Marketing vs. Communications: How to Choose the Right Degree for You

Are you a student trying to figure out whether to pursue a degree in marketing or communications? 

This is a very common roadblock that many students face. This often happens when students don’t know the difference between the two programs, and what career opportunities they each offer.

Here’s the ULTIMATE student guide to learning the difference between marketing and communications, and figuring out which one is right for YOU.

Marketing vs. Communications: How to Choose the Right Degree for You

What is Marketing?

Marketing is most commonly defined as promoting and selling products or services through company activities, like advertising and market research. Marketing is highly focused on building plans and analyzing consumer behaviour to ensure customer satisfaction. Businesses use marketing to increase sales and establish brand loyalty.

What is Communications?

Communication is the process of transferring information between people and places. Communications also focuses on strategizing the most effective medium or communication channel to use for the message receiver. Businesses use communications to share information within and outside the company.

Marketing vs. Communications: The Similarities

Marketing and communications should be seen as siblings, not twins. They each have their own goals and skills, but they also inevitably share many of the same approaches and strategies to achieve success. 

Some of the most common similarities between marketing and communications are:

• Sending a message to a target audience: both of these industries strategize and develop plans to create the most efficient messaging for their target audience.
• Strong writing and speaking skills: marketing and communications professionals are both known for having very strong writing and speaking skills. It’s key to their success!
• Using tone and wording to establish a company voice: both industries pay close attention to brand/company image and must ensure that all messaging has a cohesive voice.
• Media is at the centre of everything: media is what makes the world go ‘round. And the same very much applies to marketing and communications. These two industries perform at their best when they leverage media, in all its forms, to share their messages with their audience.

Did you know? Marketing and communications are so similar that they’re even sometimes blended under the name “MarCom”. MarCom focuses on all steps of the messaging process – how and when to send a message, curating a strong message, what medium to use, and analyzing the target audience. It can include advertising, social media, PR, branding, digital media, etc.

Marketing vs. Communications: The Differences

University/college degrees and businesses often separate marketing and communications from one another, and for good reason. Here are some of the main differences between marketing and communications:

• Their focus: marketing always has a stronger focus on numbers and sales, whereas communications is more focused on writing and message reception.
• Their end goal: marketing is very sales-focused and will therefore have an end goal of customer satisfaction. Communications is focused on transferring messages and has the end goal of informing its audience.
• Storytelling: communications is ALWAYS focused on storytelling to create more compelling messages. Marketing more often uses storytelling as one of the possible strategies to achieve their goals.

Marketing vs. Communications: Career Opportunities

Marketing Career Opportunities

Studying marketing can lead to a career in digital marketing, advertising, public relations, and much more.

Entry-level marketing jobs include: 

• Marketing and Sales Coordinator
• Marketing Assistant
• Digital Marketing Assistant
• Junior Social Media Manager
• Marketing and Promotions Assistant

Experienced marketing positions include: 

• Marketing Director
• Brand Manager
• Social Media Manager
• Chief Marketing Officer
• Data Analyst

Communications Career Opportunities

A career in communications is whatever you make of it, and can include many opportunities to use your creativity and writing skills.

Entry-level communications jobs include:

• Communications Assistant 
• Social Media Officer
• Public Relations Specialist
• Internal Communications Assistant
• Media Coordinator

Experienced communications positions include: 

• Media Relations Officer
• Corporate Communications Manager
• Communications Advisor
• Journalist
• Senior Editor

Marketing vs. Communications: Which one is right for you?

There is a VERY common crossroad that many students (including me!) reach when it comes time to decide what degree they want to pursue: marketing or communications. Most students interested in marketing will also most likely feel a pull to communications, and vice-versa. 

Here are some questions you should ask yourself to get a better idea of which career path would suit you best:

Do you enjoy working with numbers?

If your answer is YES, you would most likely prefer pursuing a future in marketing. Marketing professionals often analyze economic trends and campaign performance to achieve company goals.

If your answer is NO, you would most likely prefer to pursue a future in communications. Marketing professionals are expected to work regularly with numbers. Most marketing degrees require taking courses in economics and statistics, whereas communications courses focus more on effective messaging and understanding one’s audience.

Do you prefer creating stories or developing strategies to reach success?

If you prefer creating stories, you would be best suited for communications. Storytelling is at the heart of communication and can be very fulfilling for those who love sharing stories and evoking emotion in their audience.

If you prefer developing strategies, you would be best suited for marketing. Marketing professionals have a good eye for detecting potential trends and knowing how to think critically. If you have these skills, marketing could be calling your name.

Would you enjoy learning about consumer behaviour and how it influences people’s choices?

If you said YES, marketing could be a good fit for you. To succeed in marketing, you will need to learn how to think like a consumer and leverage that to gain sales.

If you said NO, communications would be a better fit for you. Communications professionals love being straightforward and prefer knowing who their audience is, not how they can change them. They want to inform their readers instead of influencing them.

So, what’s calling your name: Marketing or Communications?

At the end of the day, marketing and communications are both very successful and profitable industries that have a spot for everyone. The key is to learn what you enjoy doing and what degree would fit best with your personality, lifestyle, and career goals.

Comms&Me tip: if you really can’t decide, you can always major in one, and minor in the other. Or find a joint degree that offers the best of both!

Whether you pursue a degree and career in marketing or communications, chances are the other one will never be far away!