How to Strategise your Product and Brand Marketing

Are you selling features or selling feelings?

How do you know what to sell and when to sell? If at all?

Without getting too esoteric, let’s look into product and brand marketing and the unique roles they each play.

Product or Brand Marketing?

It’s not uncommon to see these two disciplines lumped together. While they both play roles and both compliment each other, it’s important to understand the unique perspective embedded in each. And honestly, depending who you talk to and their individual perspectives you’ll likely see some kind of spectrum in reality.

Perhaps for our purposes we can think of it in terms like rational or emotional marketing - Even features or benefits marketing.

What is product marketing?

Salesforce provides the following definition:

Product marketing is about clearly communicating a product’s unique value to customers. A secondary aspect is communicating this well to internal teams. There are three key elements to communicating this value:
Identifying what customers need.
Showcasing how your product solves those challenges.
Positioning your product within the market.

This is all very rational. Understand needs, create solutions and bring it to the market. Don’t get be wrong, it’s all very important. Unfortunately the nuance in this that’s missing is the on the ground reality.

As Jobs famously said.

Some people say, "Give the customers what they want." But that's not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they're going to want before they do. I think Henry Ford once said, "If I'd asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, 'A faster horse!'" People don't know what they want until you show it to them. That's why I never rely on market research. Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page.

It’s can be endlessly frustrating to provide exactly what people are asking for only for them to not be interested. Which can lead to a reinforcing cycle where instead of products and services getting closer to what people actually would value, the product is optimised to the point of irrelevancy.

Not knocking these disciplines, as I said tactically there’s value in this worldview. It’s just that there’s something underneath it. Despite the persistent belief that people are rational, self-interested, have consistent preferences over time and are logical, there is enormous evidence to the contrary.

What is brand marketing?

Kicking off – Let’s clarify a few things. A brand isn’t a logo. It’s merely a symbol or representation of it. Further, a brand is just an idea in someone else’s head. (And more accurately, their body)

As Marty Neumeier states, “Your brand isn’t what you say it is, it’s what they say it is.” Got it?

Essentially brand marketing is the process of creating background context or a relationship between a business and an individual. It considers aspects of meaning, identity, desire, story. It’s attempting to connect with the subconscious areas of our minds. It’s asking questions like when a consumer sees our brand (business, product, communication) – What is it that we want them to feel? To think? To believe?

So Which?

This isn’t to say you should choose one over the other but understand what unique role each plays and how to use it within your business, category and market environment. Unfortunately adopting generic marketing advice can be a sure process to achieving a lighter wallet.

What are the Differences?

Context	Product	Brand
Pain Aversion	Shows how the product directly solves their pain point — clear features, benefits, ROI	Builds trust that the company understands people like them, even before they know which product fits
Problem Solving	Frames the product as the solution to that exact problem with proof, demos, case studies	Shapes perception that this is the brand I should turn to when problems arise, even unarticulated ones
Comparison	Provides rational differentiation: comparisons, unique features, cost-benefit analysis	Provides emotional differentiation: brand values, cultural fit, reputation, belonging
Social Proof	Persona-targeted messaging, testimonials, use-case content	Broad cultural narrative and social proof that people like me trust this brand
Risk Aversion	Risk-reduction: guarantees, onboarding, training, customer support	Long-term reassurance: credibility, track record, community, trust equity
Processing	Logical validation — charts, comparisons, ROI calculators	Emotional validation — identity alignment, pride in choosing the brand, sense of belonging

Understanding Category Dynamics

Context is likely the least appreciated function within marketing. It’s all too common to see businesses jump on the latest bandwagon gung ho and take a spray and pray approach. Worst in a world where we see story after story of breakout success, it’s all too tempting to roll the dice, cross your fingers and copy the latest hack.

In reality, there will always be someone willing to sell you a miracle solution or secret method or some version of a shortcut of the real work. It’s not to say that once in a while it can work, and really work. The risk is not understanding your business and the market dynamics and ending up worse off than when you started.

As is the case with most games, business is about playing your hand as it actually is not where you’d like it to be. This means acquiring a deep understanding of both your strengths and weaknesses, and a developed context of your position relative to others.

