC and throughout my time there has been such a cross over between Marketing/Media/Events/PR.At first I was a little worried I wasn't getting the experience I needed in PR then I realised it is all appropriate and relevant.
I agree with you, but unfortunately this is the reason PR sometimes doesn't get the credit it deserves. For instance the organisation I work for only acknowledges PR work as media liaison work and the rest is considered Marketing tasks. But we are talking about an organisation that gives the event coordinating tasks to the admin person!
Unfortunately, PR is seen as less integral and legitimate than Marketing in a lot of companies. Hopefully our generation of PR professionals, who have actual PR degrees, will help that perception shift.
Hi Georgina,
I admire your bold statement, and also agree with it, along with our fellow bloggers.
I have just finished my 20 days of work placement at Rockend, a company that creates and supplies software products for real estate agents. I worked closely with the Marketing Department there, and also realised that marketing within Rockend does encompass both advertising and public relations also. A range of projects, tasks and activities that are undertaken by the Marketing Manager do clearly include elements of public relations and advertising.
For my placement, I focussed primarily on the public relations side of things such as media exposure and media releases for the relevant media outlets.
Thanks for your blog, Emma.
I can definitely see where you’re coming from Georgina, and because I have worked with you in groups before I do know your point of view on how PR and Marketing crosses over (haha)
I can see where your coming from now, especially after my placement, where it was in fact very clear to me that there is a very fine line between the two industries. Smaller businesses tend to not even have PR departments but instead have a marketing HR unit that covers the PR issues. I think this is fair enough, as there is a lot of cross over’s, however as Martine mentioned this often leaves PR without the credibility and acknowledgement it deserves.
I don’t know what would or can be done for the PR industry to become a more separate entity from departments such as HR and Marketing, but I do hope that in the future there is more focus on it in businesses and organizations to benefit ourselves, the future generations of PR practitioners.
Great point Georgina! Its obviously something that most people have noticed in their placement experiences.
I too agree with this and in the beginning was very confused as to why my manager in the communications department was actually titled the Marketing manager, as everything we seem to do is totally PR related!
I also agree with Martine's point regarding the lack of recognition for PR practitoners due to this point. I think there is no perfect definition for public relations as so many skills cross over into the advertising, marketing and even design areas of expertise. I think this just proves how versitile and multiskilled PR people need to be in order to be successful and go far in the industry.
After all, I am now the marketing assistant at Therapy Focus, and I've never studied any marketing courses before in my life!
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