Propaganda vs. Advertising vs. Marketing

Picture credit: http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/03/02/sex-sells/

This is a takeoff of propaganda in the form of advertising. I chose this picture to illustrate the difference between propaganda and advertising. It inspires similar feelings - a "Redolution," but at the same time it is clearly an advertisement because it markets a product. The product, M&M's, are a candy. Unlike propaganda, it is asking for an online vote for the favorite color and in that way is pushing the brand and the website.

Credit for this picture goes to http://www.mstrum.com/onmywaytokorea/2009/07/13/north-korean-propaganda-series-anti-usa-1/

This picture is an example of propaganda from North Korea. It depicts a North Korean soldier targeting an American government building with some kind of missile or bullet. Generally propaganda is created so that a government can push a position onto its people. When people see pictures like this one, eventually they may be led to believe that it's the right thing.

Marketing is a more abstract than the ideas of propaganda and advertising. It encompasses both in a way, because it is more like the overall process of selling a brand or an idea to the consumer. There are companies that exist solely to market brands of other companies. The concept of marketing can be learned in a class and by experience and its form of expression is advertising. In propaganda, there are sets of ideals that are marketed to people to convince them that something is true or not true.

What is the most convincing form of marketing a message? Propaganda or advertising? We see advertising all the time, to the point where we sing along with catch phrases, recite the scripts of our favorite ads, and even tattoo ourselves with the brand, but propaganda plays on our patriotism in our own country. So, what is more powerful?