The Difference Between Brand Positioning and Marketing

Nov 17

Branding and marketing are often used interchangeably, but they serve completely different purposes. One builds belief. The other drives action. You need both, but in the right order.

Brand positioning defines who you are, what you stand for, and why people should care. Marketing tells that story to the right people at the right time. Without clear positioning, marketing becomes guesswork—campaigns without a compass.

Positioning is the foundation. It determines your tone, visuals, value proposition, and overall direction. It’s what helps you stand apart from competitors who may offer the same service but not the same experience.

Marketing is the megaphone. It amplifies what’s already been defined. Done well, it invites your audience into a story that already feels clear and consistent.

We see it all the time at Treebird Branding: businesses pour money into marketing only to realize the underlying brand isn’t strong enough to support it. The message doesn’t land because the brand doesn’t know what it stands for.

If your marketing feels scattered or ineffective, the solution isn’t necessarily more advertising. It’s often refining your brand positioning first. Once that’s in place, every marketing dollar works harder because it’s grounded in strategy.

At Treebird, we help companies uncover what truly sets them apart—then align every creative choice around it. That clarity turns marketing from noise into momentum.

If you’re spending on marketing but still struggling to connect, start with your brand. The strongest marketing strategies always begin with a strong position.

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Jaci Lund

Jaci Lund partner, creative director, designer Jaci’s quick wit and native intelligence comes across as soon as you meet her—and carries over to her design, where she fuses fun and sophistication in just the right doses. With a dual focus on creating original branding for new concepts and revitalizing the look and feel of even the most-established brands, Jaci approaches each project with a fresh and thoughtful perspective. While she recognizes the relevance of current trends, she’s hyper-conscious of the fine line that separates “trend” from “fad,” and tends toward more timeless and classic looks for her clients. Before founding Treebird, Jaci was instrumental in growing the design department at Atlanta’s The Reynolds Group, Inc. Through a five-year tenure that saw her quickly ascend to senior designer and then become the company’s first creative director, Jaci worked on design and branding projects with visionaries, entrepreneurs, and business leaders whom she admires greatly and whose own passion elevates her sense of what’s possible through new design, branding, and communication. Jaci has won nine ADDY Awards (and counting) for her design and branding work and has twice been featured in the national design blog “Art of the Menu.” She holds a B.A. in communications from Michigan State University and completed the graphic design program at The Creative Circus, where she also teaches a quarterly course called “Introduction to Creative Thinking.” To see Jaci's previous work please visit jacilund.com.

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