In this paper, we discussed the relationship between public service advertising and social marketing, reviewed the past and the present situations of PSA in China, and examined some representative samples from a recent national PSA campaign in the country. As a logical extension of the fast-growing commercial advertising in China, PSA has been used as an alternative for traditional propaganda in the country during the past 15 years or so. With its soft-selling appeals and other marketing strategies, PSA is believed to be more effective than the simplistic and patriarchal propaganda and could play a positive role in national consensus building and in addressing a variety of issues with broad public concerns. Still in its infancy, however, PSA in China is facing various challenges, particularly the lack of funding, legal protection, and quality.