The challenge for public relations professionals is applying this perspective in
developing communications programs. Public relations activities play a unique role in
the communications process and it differs considerably from advertising. While both
forms of communication serve a similar role in building awareness, public relations
appears to have greater efficacy in two critical areas: building a relationship (homophily)
with the consumer and providing knowledge about the product under consideration. The
increased effectiveness in each of these areas is, at best, incremental. Nonetheless, it
demonstrates that advertising and public relations are well matched in working with
each other in the overall communications cycle of building awareness, conveying
knowledge and developing relevance that eventually can lead to purchase interest or
intent.