After several years of announcements that it would never deal with international terrorists, the administration was forced to admit that it had sold weapons to Iran in the vain hope of gaining the release of hostages held in Lebanon. So damaging was the adverse publicity that no PR campaign could overcome it. Advertising is paid publicity. Its purpose in public relations is similar to that of advertising used to sell products. Advertising appears in newspapers and magazines, on radio and television, on billboards and handbills, and in any other medium that can reach eyes or ears.
Political campaigns beget a huge amount of advertising for candidates and issues.
Corporations advertise themselves as well as their products and services. A major petroleum corporation, for example, ran a series of public relations articles in newspapers to present its views on current topics. When a company pays for the free distribution of baseball caps, T-shirts, cameras, or other items at a professional ball game, it is advertising itself and seeking public goodwill. Television commercials by the National Football League denouncing drug use are called public service announcements. They are also public relations advertising for the league.