Marketing, Advertising, Propaganda. Week 1

What is the difference between marketing, advertising and propaganda? All three of these terms can be used to describe a method of persuasion. However, the terms are very different. For one marketing is a more general term. Our book talks about how marketing is the process of creating, distributing, promoting, and pricing of goods or services. Marketing is more applicable to the release of brand new goods or services, rather than a storied product because it is a complete process. A product like the iPod, when it first came out, was put through the entire marketing process. Consumers were unfamiliar with a product like the iPod so Apple had to take additional steps to market their new product and create a familiarity and loyalty that has surpassed any consumer electronic device to date.

Advertising is a more specific form of marketing. Where marketing involves the creation and distribution of a product, advertising is primarily promotional. Advertising is a more specific marketing strategy that is used once a product or brand has already been accepted by the consumer market. A company like McDonald’s is more focused on its advertising than its more general marketing strategy because consumers are familiar with the products that McDonald’s distributes. The advertising strategy for McDonald’s is more to repackage or revamp old products while also keeping the company in the mind of the consumer.

Finally, propaganda is more of the promotion of an idea. Propaganda sometimes receives a negative connotation because of its historical usage by the Nazi party in WWII. However, propaganda happens every day all around us. For example, the US government uses propaganda to try to win favor for certain political agendas. One of the largest examples of US propaganda would have to be the Uncle Sam “I Want You” campaign. Propaganda is more similar to marketing, in that it includes the creation and distribution of a “brand.” However, the firm behind the propaganda is using branded images and messages to promote their own, often political, agenda. Although these terms are similar in their definitions each one stands on its own as a specific strategy to persuade a consumer market into buying or believing what the business or political party want them to.What is your take on Propaganda and its use? can it be used for good?