As the world of strategic communication expands and becomes more influential, people aren’t always fully aware of what is happening on the producer side of goods and services. It isn’t uncommon to hear “PR and marketing go hand in hand.” And yes, this is true, but not to be confused with them being the same thing. Marketing and PR are two very different sectors that can, understandably, feel relatively the same.
Putting this into the perspective of the film industry, one might ask themselves, why are all these forms of communicating to the audience necessary? A Wall Street Journal piece, “PR Creates a Relationship, Marketing the Buzz,” started to unveil the difference for us. Despite it dating back to 2010 much of Gaurav Jain’s points still hold over 12 years later.
I’m not here to tell you about the marketing side of things, as that isn’t where my expertise lies. But to make this make sense, I will fill you in on the important parts Jain covers. Marketing has the numbers to back it — research and data help make marketing decisions. As Jain says, “marketing propels decision-making.” PR isn’t leaning on science the way marketing does.
So what does PR do? PR concentrates on the relationship between the film and the target audiences. Most people know what genres of film they enjoy, and most creators behind the genres know which audiences they exist to create for. PR is the middleman.
Jain used the term “softer” to compare PR to marketing. Relationships don’t stem simply from data. They are personable and in search of gaining positive opinions to be shared amongst the target audience. PR falls under a subgenre of strategic communication. This helps to see how gathering attention and praise does not happen solely from data and research — the key focus is the strategy.
Creating enticing press releases, getting a critic or journalist to write positively on the anticipation of a new film, and executing interviews that give just enough insight to make consumers want more are all examples that rely on PRs strategic approach.
Over time, the PR and marketing industries have progressed, and so has their importance in the film industry. I intend to instill that PR and marketing are not the same. They may help one another, but they are their own entities.
When it comes time to spread the word about a film, know who you need to go to for help. If you are trying to sell it, focusing solely on the money, marketing is your domain. But if you want the reputation, the relationships, and the build-up of curiosity and interest, PR is your best friend.