“Advertising is the same thing as marketing” most of us at some point have either heard this statement from someone else or have even said it ourselves. I know for a fact that I had at one point when I was in my marketing class in high school, and we started a lesson on advertising, and I had wondered that in my head throughout the lesson. That question sparked a fascination in my head and even followed me to college, where I decided to study both of the subjects. I love both topics very much, they have given me insight different aspects of the field that I would not know about if I had chosen to focus on just one, and its that experience that I believe gives me the credentials to attempt to explain not only the differences in the topics but also how they complement each other.

In this digital age that we live in, the ability to develop and establish a human connection between brand and consumer is extraordinary and something to be treasured. No longer can marketing teams rely on basic selling tactics to bring customers; those attempts do not work anymore. Consumers today are heavily drawn to things with extreme value, to build a relationship that goes deeper than the surface level can carry a relationship with your customer a long way. Brands are starting to put far more emphasis on developing brand loyalty and creating lifetime customers. One of the ways that they are going about this is experiential marketing.

Your company’s brand is the most powerful tool in your toolbelt. As businesses grow and adapt to a constantly-evolving world with new tastes, new innovations, and new customer demands, it’s essential for your brand to reflect the current marketplace, but how do you know if you should rebrand or just refresh?