What is the Difference Between Marketing and Marketing Communication

Marketing is about People, Not Your Company

Marketing is about Consumer Needs, Not About Your Company

Marketing is a discipline that should inform EVERYTHING in the organization, top down.

• A common definition of Marketing includes the need to address the 4 P’s of Product, Price, Place, Promotion.
• Some current approaches add a 5th P, which is People.
• Marketing activities are based on deciding why the organization exists in the first place.
• Marketing starts with exploration and discovery of consumer needs that are not being met or that your company can meet better than others can
• Marketing as an activity attempts to locate a market and create a relationship between a producer and a consumer.
• A Market is people with a need, who have money, and are willing to spend it to solve the need.
• Marketing informs the idea of what value will be created by our products or services. What product or service will be produced. How will we make them, how will we present them to a market, how will we price, how will we deliver, where will we deliver, what will be the buyer experience?
• Marketing determines the product or service features, as well as the package of amenities that come with the product.

Marketing Communication is about Channel Selection and Messaging

Marketing Communications is one part of Marketing concerned with determining how to communicate what has been decided in order to invite a business relationship or value exchange (for instance my product for your money).

• What will we tell people about our product or service, exactly.
• How will we tell them, What words will we use, where will we tell them, when will we tell them?
• Branding is part of Marketing Communications. What “flavor” or emotion will we attach as we communicate? Humor? Fear? Fun? Danger? Opportunity? Prestige? Value? Safety? Love?

I could go on and on about both Marketing and Marketing Communications… as I have made the field my life’s work… But this answer should suffice for now to help clarify the difference