It only amplifies them.

Everyone points to Apple’s “Think Different” campaign as proof that marketing builds brands.

They’re missing the four levels of positioning (a simple framework I’ve created) that made it work:

LEVEL 1: SAYING IT

• Beautiful black and white footage
• Inspiring voiceover about rebels
• “Think Different” tagline
  Cost: Marketing budget

Most companies stop here. Apple didn’t.

LEVEL 2: PROVING IT

• Design awards
• Innovation patents
• Customer satisfaction scores
• Market share growth
  Cost: Time and effort

Better, but still just evidence. Apple went deeper.

LEVEL 3: BEING IT

• Killed profitable product lines for design
• Refused to license Mac OS (cost: billions)
• Built expensive retail stores
• Said no to Flash despite demands
• Limited product line when others expanded
  Cost: Real money and opportunities

This is where positioning starts to matter. But Apple went even further.

LEVEL 4: OWNING IT
Apple doesn’t compete in tech – they own EXPERIENCE itself.

• Every decision filtered through design
• Every product must “spark joy”
• Every store must feel magical
• Every launch must create wonder
  Cost: Entire business model

The difference:
Level 1 got attention
Level 2 got credibility
Level 3 got loyalty
Level 4 got category ownership

Think Different worked because Apple operated at Level 4:

• Not just saying they were different
• Not just proving they were different
• Not just making expensive decisions
• But building an entire business around owning difference

Most companies see Level 1 (the campaign) and miss Levels 2-4 (the expensive decisions).

Want to test your position?

• Level 1: What do you say?
• Level 2: What can you prove?
• Level 3: What expensive decisions do you make?
• Level 4: What concept do you fundamentally own?

Marketing amplifies position.
It doesn’t create it.

P.S. Yes, Think Different was brilliant marketing. But it worked because it reflected all four levels of positioning, not because it created them. Big difference.