Branding vs Marketing vs Advertising

It is no secret that branding, advertising, and marketing are frequently confused with one another. But I believe that marketers share some of the guilt of something called “marketing speak”… more on this later :)

You’ll find many articles describing the distinctions online. A simple Google search for "What is the difference between marketing and advertising?", will omit more than 100 million results. There are millions of questions on Quora, Reddit, Facebook, LinkedIn about branding and seeking this clarity are not even included in that.

So, what does it all mean?

Part of the issue is that marketers have a tendency to get caught up in a cycle of "marketing speak," Jargons like "Push strategy." "Pull strategy" and many more which, in reality, can become meaningless to others.

Yeah.. I know. I finished it. And I'm making an effort to break this habit. Alright, I decided to read a few books, watch videos, tuned-into some podcasts and get a crystal clear understanding of this. I decided to take a different approach to help me make sense of it all.

My Weekend Exercise :)

Disclaimer: This is written for the owner of a small business. Not salespeople.

Branding = Understanding Yourself

What exactly are we? Who are we here to serve? What distinguishes us? What issue do we address for our customers?

These are the fundamental Branding questions.

Branding, also known as Brand Development, is the internal work that serves as the foundation for all other aspects of your business. It all begins with you. It's your company.

Before you can determine who you serve and what problem you solve, and before you can build on that foundation to grow your business, you must first understand what it is all about. You must be aware of your own story.

Sure. You design courses. But what distinguishes your courses, what makes them superior to all the others? Excellent quality? Low-cost? A one-of-a-kind programme that enables your customers to meet the majority of their requirements for upskilling or career advancement?

Are you as eccentric as the Outliers? Or something a little more upscale, like MasterClass?

Your story is what gives your company meaning and distinguishes it. It is what motivates your team and links you to your customers.

Let’s understand this -

It is at the heart of all branding efforts. And, believe me, it only scratches the surface of branding. Brand strategy, logos, colour schemes, messaging, and maintenance are all part of the branding equation. But it all boils down to determining who you are, what you stand for, and what you offer customers.

Marketing = Knowing Your Customer

Now this is getting interesting.. In fact the idea of this blog came from the recent discussions I've had with my colleagues and observed there is some clarity required here:)

Because it encompasses so many different fields and has such a broad definition, the term "marketing" is quite ambiguous.

The entire Pasta is called "marketing." :)

Marketing is broken down into several different categories, including market research, product development, pricing, customer assistance, websites, brochures, social media, SEO, publicity, public relations, event planning, blogging, community outreach, etc.

Advertising and branding are also (hence the confusion).

Even though they are all categorized as marketing, each one is a distinct field that requires a unique set of talents.

It's important to keep in mind that marketing is a process.

It's a procedure used to bring in and retain clients for your company. Customers will be acquired and retained by your firm differently than by another business and this requires effort across the funnel.

At the core

MARKETING comes down to

KNOWING YOUR CUSTOMER

What is Advertising and how is it different from Branding and Marketing?

To put it simple – Advertising is when you pay someone to tell your potential customers about you.

The terms "advertising" and "marketing" are frequently used interchangeably. Marketing and advertising are not the same thing.

Reiterating. Marketing and advertising are not the same thing. Advertising is a part of marketing, just like social media and event organization are.

Businesses typically mean they're not ready to spend money on advertising when they say, "We're not ready to market," which I frequently hear them say. They are typically correct, too. They are not yet prepared to market.

One of the factors contributing to the confusion is the fact that advertising used to make up a big and expensive portion of marketing. To advertise your company, you had to pay to run an ad somewhere. The majority of the time, those places were television, radio, print, direct mail, outdoor billboards, or digital banner ads.

Believe me - All of that was revolutionized by social media and blogging :)

The number of ways to spread your message has multiplied. There are many current resources and strategies you may use to advertise your company, from running a blog on your website to taking your own images and posting them to Instagram. None of which calls for you to pay someone else to run your ads.

Do the three of them overlap each other? Sure. Do the lines occasionally still become hazy? Absolutely.

In addition, despite their practical connections, the phrases "marketing," "advertising," and "branding" are not interchangeable.

Why is this crucial?

We're not ready to market, which can impede a business from moving forward. not doing the necessary marketing activities to keep their business going.

Because avoiding the branding process prevents you from standing out. You can't easily connect with your customers and explain how you vary from your competition if you don't know your narrative, who you are, and why you're doing what you're doing.

Yes, when marketers go too deep down the "marketing language" rabbit hole, their statements can start to seem absurd. However, choosing the appropriate phrase and timing can be crucial. It can make all the difference in business.

We can communicate more effectively when we employ the proper language. We can produce better work when we are more fully understood. Additionally, we can create a better business when we are at our best.

Cheers :)