Related fields are easily confused by any student.  One such occurrence is prevalent among students writing media and advertising essays.  Perhaps there are a number of factors behind such tangled concepts.  In particular, some students do not have the proper or ample understanding of each field in separate.

Another probable factor is the interchanging usage in terminologies.  For instance, some may have used the term ‘advertising’ when what they meant was ‘media’ in media essays, or vice versa.  While this interchanging usage is occurring, nobody was apparently there to correct or even bring out the conflict between the two.  This case is a highly possible scenario for students who have not the slightest inkling that there exists a difference between the two, and that they pertain to separate things.

To facilitate understanding about the difference of the two below are some distinguishing factors worth checking to:
 

  •  Media is a collective term for all tools at command for the purpose of reaching a target audience.  Advertising, on the other hand, is only one aspect or component of media.  Hence, while media essays are expected to span a great deal of tools, essays in advertising will only cover its own sub-components.


  •  Media essays invariably cover several objectives as it is a collective umbrella of several mediums.  On the other hand, the objective of an essay in advertising can only present a limited and client-dependent objective.  
   

  •  Essays in media carry a wide coverage of clientele, from private to public organisations, from profit to non-profit; in other words, the list is endless. Though an essay in advertising is also capable of holding many types of clients, in general, it holds only one type of client – the one aiming for profit.

Apart from noting these listings, students should be cognisant of such interchanging errors.  Moreover, they should not hesitate in asking for someone to clarify them.  Clarifications are always a healthy way of conducting check-ups and a good indication of a keen eye.  In sum, they should keep in mind that corrections are always welcome than confusion or a network of misconceptions or insubstantial assumptions.