One of the most common discussions in the branding world is the chicken-or-egg existential dilemma of branding vs. marketing.

Before we put all our eggs (or chickens) in one basket, let's ask: why do we even need to choose?

Founders and small business owners often feel they must choose one because they're working with tight budgets and want to focus on just one new project outside their comfort zone. Since marketing is the more famous, flashy option, they usually go with that.

Branding professionals hold this topic so close to their hearts because they want to distinguish themselves from marketing, and they believe so much in branding and strategy that they want to save the world with their tools. (Here's to every branding expert who's created a workshop for a "what should we eat" level of decision.)

Another (more client-focused) reason why branding professionals constantly debate this distinction is because marketing isn't always (actually, almost never) the right first move for small businesses.

Let's explore how branding and marketing compare to each other through three powerful analogies:

• The Push and Pull: Marketing pushes messages outward to audiences, while branding pulls customers in through reputation and emotional connection.

• Singer vs. Microphone: Brand is the singer (the voice, talent, and lyrics), while marketing is the microphone (the amplification tool that helps the voice reach more people).

• House vs. Open House: Brand is the house itself (structure, design, foundation), while marketing is hosting an open house to showcase it to potential buyers.

Notice that you never saw logo, identity, design, or even looks in these lists, because that's not what branding is. (Appreciate the irony that branding has the biggest branding problem ever.)

I've come up with a scenario that shows the challenges and the right approach, especially for small businesses. Here we go:

I want to share a video (and the concept behind it) with you that I find very important when building a truly beloved brand. In the branding circles it’s well-known but the minute I step out of that comfortable bubble I’m surprised how many people don’t know about it. If you’re building your brand you absolutely should watch this, and if you already watched it, you know you have to watch it again.

1.3M views on youtube.
A good chunk of it was me. Some people have comfort sitcoms. I have comfort commercials.
“The Crazy Ones” is my all time favorite.

I was deep in the brand and marketing strategy rabbit hole for the last 5 years. Reading every book and article, taking every course, just to understand why some companies turn into beloved brands and why some seem to piss people off no matter how hard they try. Or even worse, stay irrelevant.

It was not until I co-founded a company that's not an agency but a business with products, a warehouse, and most importantly people in it that I learned the most about branding. I completely changed the way I run my workshops. I even changed the format from an agency to a consulting service, and I always start the very first meeting with a new client with this question:

What do you think is marketing?