Branding and marketing jargon is often a source of confusion for clients and advisors alike. Whenever there is talk of marketing messages, the phrase "positioning" usually lurks in the background. Used interchangeably by some, Knowledge Networks has a distinct point of view on the different between positioning and messaging.

Positioning is the big idea; how we communicate the brand positioning is another matter! Positioning is the process of staking out a place for the brand in the mind of the customer/prospect. It is the belief or benefit communicated to, and/or experienced by, a specific audience about a specific brand. These beliefs are often mentally mapped against other beliefs about competing brands.

The message, on the other hand, is the vehicle by which we convey the intended positioning. Sometimes a message is as simple as the proof point, such as a functional claim, like a nutritional burst on a carton of yogurt, or a reported outcome from a clinical trial. It can, at other times, evoke an emotional response to the brand. In all cases, a message must persuade via the most appropriate delivery mechanism, be it TV, online or print advertising, packaging, point of purchase, or another medium.