Positioning isn’t a tagline. It’s not a pitch. And it’s definitely not a gimmick.

In this episode of Brand Is Not A Four-Letter Word, Amy Jackson breaks down what brand positioning really is—and why so many brands get it wrong by confusing it with arena, messaging, or clever marketing tricks.

You’ll learn the critical difference between where you compete (your arena) and how you show up inside it (your positioning), and why positioning must be rooted in your brand’s authentic essence to actually work.

Amy explores:

• The difference between arena vs. positioning and why both matter
• Why positioning must align with your brand’s natural character, not an aspirational fantasy
• A famous brand example where positioning drift caused long-term damage (and what we can learn from it)
• Why there is no truly “unique” positioning—and why that’s actually good news
• How the same product category can support many different, equally viable positions
• Why positioning is not your tagline and shouldn’t change with every campaign
• How consistent positioning drives recall, trust, and preference over time

You’ll also hear research-backed insights on why consistent positioning strengthens brand recognition and increases revenue—and how misalignment erodes trust faster than most brands realize.

This Episode's Brand Hack

Draft a one-sentence brand vision to anchor your positioning:

We exist to help [AUDIENCE] achieve [OUTCOME] by bringing [CORE STRENGTHS OR TRAITS] to the [ARENA] we serve.

This simple exercise helps clarify what your brand stands for—and what it doesn’t—so your positioning can stay authentic, actionable, and aspirational.

Because brand isn’t a four-letter word. It’s your best strategy and your strongest story. Learn more at BrandIsNotAFourLetterWord.com