Why Public Affairs Needs to Learn from Marketing. The Internal Side of Public Affairs (33)

Alan Hardacre, PhD

Co-Founder Advocacy Academy, Advocacy Strategy

I was inspired by a recent conversation with Yoav Shechter Ph.D. where we discussed both the differences, and the proximity, between Public Affairs and Marketing. The difference is that Public Affairs often struggles to articulate its value within an organization but marketing is a fully embedded function. The proximity lies in the fact that Public Affairs and Marketing share a lot of DNA. Both functions are about influence—one shapes perceptions of a product and the other seeks to drive regulatory and policy outcomes. To do both you require an understanding of your product, stakeholder mapping, targeted messaging, choice of channels of influence and long-term strategic planning. So, what can Public Affairs learn from Marketing to up its game?

1. Clear Objectives & Measurable Impact

Marketing is deeply rooted in measurement—tracking brand awareness, engagement, conversion rates. Public Affairs needs to move beyond vague notions of “shaping policy” and quantify its impact:

How have our engagements influenced policy discussions?

Are we shifting stakeholder perceptions over time?

What’s the ROI of our advocacy efforts?

2. A Consistent & Integrated Narrative

Successful brands don’t just run one-off campaigns—they ensure consistency across all touchpoints. Public Affairs should align its messaging across policy engagement, internal communications, media relations and thought leadership. A fragmented approach weakens credibility. A cohesive narrative strengthens it.

3. Proactive, Not Just Reactive

Marketing teams don’t just respond to customer demand—they create it. Similarly, Public Affairs needs to move beyond firefighting and shape the policy agenda before issues arise. This means anticipating regulatory and policy shifts, engaging proactively with stakeholders and building long-term advocacy campaigns

4. Internal Advocacy & Positioning

Marketing has earned a strategic seat at the table because it has embedded itself into core business planning. Public Affairs needs to do the same:

Align with corporate strategy, speak the language of executives (risk, opportunity, value creation), demonstrate how PA contributes to business success

Marketing isn’t just about making noise—it’s about making impact. Public Affairs must adopt the same mindset to move from being a misunderstood support function to a recognized driver of business value.

💡 Should PA professionals start thinking more like marketers? Are there other similarities?