Practically you can attempt a head to head but generally speaking you win by using leverage that creates unique advantage that is difficult to copy. You gotta play it where it lies.

When Logic Wins

People opt for rational decision-making when:

They’re solving an immediate, functional problem (“I need faster accounting software to save time”).
The purchase is highly comparable across vendors (feature checklists, price points). (Alternatively, they can’t understand the real differences or there’s no emotional distinction)
The decision is measurable — ROI, efficiency, savings, compliance, performance benchmarks (There are caveats on this)
Risk tolerance is low — users want guarantees, trials, onboarding support.
The user is in a “justification” mode — needing to defend their choice to a boss, team, board, or partner. (This may be based on emotional underpinnings and then logical justifications are sought)

Tactics: demos, case studies, ROI calculators, feature comparisons, free trials, proof points. (This isn’t to say the logic will be enough - Just that it might be the pathway to the next step)

When Emotion Wins

People opt for emotional decision-making when:

They want to signal identity (“This is the kind of brand someone like me chooses”).
The category is commoditised — when features look the same, emotion tips the scale.
The purchase is aspirational — driven by desire, status, lifestyle, belonging, values.
The decision is about trust over time — choosing a partner, advisor, or provider for the long haul.
They’re buying into a story, not just a product. (Health/fitness brands do this really well)

Tactics: storytelling campaigns, founder narratives, cultural relevance, community-building, brand values.

So?

Logic gets you in the door (credibility).
Emotion keeps you in the room (preference).

A tangible example.

Apple and Samsung.

Two very well known consumer technology brands. For years Samsung tried to dethrone Apple with technical supremacy. Better battery. Improved cameras. Faster performance. Newer chips. Customisable software.

The now all too common refrain from Android users is “We had this years ago.”

Yet Samsung barely managed to get a look in at the share of the industry profit. While there a numerous factors at play - The decisions we make around the personalised devices we call our phones are fundamentally emotional ones.

Why has Product Marketing Become a Default?

It wouldn’t be untrue to say we live in a results obsessed world. Culturally we value impact, KPIs and outcomes. Not that I’m saying there is anything intrinsically wrong with that per se just that pursuing this path leads to an optimisation of a certain kind. Simply, it creates kinds of biases.

Certain categories are defined by certain cultures because they naturally attract certain kinds of people – People who carry unique perspectives and views about how the world works.

A few views that default to Product Marketing:

Best – “We’re gonna build the best product.” “We’ve got the best features.” Unfortunately history is a graveyard of the better products. Now you can argue what ‘better’ is but focusing on technical improvement in both product and service to the detriment of asking the existential question of why would some one actually want this is a huge risk. At its worst businesses can be ruthlessly competing on features that no one actually even wants. It’s a bit of a duh statement but the goal of a business shouldn’t be to beat your competition it should be to create incredible value for your customer.

Most – “We’re gonna do it all.” One word - Unfocused. As tempting as it is to believe you can do it all and have every possible feature and benefit - It just doesn’t work. Especially if you’re in a start up phase. It will kill your momentum and have your fighting on too many fronts to meaningfully move forward.

Growth - “We have to hit those targets.” When you’re trying to hit growth for the sake of it, it’s much much easier to throw money into the internet than it is to build a thoughtful understanding of what actually drives progress. It’s knowing the difference between how you think you grow, and how you actually grow.

Perhaps a cautionary tale – Nike, known for its world-class brand storytelling

Massimo Giunco, a Senior Brand Director at Nike for two decades, had this to say over recent internal changes to the global brand in recent years.

“Nike invested billions into something that was less effective but easier to be measured vs something that was more effective but less easy to be measured.”

Are you selling features or selling feelings?

How do you know what to sell and when to sell? If at all?

Without getting too esoteric, let’s look into product and brand marketing and the unique roles they each play.

Product or Brand Marketing?

It’s not uncommon to see these two disciplines lumped together. While they both play roles and both compliment each other, it’s important to understand the unique perspective embedded in each. And honestly, depending who you talk to and their individual perspectives you’ll likely see some kind of spectrum in reality.

