Branding, Marketing, Advertising… Complementary but not the same!

A little guide to differentiate between all three practices and be sure of when to use them.

Try existing without being targeted by ads and you’ll soon realize the absurdity of this experiment. (If you fantasize about a life with a small farm and no technology then you’ve had your unfairly generous share of ads already.) Commercial messages are ubiquitous in the digital age. Behind the scenes, companies are ravaging through strategies to connect their brands with consumers in crowded marketplaces, virtual may they be or physical.

Branding, marketing, and advertising are related business concepts yet distinct in their aims and methods. Understanding the differences is key for companies trying to break through the noise as well as for consumers navigating the saturated world we’ve created.

I’ll take the globally known oil and gas company Shell as an example to map out how branding, marketing, and advertising are different from one another while remaining complementary.

Establishing a Brand Identity

Branding is shaping how a business, product, or service is perceived, and conveys in a cohesive, storytelling way what a company stands for. It taps into intangible qualities beyond a logo to connect emotionally with consumers. Strong branding weaves a narrative about reliability, quality, creativity, sustainability, or innovation among other themes that evoke some sort of emotion in people, which would hopefully turn into action (preferable a ‘buying’ sort of action).

For a company to stand out, it has to leave an identifiable image in consumers’ minds. Shell, with its simplistic yellow and red pecten (scallop) shell logo, implements its brand identity and colors all across its digital assets — social media and website being the most publicly reachable. It uses the same friendly corporate tone of voice in all its communications, splashes its logo everywhere it can, follows through its core values and main mission, and in general remains consistent like an old friend you’ve known for ages.

Branded content in ads often tells stories from a company’s point-of-view to align products and services with desired consumer takeaways. This is when we move to marketing.

Marketing Strategies to Capture Consumer Attention

While branding focuses on overarching identity, marketing refers to campaigns for specific products and services to raise awareness and sales. Marketing introduces brands to new audiences and retains existing consumers, with tactics that aim at directly generating interest and interaction.

Digital marketing permeates platforms where people connect, discover, and spend.

●      Paid search lands a company website atop results pages.

●      Social media placements put brands in ever-scrolled feeds.

●      Pop-up ads emerge in articles and videos.

●      Native advertising blends sponsored posts within everyday content.

●      Campaigns prioritize conveying product benefits clearly or making deals feel time-sensitive.

How does Shell, a nearly $50B brand valued company, handle marketing in a world bleeding black goo and coughing natural disasters? It pays influential content creators on TikTok and live-stream gamers to Gen Z-wash its image and encourage the young generation to fuel up their gas-guzzling cars with Shell products!

“Making customers aware of [...] products by way of advertising on social media is one way we pursue business performance and a valid part of our marketing activities,” said Shell spokesman Curtis Smith when asked about the protests many activists (of the same generation they’re targeting, may I add) are throwing. The public relations (PR) company handling Shell is quite a famous one, Edelman, so we shouldn’t be too shocked that an oil and gas company is randomly mentioned in trending Reels and TikToks. “They’re [Shell] not just promoting a particular product, but trying to alter their perception in the public eye and maintain their social license,” opined Sam Bright, journalistic and activist website DeSmog’s UK deputy editor.

Ads To Action

Advertising refers specifically to paid media placements. Ads are the vehicles carrying marketing campaigns and branded messaging to connect with audiences at scale. Commercial breaks on television, radio spots, website banners, sponsored social media posts, transit ads, and much more all provide real estate for advertisements.

The most effective ads grab attention then hold interest to inspire action. Brands aim for memorable or shocking visuals, interestingly written copy, or stopping power.

●      Video ads tell brand stories while text and visuals convey utility.

●      Calls-to-action (CTA) urge audiences to download, subscribe, use promo codes, or visit websites for more.

●      Advertising channels, formats, and content adjust across campaigns to hit marketing goals.

Shell has been serious about embracing its human side and advertising its green and clean energy efforts. It does so, in each geography it operates in, using all types of direct or indirect advertising to remain close and under your nose. Reaching businesses and governments requires different efforts and message than reaching regular consumers.

Strategic Synergy

Branding, marketing, and advertising work closely together in the digital marketplace. Brand identity guides the tone for marketing campaigns. Standout advertisements channel brands creatively. Consistent messaging across branded content, marketing promotions, and ads drives impact over time.

In cluttered spaces, cohesion helps breakthrough. When branding, marketing, and advertising coordinate around core identity and campaign objectives, consumer recognition and recall accelerates. Distinct yet interconnected, these practices fuel competitive digital strategies when properly balanced. For companies clarifying “who we are, who we speak to, and what sets us apart,” unlocking the synergy between branding, marketing, and advertising makes standing out possible.

This article was originally published in Adgully  and can be found online here.