I’ve had a couple books on my desk lately. I’ve reread each of them this past month and their messages are more relevant than ever. The Fall of Advertising & The Rise of PR by Al and Laura Ries gives the reader an understanding of when to use each. Their contention is that PR builds a new brand and advertising sells the product once the brand has worked its way into the marketplace’s awareness. During the years that I published special interest magazines I found that to be true. Over and over again I would see that the idea of the product had to be clearly understood by the potential buyers before the advertising could really work. (more…)