Marketing sells. Communications protects.

Seven years ago, Apple launched the brilliant “shot on iPhone” campaign. It was one of those rare examples where marketing and communications came together to create something bigger that the sum of their parts, and it changed the way an entire generation viewed the creative potential in their pockets.

From a marketing perspective, “shot on iPhone” showcased what the iPhone camera could do, cementing it as a clear alternative for creatives. But from a communications perspective, it projected something bigger about the brand: Apple was serious about the creativity, accessibility and confidence of its users. Marketing built demand for the product, while communications built meaning.

This is one of the reasons why I get frustrated when I hear leaders talk about communications and marketing as if they’re the same function, or worse, when they use the terrible “marcomms” portmanteau. They are not the same thing, and when that distinction gets blurred, reputation is usually the first thing to suffer.

The purpose of marketing is to drive demand, to promote products, services or initiatives and deliver commercial outcomes like leads, sales, and growth. It is usually campaign-led, audience-targeted and measured in reach, conversion and ROI.

Communications, meanwhile, is broader and more strategic. It asks big questions like “why” and explains who an organisation is, what it stands for, or what it is doing. When executed properly, it builds understanding, trust and reputation.

Each of these functions are incredibly important to an organisation, particularly those who rely on the trust or goodwill of its stakeholders. But they cannot be interchanged without risking that clarity, consistency and credibility that communications alone can deliver.

Reputation is built one brick at a time by the skilled communicator, through behaviour, transparency and trust. And if that foundation is damaged, it is incredibly hard to rebuild; which is why I will always encourage leaders to defend that good reputation.

Nowadays many organisations overinvest in marketing and underinvest in communications, because they see the direct impact of marketing on the balance sheet. But this is a grave strategic mistake. When – not if, but when – something goes wrong, your latest ad campaign will not defend your brand or keep your customers from walking out the door. Only your credibility, your relationships and your track record will save you.

Smart organisations like Apple understand that marketing and communications play a different role, and sometimes they can be teammates. By treating reputation as a core asset, not an afterthought, they weather the storms and remain market leaders.