The world has gone bananas. Let’s end this nonsense.

If you’re using the term “brand positioning,” you’re probably thinking about it wrong. Here’s why this matters more than you think.

First, let’s clear something up: There’s no such thing as “brand positioning.” There’s just positioning. And the difference isn’t just semantic – it reveals a fundamental misunderstanding that’s costing businesses millions.

The Problem with “Brand Positioning”

When people talk about “brand positioning,” they’re usually thinking about marketing tactics, slogans, or brand identity. They’re thinking small. And they’re missing the entire point of what positioning really is.

Positioning isn’t a marketing exercise.

It’s not a branding strategy.

It’s the atomic core of your entire business.

Let me prove it to you.

Think about Volvo.

They don’t have a “brand position” around safety.

Safety IS their position.

It drives everything:

• How they design cars
• What features they develop
• Which innovations they pursue
• Where they spend R&D money
• How they train employees
• Why they make every business decision

See the difference?

Your brand doesn’t have a position. Your business owns a position in the mind of your customer, and your brand is just one of many ways that position is expressed.

When you understand this, everything changes.

You stop thinking about:

• Brand guidelines
• Marketing messages
• Visual identity

And start thinking about:

• Fundamental business strategy
• Market leadership
• Category ownership
• Mental territory

So how did this mess get started?

The term “positioning” was introduced by Al Ries and Jack Trout to describe what you do to the mind of the prospect, not what you do to a product or brand. Somewhere along the way, marketers got hold of it and reduced it to a branding exercise.

Tesla doesn’t have a “brand position” around the future of transportation. They ARE the future of transportation. This drives every decision, from engineering to retail strategy to customer service.

Red Bull doesn’t have a “brand position” around human performance. They OWN human performance in the mind of the consumer. Everything they do – from product development to event creation to content strategy – reinforces this position.

Why does this matter?

This isn’t just semantics. When you think of positioning as a “brand” thing:

• You limit its scope
• You reduce its impact
• You miss opportunities
• You make tactical rather than strategic decisions

What to do instead:

Stop thinking about “brand positioning.” Start thinking about what position your business can own in the mind of your customer. Let that drive everything else.

Remember: Your brand doesn’t have a position. Your business owns a position, and your brand is just one way you express it.

Next time someone talks about “brand positioning,” you’ll know they’re probably missing the bigger picture. And in business, the bigger picture is everything.