Many people may have the image that PR and advertising agencies both do the similar kinds of work but their respective areas of activities are quite different in Japan.
PR Agencies in Japan
Generally speaking, a PR agency in Japan focuses on obtaining earned media coverage while providing support and consulting for the public relations operations of companies, organizations, and groups. The widespread use and meaning of PR has the nuance of “strongly promoting oneself or advertising,” but this is a broad interpretation. Public relations, abbreviated to PR, comprises overall communication activities that build trustworthy relationships with society and its people through a variety of media.
The Japanese translation of PR is quite literal but government agencies specifically use the term PR and public hearings for this word. A PR agency in Japan has the expected expertise in the areas of public relations and activities. We work on behalf of, or with, various companies, organizations, and institutions to build trust in order to achieve their communication objectives.
Advertising Agencies in Japan
Advertising agencies, on the other hand, focus on obtaining paid media and securing space for advertisement placement. Basically, they purchase time and space in mass media, web advertising, traffic, outdoor advertising, etc. and use this inventory to publish and display the message a company, organization, or group wants to showcase by undertaking a set of operations, starting from creative tasks to publications and public exposure of ads.
Until it is published and seen, they also produce creative solutions for advertising that help express the philosophy a company, organization, or group wants to showcase. Whenever products or services require an advertisement, they offer their knowledge to generate creative ideas, produce creative work, and select the right media for each target audience.
The Difference Between PR & Advertising?
PR and advertising both convey information about products and services of companies, organizations, and groups to mass media but the following table shows their key main differences…
| Public Relations | Advertising | |
|---|---|---|
| Department Head | Editorial and News Office | Advertising Office |
| Medium Used | Articles and Press Releases | Ads & Commercials |
| Publication Decision Maker | Media | Advertisement Sponsor |
| Content Decision Maker | Media | Advertisement Sponsor |
| Point of View of Information | Objective | Subjective |
| Standard of the Content | Factual | Opinionated |
| Credible | Yes | Questionable |
| Cost | Low | High |
All in all, you can see that advertising is paid media and public relations is earned media. While they may work in a similar space, they both have an end-goal quite different. So, are you looking to generate sales or to garner a favorable opinion?