Not Everything Is Marketing: A Strategic Survival Guide for the C-Suite

Branding ≠ Communication ≠ Marketing

Do you know how to run Facebook ads?”

“Can you write Instagram posts?”

If you’ve spent 20+ years building brands and leading communication and marketing teams, these shouldn’t be the first questions you hear in a senior interview.

Yet — they still show up. Frequently.

That’s why I wrote the #NuTotEMarketing (Not Everything Is Marketing) series.

Because in 2025, there is still immense confusion between Branding, Communication and Marketing — in recruiting, in business discussions, even in C-level rooms.

It’s time to fix that.

1️⃣ Branding ≠ Communication ≠ Marketing

Branding is the soul.

It defines: Who are YOU? Why do you exist? Why should people love you?

It lives in:

→ your purpose

→ your tone of voice

→ your product experience

→ your employer brand

→ your visual identity

→ the way employees speak about the company at a Sunday dinner

Apple is not “just a tech company.”

Patagonia is not “just outdoor gear.”

Branding is what people FEEL about you — and why they stay loyal.

Communication is the voice. It’s how you tell the world who you are.

Through:

→ your social media presence

→ your tone in crisis moments

→ your media choices

→ the stories you tell in campaigns

Communication brings your brand to life — day after day.

Example:

→ Wendy’s on Twitter: witty, sharp.

→ Lufthansa during a delay: (hopefully) empathetic and professional.

Marketing is the magician.

It transforms who you are and what you say into action: Buy. Click. Download. Sign up. Share.

It is both:

→ a creative force

→ a data-driven growth machine

Good marketing bridges worlds:

→ between TV and TikTok

→ between grandma and Gen Z

→ between classic outdoor and AI-driven campaigns

2️⃣ Why the confusion?

Because the lines between branding, communication and marketing blur every day — especially in companies that lack strategic leadership.

→ Too often, “make me a Canva poster” replaces brand strategy.

→ Too often, posting for the algorithm replaces building emotional equity.

→ Too often, performance marketing replaces brand-building.

But companies that thrive understand:

👉 Branding defines the WHY.

👉 Communication is HOW you express it.

👉 Marketing is HOW you drive business through it.

3️⃣ What happens when you mix them up?

→ You hire the wrong people.

→ You brief agencies poorly.

→ You burn media budgets.

→ You build short-term metrics instead of long-term brand value.

And sometimes… you lose the loyalty you once had.

(See: Tesla’s recent brand confusion.)

4️⃣ Who should do what?

Branding → owned by brand strategists, design teams, leadership.

Communication → owned by internal + external comms, PR, content.

Marketing → owned by performance marketers, media, growth teams.

But — and here’s the key:

✅ Great CMOs know how to orchestrate all three.

✅ Great brand leaders work across all three.

✅ Senior talent must be fluent in this triad — or the brand will suffer.

5️⃣ In short:

🧬 Branding decides you’re a wolf in a unicorn suit.

🗣️ Communication hands you a glitter mic to yell “Hooo, I’m magical!”

💰 Marketing sells tickets to your show.

If you understand this — and hire, brief and lead accordingly — you’ll build brands that:

→ stand out

→ stay consistent

→ sell with authenticity

And yes — you’ll avoid the dreaded recruiter question: “Do you also know PowerPoint?”

Final word: Clarity is a superpower.

#NotEverythingIsMarketing

But everything CAN become a brand moment — if you lead with clarity and soul.