A former client of mine from Jerusalem posted an interesting question this week on a chat line: What is the difference between “branding” and “positioning”?

Several clever answers were entered. To sum up, although rather glibly: Positioning is where you want to be vis-a-vis potential clientele. The branding will show you how to get there.

What was interesting for me is that I have seen two other postings, on Facebook, referring to this same issue. However, on both occasions, these were actual case studies. As I business mentor, I think they deserve a far wider audience.

In the first instance, an 86 year old American sent a letter to her bank. A customer for years, they had bounced a cheque of hers. She did not close her account, but told them that from now onwards, she would treat them as they had treated her. As she explained: –

• I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan repayments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank, by check, addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate
• Be aware that it is an OFFENSE under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope. Please find attached an Application Contact which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages………
• I will issue your employee with a PIN number………….

And so the letter went on.

In other words, the bank’s actions had told her, where she was going to be positioned. Her branding of herself did not allow her to accept for such actions lying down, especially and ironically as it went against the bank’s own messaging.

At least the branch manager was clever enough to send it to the New York Times letter page.

And now I want to address the fascinating positioning of the London branch of the New York advertising firm “Grey”.

Grey London will become Valenstein & Fatt for 100 days, named after its Jewish founders Larry Valenstein and Arthur Fatt

It turns out that the original founders had wanted to hide their Jewish roots in order to secure more business. A century later, the British team has decided to choose the opposite road. The reasoning is fascinating.

First, it is a calculated knee-jerk reaction to growing xenophobia on both sides of the Atlantic, particularly after the terror incident at Westminster. Second, racism in seen to result in narrow thinking, the opposite value of what an advertising agency is all about. Third, I can but assume it is a very distinct way for Grey (or V&F) to position itself beyond its competitors.

What is left for us to learn from all of this. There are many wonderful books on marketing. You can earn a doctorate on the subject. But for all the theories just never forget that you must attempt to treat all of your customers all of the time as you would want to be served.