Read our free ebook: 16 Rules for Living with Less
The Minimalists
The Minimalists are Emmy-nominated Netflix stars and New York Times–bestselling authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. Alongside their podcast cohost, T.K. Coleman, this simple-living trio helps millions of people eliminate clutter and live meaningfully with less. Learn More.

Marketing vs. Advertising

Although the terms are often used synonymously, we shouldn’t confuse marketing with advertising.

We’re all marketers: Good or bad, we all market ourselves—often unconsciously—and hope that certain people look upon us favorably based on the image we project to the world. There are many fakers, but most individuals are authentic when marketing themselves. We do this out of necessity because most people can innately detect individual insincerity and reject frauds accordingly.

Advertising is different: The motive behind (most) advertising is primarily financial; thus, advertising itself is inherently tainted and, in many cases, disingenuous. But ads are everywhere in our heavily mediated culture, so be careful. Proceed with caution.