---
title: "Difference between an advertising agency and a communication agency"
description: "Advertising agency or communication agency: what differences in craft, scope and missions? A guide to choosing the right one."
url: "https://publicitefrance.com/en/blog/difference-agence-publicite-communication/"
lang: en
translated_from: "https://publicitefrance.com/blog/difference-agence-publicite-communication/"
category: "Agencies"
publisher: "PubliCité France"
updated: "2026-08-02"
keywords: ["advertising agency vs communication agency", "ad agency definition", "communication agency definition"]
---

# Difference between an advertising agency and a communication agency

**In short:** the **advertising** agency is historically centred on **creating and running campaigns** (make known, make sell). The **communication** agency has a **broader** scope (PR, content, internal comms, events, image). In practice the lines blur and many agencies do both.

## Advertising agency: getting a message across
Advertising aims to **promote** a product, service or brand via paid campaigns: creative (idea, visual, slogan), choice of media, delivery (TV, outdoor, digital…). Its core: **impact and conversion** — make known and make act.

## Communication agency: managing overall image
Communication covers the whole **relationship between an organisation and its audiences**: PR, editorial content, crisis comms, internal comms, events, brand identity. Its goal: **build and protect an image** over time, beyond paid campaigns alone.

## The main differences

| Criterion | Advertising agency | Communication agency |
|---|---|---|
| Core craft | Campaigns (creative + delivery) | Image & overall relations |
| Horizon | Often campaign by campaign | Continuous, long term |
| Levers | Paid media, creative | PR, content, events, internal |
| Dominant goal | Awareness, sales | Reputation, image consistency |

## In practice: blurred lines
Many agencies call themselves "communication" while doing advertising, and vice versa. **360 / integrated** agencies cover both. The right reflex isn't to choose on the label, but on the **real need**: a campaign to launch? an image gap to fix? continuous messaging to structure?

## FAQ
**Does a communication agency do advertising?**
Often yes: advertising is one of communication's levers. But a communication agency also covers areas advertising alone doesn't (PR, internal, events).

**Which to choose to launch a product?**
For a launch campaign, an advertising agency (or the ad arm of an integrated agency) fits. To build a lasting image, a communication agency.

**What price difference?**
It depends on scope more than the label: a one-off campaign and ongoing overall support aren't billed the same way.

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*PubliCité France — blog, Agencies. French version: /blog/difference-agence-publicite-communication/*