Advertising and public relations both come under the field of marketing. They are basically aimed at creating a buzz about an organization, product, service, or individual. While the objective is the same, the core methodologies of both notions differ.
Career Prospects in Advertising and PR in India
Advertising
For any brand, communicating with customers is of utter importance and what better way could you think of to tell people about your company’s products than ads? Advertising jobs are influential; they sell us not only a product but connect that product to our emotions as well. We still continue to sing the jingles from our childhood (Remember the jingle of Nirma washing powder or Bajaj scooters?)
The basic agenda of advertising is to hit the customer’s ability to recall. If a customer can recollect your product from memory, your advertisement has successfully made an impact.
A career in online advertising means working in an ad agency, where there are two broad divisions: executive and creative. The creative side employs copywriters, scriptwriters, photographers and visualizers, while the executive side engages people working in client servicing and media and market research departments. Qualified professionals with an ample experience can work as freelancers as well.
Prospects for Advertising Courses in India
In a rapidly progressing economy like India, products, designs and ideas reach millions of eyes only through catchy advertisements, all courtesy to the creative minds behind each ad. In such a case, the industry of advertising and marketing seems like a fruitful career option, especially if one has the knack for thinking out of the box. Experts suggest that within the next few years, the industry would grow exponentially, reaping profits with wages amounting to a decent figure.
Public Relation (PR)
Public relation is the way an individual/ organisation communicates with the public and media. It is often termed as the art and science of dealing with people and products. The objective of a PR professional is to deal with the target audience, either directly or indirectly through Offline as well as Online media. They are the source for publicizing your product. They picture the product in front of potential customers and target audience as the ‘need of the hour’, making the product seem like the best option for purchase. PR creates a strong relationship with the masses through mediums including online, social media, press releases, newsletters, podcasts, public appearances, etc.
PR uses resources to better connect the company and emotions to the audiences and create stronger faith and customer loyalty.
Prospects for PR Courses in India
With companies, brands, celebrities, etc. wanting to showcase their best image to the public, the demand for a strong PR representative is growing at an exponential rate. Agencies are always looking out for skillful and creative PR professionals who are capable of catering to their clients.
To become a PR Person, you would first need any bachelor’s degree. However, a degree in Journalism, Mass Communication or English can prove to be helpful. The next step is to obtain a masters degree in Public Relation. There are plenty of well-recognised universities in India that offer public relations courses, allowing you to advance your career in PR.
While advertising persuades the masses to buy products or services, PR helps the public understand the company or brand. With growing competition in the market, the career scope in advertising and public relations is also increasing. On the whole, both domains offer plenty of opportunities to get high-paying jobs and be a part of an evolving, creative and innovative industry.
More Information:
Beginner’s Guide to Advertising
How do you Get a Job in Advertising?