Perhaps for our purposes we can think of it in terms like rational or emotional marketing - Even features or benefits marketing.

What is product marketing?

Salesforce provides the following definition:

Product marketing is about clearly communicating a product’s unique value to customers. A secondary aspect is communicating this well to internal teams. There are three key elements to communicating this value:
Identifying what customers need.
Showcasing how your product solves those challenges.
Positioning your product within the market.

This is all very rational. Understand needs, create solutions and bring it to the market. Don’t get be wrong, it’s all very important. Unfortunately the nuance in this that’s missing is the on the ground reality.

As Jobs famously said.

Some people say, "Give the customers what they want." But that's not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they're going to want before they do. I think Henry Ford once said, "If I'd asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, 'A faster horse!'" People don't know what they want until you show it to them. That's why I never rely on market research. Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page.

It’s can be endlessly frustrating to provide exactly what people are asking for only for them to not be interested. Which can lead to a reinforcing cycle where instead of products and services getting closer to what people actually would value, the product is optimised to the point of irrelevancy.

Not knocking these disciplines, as I said tactically there’s value in this worldview. It’s just that there’s something underneath it. Despite the persistent belief that people are rational, self-interested, have consistent preferences over time and are logical, there is enormous evidence to the contrary.

What is brand marketing?

Kicking off – Let’s clarify a few things. A brand isn’t a logo. It’s merely a symbol or representation of it. Further, a brand is just an idea in someone else’s head. (And more accurately, their body)

As Marty Neumeier states, “Your brand isn’t what you say it is, it’s what they say it is.” Got it?

Essentially brand marketing is the process of creating background context or a relationship between a business and an individual. It considers aspects of meaning, identity, desire, story. It’s attempting to connect with the subconscious areas of our minds. It’s asking questions like when a consumer sees our brand (business, product, communication) – What is it that we want them to feel? To think? To believe?

So Which?

This isn’t to say you should choose one over the other but understand what unique role each plays and how to use it within your business, category and market environment. Unfortunately adopting generic marketing advice can be a sure process to achieving a lighter wallet.

What are the Differences?

Context	Product	Brand
Pain Aversion	Shows how the product directly solves their pain point — clear features, benefits, ROI	Builds trust that the company understands people like them, even before they know which product fits
Problem Solving	Frames the product as the solution to that exact problem with proof, demos, case studies	Shapes perception that this is the brand I should turn to when problems arise, even unarticulated ones
Comparison	Provides rational differentiation: comparisons, unique features, cost-benefit analysis	Provides emotional differentiation: brand values, cultural fit, reputation, belonging
Social Proof	Persona-targeted messaging, testimonials, use-case content	Broad cultural narrative and social proof that people like me trust this brand
Risk Aversion	Risk-reduction: guarantees, onboarding, training, customer support	Long-term reassurance: credibility, track record, community, trust equity
Processing	Logical validation — charts, comparisons, ROI calculators	Emotional validation — identity alignment, pride in choosing the brand, sense of belonging

Understanding Category Dynamics

Context is likely the least appreciated function within marketing. It’s all too common to see businesses jump on the latest bandwagon gung ho and take a spray and pray approach. Worst in a world where we see story after story of breakout success, it’s all too tempting to roll the dice, cross your fingers and copy the latest hack.

In reality, there will always be someone willing to sell you a miracle solution or secret method or some version of a shortcut of the real work. It’s not to say that once in a while it can work, and really work. The risk is not understanding your business and the market dynamics and ending up worse off than when you started.

As is the case with most games, business is about playing your hand as it actually is not where you’d like it to be. This means acquiring a deep understanding of both your strengths and weaknesses, and a developed context of your position relative to others.

Practically you can attempt a head to head but generally speaking you win by using leverage that creates unique advantage that is difficult to copy. You gotta play it where it lies.

