@ Mesoteto

Actually, Marketing's job is to get you to buy their product. PR's job is pretty much damage control. While they can do the other things listed, the basis of their job is very, very narrow.

You never really hear from PR unless there's something great or horrible - if it's mediocre news, they keep quiet. It's marketing's job to pump up mediocre news and make it sizzle.

As a friend of mine who used to work in Marketing 'Sell the sizzle, not the steak.' The steak may taste like crap, but you sell the sizzle part - and get folks to buy the steak.

Community relations is what Sony needs more than PR and marketing. Folks know the PS3 is here - and now, they have to heal wounds. PR, as I stated, are pretty much liars.

All you have to do is ... think White House press secretary Dana Perino. She's skilled in PR - she just has very bad delivery.

PR spin keeps shareholders from worry.

Most people are gullible enough to believe them.

Including loads of reporters for big newpapers/news sites.

Just look at all the hype sony got for outselling the wii in japan for one week, after a price drop. "sony domination begins" type headlines started popping up all over the place. That's definatly helpful for boosting confidence in your product.