Is Advertising Marketing?

As deliberated upon in the previous entry “Just what is not marketing”, it is now timely to apply some sort of meaning to the question, “Is advertising . . . . . marketing?”

From the barrage of advertising spend to so promote or induce consumer trial or generate brand purchase; it seems to be the common assumption that “advertising is marketing” and vice versa; as advertising helps to market products and services & brings it to the consumers. The current practice seems to suggest that. Take a look at the picture below.

The advancement of technology these days, has brought products closer to home (i.e. television) and to personal self via Internet and of course, email and SMS mails both pictorially and verbally. This thrust of technology advancement, had begun a very serious mis-perception & misconception, of what advertising and its role is! Based on what the previous marketing Guru’s have taught before this technological advancement, advertising is merely a tool and is used to help relay information about the brand’s purpose of existence.

The chase for profit taking has further accentuated this misconception as a large part of the Advertising & Promotion budget is coerced to spend on chasing after sales volume.

Advertising in our opinion and in line with the past marketing Gurus advocate, is fundamentally a marketing tool, to be used wisely to further the advancement of the BRAND. The age old rule & role of advertising is to build consumer believability, trust and endeared in the mind of consumers. That should be nothing more and ultimately nothing less.

So to sum it up, is advertising marketing? We certainly don't think so, but that maybe contrary to the beliefs of a lot of advertising companies out there. Till the next time... take care.

S.L. Liew

About the author: The post above is from one of my contributors Mr. Liew Siew Loong. Mr. Liew has been in the marketing field for the last 40 years dealing in FMCG products to food products and even high fashion. To find out more about of his profile, log on to http://www.viscreative.com/