When Logic Wins

People opt for rational decision-making when:

They’re solving an immediate, functional problem (“I need faster accounting software to save time”).
The purchase is highly comparable across vendors (feature checklists, price points). (Alternatively, they can’t understand the real differences or there’s no emotional distinction)
The decision is measurable — ROI, efficiency, savings, compliance, performance benchmarks (There are caveats on this)
Risk tolerance is low — users want guarantees, trials, onboarding support.
The user is in a “justification” mode — needing to defend their choice to a boss, team, board, or partner. (This may be based on emotional underpinnings and then logical justifications are sought)

Tactics: demos, case studies, ROI calculators, feature comparisons, free trials, proof points. (This isn’t to say the logic will be enough - Just that it might be the pathway to the next step)

When Emotion Wins

People opt for emotional decision-making when:

They want to signal identity (“This is the kind of brand someone like me chooses”).
The category is commoditised — when features look the same, emotion tips the scale.
The purchase is aspirational — driven by desire, status, lifestyle, belonging, values.
The decision is about trust over time — choosing a partner, advisor, or provider for the long haul.
They’re buying into a story, not just a product. (Health/fitness brands do this really well)

Tactics: storytelling campaigns, founder narratives, cultural relevance, community-building, brand values.

So?

Logic gets you in the door (credibility).
Emotion keeps you in the room (preference).

A tangible example.

Apple and Samsung.

Two very well known consumer technology brands. For years Samsung tried to dethrone Apple with technical supremacy. Better battery. Improved cameras. Faster performance. Newer chips. Customisable software.

The now all too common refrain from Android users is “We had this years ago.”

Yet Samsung barely managed to get a look in at the share of the industry profit. While there a numerous factors at play - The decisions we make around the personalised devices we call our phones are fundamentally emotional ones.

Why has Product Marketing Become a Default?

It wouldn’t be untrue to say we live in a results obsessed world. Culturally we value impact, KPIs and outcomes. Not that I’m saying there is anything intrinsically wrong with that per se just that pursuing this path leads to an optimisation of a certain kind. Simply, it creates kinds of biases.

Certain categories are defined by certain cultures because they naturally attract certain kinds of people – People who carry unique perspectives and views about how the world works.

A few views that default to Product Marketing:

Best – “We’re gonna build the best product.” “We’ve got the best features.” Unfortunately history is a graveyard of the better products. Now you can argue what ‘better’ is but focusing on technical improvement in both product and service to the detriment of asking the existential question of why would some one actually want this is a huge risk. At its worst businesses can be ruthlessly competing on features that no one actually even wants. It’s a bit of a duh statement but the goal of a business shouldn’t be to beat your competition it should be to create incredible value for your customer.

Most – “We’re gonna do it all.” One word - Unfocused. As tempting as it is to believe you can do it all and have every possible feature and benefit - It just doesn’t work. Especially if you’re in a start up phase. It will kill your momentum and have your fighting on too many fronts to meaningfully move forward.

Growth - “We have to hit those targets.” When you’re trying to hit growth for the sake of it, it’s much much easier to throw money into the internet than it is to build a thoughtful understanding of what actually drives progress. It’s knowing the difference between how you think you grow, and how you actually grow.

Perhaps a cautionary tale – Nike, known for its world-class brand storytelling

Massimo Giunco, a Senior Brand Director at Nike for two decades, had this to say over recent internal changes to the global brand in recent years.

“Nike invested billions into something that was less effective but easier to be measured vs something that was more effective but less easy to be measured.”

Are you selling features or selling feelings?

How do you know what to sell and when to sell? If at all?

Without getting too esoteric, let’s look into product and brand marketing and the unique roles they each play.

Product or Brand Marketing?

It’s not uncommon to see these two disciplines lumped together. While they both play roles and both compliment each other, it’s important to understand the unique perspective embedded in each. And honestly, depending who you talk to and their individual perspectives you’ll likely see some kind of spectrum in reality.

Perhaps for our purposes we can think of it in terms like rational or emotional marketing - Even features or benefits marketing.

What is product marketing?

Salesforce provides the following definition:

Product marketing is about clearly communicating a product’s unique value to customers. A secondary aspect is communicating this well to internal teams. There are three key elements to communicating this value:
Identifying what customers need.
Showcasing how your product solves those challenges.
Positioning your product within the market.

