Editor's note: While the following comparison has a focus on health issues, it may be applicable to any development issues.

SOURCE OF ACTION

Social Marketing (SM): Agency or organisation

Public Relations (PR): Agency or organisation

Advocacy: Community or collaborative

Negotiation: Individual or community agency or organisation

FOCUS

SM: Develops health messages to increase knowledge and model behaviours; enhances image of sponsoring organisation

PR: Develops messages and cultivates relationships in order to enhance the organisation's associations with key publics

Advocacy: setting the agenda; shaping the debate; advancing the policy; policies enacted to improve health

Negotiation: determining the agenda; building coalitions; influencing the policy; compliance-prone decisions to improve health

TARGET OF MEDIA EFFORTS

SM: Individuals with risk factors; general public

PR: Customers, clients, shareholders, and current funders; potential supporters and funders; general public

Advocacy: Power holders and policy makers; producers, marketers of health-affecting products; other advocates; general public

Negotiation: Stakeholders and decision-makers; professionals, producers, marketers of health-affecting products and services; social networks; general public - individuals

PERCEIVED NEED TO BE FILLED BY MEDIA STRATEGY

SM: Knowledge and behaviour deficit

PR: Knowledge and familiarity deficit

Advocacy: Power and resource deficit

Negotiation: Knowledge, power, and participatory behaviour deficit

METHOD

SM: Create an optimum blend of the 4P's of marketing in order to reduce the target audience's perceived barriers to accepting the product, while simultaneously making the product as appealing as possible. May utilise free or paid media.

PR: Cultivate relationships, project desired image, and maintain visible community involvement in order to promote ‘favorable associations' with key publics. Use ‘earned' news media and paid ads to gain exposure for organisation.

Advocacy: Utilise ‘earned' news media and paid ads, in conjunction with community organisation strategies, to put pressure on policy makers and to reframe public debate on an issue.

Negotiation: Identify decision-makers at all levels that can influence and be involved with helping the individuals to render their own decisions and build trusting relationships for future benefit. Promotes a healthy citizen responsible for her/his own actions.

MODE OF ACTION

SM: Can be used in isolation, or as part of larger efforts.

PR: Can be used alone, or as part of integrated communications efforts.

Advocacy: Used in combination with other community organisation and advocacy strategies.

Negotiation: Can be used alone, or as part of integrated communication efforts with community organisation and advocacy strategies.

LEVEL OF EFFECT

SM: Primarily individual

PR: Primarily individual

Advocacy: Primarily social environment

Negotiation: Individual to social environment and policy-makers