What is the Difference Between Public Relations and Advertising?

Public Relations is the art of getting other people to talkYou're at the bar, and a man comes up to you and
about you and sell your stuff for you.says, "I'm great in bed, I'm good looking, I'm all around
If I came up to you on the street, interrupted yourperfect. Please come home with me!" then you'd write
conversation with your girlfriend, and said, "Hey, buy thishim off as a creep. That's advertising.
product. You'll like it!", you wouldn't buy it. You'dBut if your girlfriend says, "See that guy? He's great in
probably be ticked off at me, too. It wouldn't make youbed, he's good looking, and he's pretty much perfect.
desire the product. That's how advertising works -You should totally go talk to him!" then you probably
advertising interrupts potential customers and forceswould. That's public relations.
them to listen. At least, it used to - now people tunePublic relations is making your product/service/widget
out advertising. They don't even comprehend it.to be worthy of talking about, and then getting people
But if your girlfriend said, "Hey, I heard about this coolto talk about it. When you advertise, you're telling
product - I think you'll like it!" then you're much morepeople yourself, and they don't trust you. Why should
likely to go buy it. You trust her and know she doesn'tthey? They don't know you. But getting the people
want to to force you to buy something you don't wantthey do trust to talk about you really works. And that's
- in fact, she's an unbiased party. That's public relations.why you need public relations.
Still don't see the difference?