This is all very rational. Understand needs, create solutions and bring it to the market. Don’t get be wrong, it’s all very important. Unfortunately the nuance in this that’s missing is the on the ground reality.

As Jobs famously said.

Some people say, "Give the customers what they want." But that's not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they're going to want before they do. I think Henry Ford once said, "If I'd asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, 'A faster horse!'" People don't know what they want until you show it to them. That's why I never rely on market research. Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page.

It’s can be endlessly frustrating to provide exactly what people are asking for only for them to not be interested. Which can lead to a reinforcing cycle where instead of products and services getting closer to what people actually would value, the product is optimised to the point of irrelevancy.

Not knocking these disciplines, as I said tactically there’s value in this worldview. It’s just that there’s something underneath it. Despite the persistent belief that people are rational, self-interested, have consistent preferences over time and are logical, there is enormous evidence to the contrary.

What is brand marketing?

Kicking off – Let’s clarify a few things. A brand isn’t a logo. It’s merely a symbol or representation of it. Further, a brand is just an idea in someone else’s head. (And more accurately, their body)

As Marty Neumeier states, “Your brand isn’t what you say it is, it’s what they say it is.” Got it?

Essentially brand marketing is the process of creating background context or a relationship between a business and an individual. It considers aspects of meaning, identity, desire, story. It’s attempting to connect with the subconscious areas of our minds. It’s asking questions like when a consumer sees our brand (business, product, communication) – What is it that we want them to feel? To think? To believe?

So Which?

This isn’t to say you should choose one over the other but understand what unique role each plays and how to use it within your business, category and market environment. Unfortunately adopting generic marketing advice can be a sure process to achieving a lighter wallet.

What are the Differences?

Context	Product	Brand
Pain Aversion	Shows how the product directly solves their pain point — clear features, benefits, ROI	Builds trust that the company understands people like them, even before they know which product fits
Problem Solving	Frames the product as the solution to that exact problem with proof, demos, case studies	Shapes perception that this is the brand I should turn to when problems arise, even unarticulated ones
Comparison	Provides rational differentiation: comparisons, unique features, cost-benefit analysis	Provides emotional differentiation: brand values, cultural fit, reputation, belonging
Social Proof	Persona-targeted messaging, testimonials, use-case content	Broad cultural narrative and social proof that people like me trust this brand
Risk Aversion	Risk-reduction: guarantees, onboarding, training, customer support	Long-term reassurance: credibility, track record, community, trust equity
Processing	Logical validation — charts, comparisons, ROI calculators	Emotional validation — identity alignment, pride in choosing the brand, sense of belonging

Understanding Category Dynamics

Context is likely the least appreciated function within marketing. It’s all too common to see businesses jump on the latest bandwagon gung ho and take a spray and pray approach. Worst in a world where we see story after story of breakout success, it’s all too tempting to roll the dice, cross your fingers and copy the latest hack.

In reality, there will always be someone willing to sell you a miracle solution or secret method or some version of a shortcut of the real work. It’s not to say that once in a while it can work, and really work. The risk is not understanding your business and the market dynamics and ending up worse off than when you started.

As is the case with most games, business is about playing your hand as it actually is not where you’d like it to be. This means acquiring a deep understanding of both your strengths and weaknesses, and a developed context of your position relative to others.

Practically you can attempt a head to head but generally speaking you win by using leverage that creates unique advantage that is difficult to copy. You gotta play it where it lies.

When Logic Wins

People opt for rational decision-making when:

They’re solving an immediate, functional problem (“I need faster accounting software to save time”).
The purchase is highly comparable across vendors (feature checklists, price points). (Alternatively, they can’t understand the real differences or there’s no emotional distinction)
The decision is measurable — ROI, efficiency, savings, compliance, performance benchmarks (There are caveats on this)
Risk tolerance is low — users want guarantees, trials, onboarding support.
The user is in a “justification” mode — needing to defend their choice to a boss, team, board, or partner. (This may be based on emotional underpinnings and then logical justifications are sought)

Tactics: demos, case studies, ROI calculators, feature comparisons, free trials, proof points. (This isn’t to say the logic will be enough - Just that it might be the pathway to the next step)

When Emotion Wins

People opt for emotional decision-making when:

They want to signal identity (“This is the kind of brand someone like me chooses”).
The category is commoditised — when features look the same, emotion tips the scale.
The purchase is aspirational — driven by desire, status, lifestyle, belonging, values.
The decision is about trust over time — choosing a partner, advisor, or provider for the long haul.
They’re buying into a story, not just a product. (Health/fitness brands do this really well)

Tactics: storytelling campaigns, founder narratives, cultural relevance, community-building, brand values.

