Marketing, Advertising, and Propaganda

Before exploring the differences between marketing, advertising and propaganda, I had assumed that they were, for the most part, the same thing. I have found that marketing, advertising, and propaganda are related in some ways, yet they also differ. 

Marketing seems to be a more broad term, which could encompass both advertising and propaganda. Marketing controls different business activities which have to do with the selling of something. Not only is marketing a part of ‘getting the word out’ about a product, it also has to do with the pricing, selling, and distributing products/services and ideas. When talking about advertising and propaganda marketing would seem to encompass both of these.

Advertising is the message that is being sent in order to sell something such as a commercial or a billboard. To me it is the segment of marketing that actually gets the word out to people of what is being sold. I think of billboards or commercials when I think of advertisements. For example, the advertisement from McDonalds shown below.

 Propaganda is similar to advertising in that it is also trying to get the word out to sell a product or service. However, propaganda is given more of a negative connotation. Propaganda can also be used to make another product or service look bad. When I think of propaganda I think of its place in the political world. Propaganda is used in politics in order to make certain political candidates look bad, and ultimately selling other candidates.