So you’re wondering about PR versus advertising? Right, this comes up constantly with clients, and honestly, it’s one of those questions that sounds simple but… well, it’s not really.
The Money Factor (Because That Always Matters)
Here’s the thing about advertising—you pay for it. Period. You want that billboard? You write a check. Social media ad? Credit card comes out. TV commercial? Hope your budget’s ready.
Public relations works differently. You’re not buying space or airtime. You’re earning it.
Think about it this way: when you see a magazine article featuring a brand, that brand didn’t pay for that article. Their PR team pitched a story, built relationships with journalists, and convinced them the story was worth telling. That’s earned media, and it’s incredibly valuable because readers trust it more than obvious advertisements.
Control vs. Credibility
With advertising, you control everything. The message, the visuals, the timing, the exact words used. Your brand gets to say exactly what it wants to say, when it wants to say it.
PR? That’s a different beast entirely. You can pitch your story, provide all the information, even suggest angles, but ultimately, the journalist or blogger decides how to tell it. They might focus on something you didn’t expect. They might ask tough questions.
But here’s why that lack of control is actually powerful: when a third party tells your story, people tend to view it as more credible. It carries weight that paid advertising simply can’t match.
The Relationship Game
Advertising is transactional. You pay, you get exposure, done. Next month, you pay again or your visibility disappears.
Public relations builds relationships. Journalists remember who provides great stories and reliable information. Influencers remember brands that treat them well. These relationships compound over time.
At Factory PR, we’ve seen this firsthand with long-term client relationships. Take ASOS—we’ve been their agency of record for ten years. That kind of sustained partnership can enable deeper storytelling that goes far beyond individual campaigns.
Timing and Patience
Advertising happens on your schedule. Campaign goes live Tuesday at 3 PM? It goes live Tuesday at 3 PM.
PR operates on… well, media schedules. Which means sometimes you wait. A journalist might love your story but not run it for months because they’re working on something else. A podcast interview might get recorded today and air next season.
The payoff? When that story does run, it can have longer-lasting impact than typical advertising. People share interesting articles. They bookmark helpful content. They remember compelling stories.
Measuring Success
Advertising metrics are straightforward: impressions, clicks, conversions, ROI. You spent X, you got Y results.
PR measurement gets trickier. Sure, you can track media mentions, reach, and share of voice. But how do you quantify trust? How do you measure the value of having a CEO positioned as a thought leader in their industry?
Some PR wins are immediately obvious—like when Factory PR helped launch Henry Rose with Michelle Pfeiffer, generating top-tier media coverage and celebrity following. Others build slowly, creating foundations for future success.
Which One Should You Choose?
They work better together. Advertising gets immediate visibility while PR builds long-term credibility. Paid media amplifies earned media stories. PR relationships open doors for future advertising opportunities.
Budget-wise, PR can be incredibly cost-effective, especially for smaller brands. But it requires patience and relationship-building skills that not every brand has in-house.
For established brands, advertising maintains visibility while PR shapes perception and builds deeper connections with audiences.
The Bottom Line
Public relations earns trust through storytelling and relationships. Advertising buys attention through paid placement and controlled messaging.
Neither is inherently better—they serve different purposes. PR builds credibility and long-term brand equity. Advertising drives immediate awareness and action.
The smartest brands, like Factory PR, use both strategically, understanding that sustainable growth requires both earning trust and maintaining visibility in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
The real question isn’t whether to choose PR or advertising. It’s how to use each one effectively for your specific goals, timeline, and budget.