So?

Logic gets you in the door (credibility).
Emotion keeps you in the room (preference).

A tangible example.

Apple and Samsung.

Two very well known consumer technology brands. For years Samsung tried to dethrone Apple with technical supremacy. Better battery. Improved cameras. Faster performance. Newer chips. Customisable software.

The now all too common refrain from Android users is “We had this years ago.”

Yet Samsung barely managed to get a look in at the share of the industry profit. While there a numerous factors at play - The decisions we make around the personalised devices we call our phones are fundamentally emotional ones.

Why has Product Marketing Become a Default?

It wouldn’t be untrue to say we live in a results obsessed world. Culturally we value impact, KPIs and outcomes. Not that I’m saying there is anything intrinsically wrong with that per se just that pursuing this path leads to an optimisation of a certain kind. Simply, it creates kinds of biases.

Certain categories are defined by certain cultures because they naturally attract certain kinds of people – People who carry unique perspectives and views about how the world works.

A few views that default to Product Marketing:

Best – “We’re gonna build the best product.” “We’ve got the best features.” Unfortunately history is a graveyard of the better products. Now you can argue what ‘better’ is but focusing on technical improvement in both product and service to the detriment of asking the existential question of why would some one actually want this is a huge risk. At its worst businesses can be ruthlessly competing on features that no one actually even wants. It’s a bit of a duh statement but the goal of a business shouldn’t be to beat your competition it should be to create incredible value for your customer.

Most – “We’re gonna do it all.” One word - Unfocused. As tempting as it is to believe you can do it all and have every possible feature and benefit - It just doesn’t work. Especially if you’re in a start up phase. It will kill your momentum and have your fighting on too many fronts to meaningfully move forward.

Growth - “We have to hit those targets.” When you’re trying to hit growth for the sake of it, it’s much much easier to throw money into the internet than it is to build a thoughtful understanding of what actually drives progress. It’s knowing the difference between how you think you grow, and how you actually grow.

Perhaps a cautionary tale – Nike, known for its world-class brand storytelling

Massimo Giunco, a Senior Brand Director at Nike for two decades, had this to say over recent internal changes to the global brand in recent years.

“Nike invested billions into something that was less effective but easier to be measured vs something that was more effective but less easy to be measured.”

What is he referring to?

Just what we’ve been exploring. It’s misapplying product marketing. It’s thinking logical, systemised, rational communication is what people really want. Yet the reality is, in our own strange ways, we want to see ourselves as the athletes, the ones who can stand up to the challenge set before us and aspire to greatness.

Any one can sell a shoe, only the greats can sell a story.

What is he referring to?

Just what we’ve been exploring. It’s misapplying product marketing. It’s thinking logical, systemised, rational communication is what people really want. Yet the reality is, in our own strange ways, we want to see ourselves as the athletes, the ones who can stand up to the challenge set before us and aspire to greatness.

Any one can sell a shoe, only the greats can sell a story.

What is he referring to?

Just what we’ve been exploring. It’s misapplying product marketing. It’s thinking logical, systemised, rational communication is what people really want. Yet the reality is, in our own strange ways, we want to see ourselves as the athletes, the ones who can stand up to the challenge set before us and aspire to greatness.

Any one can sell a shoe, only the greats can sell a story.

What is he referring to?

Just what we’ve been exploring. It’s misapplying product marketing. It’s thinking logical, systemised, rational communication is what people really want. Yet the reality is, in our own strange ways, we want to see ourselves as the athletes, the ones who can stand up to the challenge set before us and aspire to greatness.

Any one can sell a shoe, only the greats can sell a story.