Corporate allies or adversaries: An exploration of the relationship between public relations and marketing among Ghanaian practitioners

Abstract

ABSTRACT The research examines the perspectives of Ghanaian public relations and marketing professionals on the relationship between respective professions. Several academic studies were conducted in the 1980s and 1990s to address the apparent friction or turf war between public relations and marketing. The discussion centered on whether public relations should be treated as a separate function or if it should serve as a supplement to marketing. Data was collected from 171 marketing and public relations professionals using the quantitative method. Overall, the findings suggest that despite their cooperation, there is still tension or disagreement between the two professions. The result means that the two functions are likely to have challenges cooperating with each other to achieve organisational objectives, especially, in situations where one is given a higher status than the other in the organisation. Theoretically, more studies need to be conducted from an African viewpoint, including how content marketing is shaping the relationship between the two. The study suggests that more research be done on the subject, particularly from a management standpoint. We believe that the level of cooperation and attitude toward the two professions will be shaped by management’s comprehension of them.